August 2013 Newsletter

Dear Neighbors,

With summer coming to an end and school starting next week, I am excited about continuing my work representing you on the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors this fall.  I want to share an update on two important issues coming before the Board in September.  We will be delivering fiscal guidance to the County Administrator for next year’s budget and considering an item regarding the ongoing investigation into the Greenway’s high tolls.  I hope you enjoy the August addition of my newsletter and I would appreciate your feedback as I prepare for the Board meetings in September. 

As always, feel free to call me at 703-771-5088 or email me at shawn.williams@loudoun.gov with any questions or comments.  You can read regular updates about what I’m doing to represent our community on my Facebook page.  I hope you and your family have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

Sincerely,

Shawn Williams

Dulles Greenway

In May, I updated you about the complaint Delegate David Ramadan filed with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC), the agency within the Commonwealth of Virginia that regulates the tolls on the Greenway. Virginia Code specifies that toll rates on the Greenway “shall be set at a level which is reasonable to the user in relationship to the benefit obtained; which will not materially discourage use of the roadway to the public; and which will provide the operator no more than a reasonable return as determined by the Commission.”  The SCC is now investigating whether the Greenway’s toll rates are discouraging traffic from taking the road. 

In June, I testified before a local hearing of the SCC that the high tolls are absolutely discouraging traffic and causing traffic issues on alternate routes.  I pointed out that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) rates prime alternate routes Waxpool Road and Route 28 with a failing level of service.  Both VDOT and Loudoun County have spent and planned large expenditures to address this traffic situation.  Additionally, Loudoun County has taken a position against increased tolls, instead wanting the Greenway to pursue strategies to encourage more traffic volume.

At our upcoming Business Meeting on September 4th, Dulles District Supervisor Matthew Letourneau is bringing forward an item to add Loudoun County as a participant in the SCC proceedings investigating the Greenway tolls.  This will allow the county to raise our concerns about traffic diversion and its impact on Loudoun residents at the SCC hearing this fall.  I plan to strongly support this item and any other effort to lower tolls on the Greenway.  Please email the entire Board (bos@loudoun.gov) and let them know you support lower tolls on the Greenway.

FY 2015 Budget Fiscal Guidance

Each fall, in order to help the County Administrator prepare for the next budget process in the spring, the Board of Supervisors gives fiscal guidance on the upcoming budget.  This allows the County Administrator to prepare a budget that reflects the priorities of the Board.  At July’s Finance/Government Service and Operations Committee meeting, we were presented with the latest figures on our local Loudoun economy:

• Unemployment: May 2013 unemployment rates were 3.6 percent in Loudoun, as compared to 5.2 percent in Virginia and 7.6 percent nationally.

• Job Growth: Job growth continued in Loudoun County, with the addition of over 2,000 jobs in 2012.

• Residential Property Market: Residential building permits totaled 3,872 in 2012, the highest level since 2005. In the first five months of 2013, Loudoun has issued more residential building permits than were issued for the entire year in 2008, 2009, or 2010. Between January and May, 1,682 permits have been issued. This is 42% more permits than issued for the same period last year. Sales of housing units have also increased, accompanied by increased sales prices.

• Property Values: The County is experiencing improving valuations for residential real and personal property, which had begun to increase by 2011 and continues in 2013. Commercial property is also exhibiting substantial growth, with over $800 million added to the commercial real property base during the past two years along with $240 million in additional business personal property over the same time period.

Major considerations for the upcoming budget include an expected increase of approximately 2000 new students for the Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS), maintaining county services with a growing population and the continuation of planned infrastructure projects.  Additionally for LCPS, this upcoming budget year is the biennial reset of the state’s education aid formula, leaving uncertainty if state education aid will match the expected population increase. 

One of my goals in this upcoming budget will be ensuring there is sufficient local funding for LCPS.  I want to make sure our tax dollars are reaching the teachers and classrooms, where they can have the largest educational impact.  Additionally, I want to make sure our teachers are fairly compensated in line with neighboring jurisdictions.  I also plan to focus on funding transportation improvements and increasing the number of available athletic fields in our parks.  Given the ongoing impacts of sequestration and other financial pressures on many families in the Broad Run District, I will continue to look for ways Loudoun’s government can operate more efficiently so the property tax rate can keep decreasing.  As noted above, over $1 billion in new commercial and business property has been added to the tax base over the past two years, which will also help ease the tax burden on homeowners.  I would like to hear from you as I begin consideration for this budget process.  Please call or email me and let me know your priorities for the upcoming budget. 

Transportation Project Spotlight:

Mooreview Parkway

In the last budget, the Board allocated $6.3 million of FY 2012 fund balance for the construction of Mooreview Parkway between Croson Lane and Old Ryan Road.  I have long been concerned about the traffic along Old Ryan Road, and the opening of Moorefield Station Elementary School this fall will cause the traffic to increase more. The connection between Croson Lane and Old Ryan Road will allow almost all traffic on Old Ryan Road to be diverted and will provide safer and more efficient access from the south portion of the Broad Run District to Loudoun County Parkway and the Brambleton area.  Construction is planned to start in the spring on 2014. 

Community Events and Information:

Epicurience Virginia – This Weekend!  Picture a food and wine festival so unique that no existing name quite fit. A food and wine experience so epic, in fact, that we're calling it something completely new: Epicurience. Held in the East Coast's premier wine region, Loudoun, Virginia: DC's Wine Country. It's where insiders come to savor award-winning wines and seek out noteworthy farm-to-table cuisine. Taste the finest in Virginia wines, meet top tastemakers and master winemakers, sample cuisine prepared by celebrated chefs from around the country. It's an Epicurience. An epicurean experience you'll want to see for yourself.  This festival will be held in various locations around Loudoun from Friday August 30th to Monday September 2nd.  For more information, see the Visit Loudoun website.  (http://epicvirginia.com/)

Loudoun Hunger Summit: The Loudoun Hunger Summit will be hosting their 2nd Annual Hunger Summit on Friday, September 20. The Summit will be held Noon-2:00 pm, with registration beginning at 11:30.

This year’s summit will provide an update of meetings and hunger activities over the past year, discuss success and challenges of getting resources from point A to Point B, and encourage corporate sponsorship. After the presentations, attendees will an opportunity to engage in discussing current hunger issues while enjoying lunch provided to you by the Hunger Summit. After lunch, the summit will offer presentations about “Hunger & the Holistic Approach” with presentations from the community, faith communities, and the local food pantries. The Location of this year’s Summit is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (21015 Claiborne Parkway, Ashburn VA).  If you have questions or would like to register, please contact Rona Scott. (ldspublicaffrs@aol.com)

Dulles Plane Pull:  The annual Dulles Plane Pull will host its 21st Plane Pull on September 14nd. Raise money for the Virginia Special Olympics while competing against teams of 25 to pull a 164,000 pound plane. Parents and kids can pull together. Sign your kids up for the “Kids Truck Pull,” where they will compete in teams to pull a big red 123JUNK truck. .  The proceeds will go to the Virginia Special Olympics which works to provide year-round training and athletic competition to more than 11,000 athletes.  For information to register your team or to make a secure donation, visit this link.  http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/ask-gina/2012dullesdayfestivalandplanepull

Loudoun Symphony Orchestra: The Loudoun Symphony Orchestra is now selling tickets for their 2013-2014 Season. The season begins September 21st with a Family Concert featuring Loudoun Ballet. Fur, Feathers & Friends! is a production for the whole family. The concert will be held at The Concert Hall at The Virginia Academy/Community Church and will host two performances at 1 and 3 pm. The concert will include Wilson’s Meteora, Ravel’s Selections from “Mother Goose,” and Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf.  Buy tickets for this performance and all the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra’s 2013-2014 season at their website. 

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