Burton Remains Focused on Slowing Growth

Jim Burton moved to Loudoun County to look for peace and quiet after a 27-year career in the U.S. Air Force.

Instead, he said he found a lot of interesting things going on, including rampant development near the Village of Aldie where he bought his home. In 1995, Burton became actively involved in trying to slow down the rate of growth around his home. Later, he was approached by a group of people to run for the Loudoun Board of Supervisors, which he agreed to do if that group raised the money.

Burton, a retired Air Force colonel, has 16 years under his belt as supervisor of the Mercer [eliminated in 2000 redistricting] and Blue Ridge districts, all as an Independent. He said he’s been able to accomplish much over the years, and he’s not ready to quit yet.

“We have just come through very difficult times in the county,” he said. “I believe we aren’t out of the troubled waters yet and I think it would be beneficial to have someone with experience at the helm until things really settle down for good.”

Burton has been chairman of the board’s finance committee for the past four years, a period when belts were tightened through a recession. Burton said supervisors deferred repairs on county buildings and held school funding level despite the addition of 3,000 students each year.

“I’ve proposed fiscal guidance and I’ve done that each of the last four years as chairman of finance. We made it through in pretty good shape,” Burton said. But he also said spending on schools must not remain flat. “I don’t think you can do that for very long without damaging the school system.”

Burton named schools and public safety as his top two priorities.

When asked about challenges during his four terms, he referred to the 46 schools the county has built during that time.

“The biggest challenge has been to build those schools, handle over 40,000 new students and keep the tax rate at a reasonable level,” he said. “It’s been quite the challenge and I’m proud we’ve been able to do that.”

He referenced the growth boom in Fairfax County during the mid-1960s to the mid1980s.

“Fairfax County’s tax rate was as high as $1.74 and it has been my goal, my driving motivation to prevent that from happening to us,” Burton said. Real estate tax rates are used to figure taxes based on the home’s assessment.

Currently, the real estate tax rate is $1.285. But, Burton added, as long as there are 3,000 new students coming into the school system each year – which is projected to continue for the next 10 or more – there will be increased pressure on the residential real estate taxes.

“There is just no two ways about it,” Burton said. “You have to provide the services: build firehouses, buy fire trucks, build sheriff substations, build libraries, jails, etc. But most of the money goes to schools.”

Burton said the majority of revenue comes from residential and commercial real estates taxes, followed by other sources like sales tax, personal property tax, and the BPOL tax (business/professional/occupational licenses). He said the county has been able to maintain about 20 percent of the property tax base as commercial.

But contrary to many candidates this election season, Burton does not think bringing new businesses will help ease the burden on homeowners. He believes the best thing for the county is to slow the rate of growth.

“There are a lot of candidates running for office who would just wave their hand and say we’ll just increase the commercial tax base and that will relieve the burden on homeowners,” he said. “But as long as we continue to build 2,000 to 3,000 houses a year it’s a real struggle to get enough new commercial property just to maintain 20 percent of the tax base.”

Burton said balancing the residential and commercials tax bases in Loudoun sounds good in theory, but has never been accomplished in Loudoun.

“We have a goal in our fiscal guidance for 30 percent of our tax base to be from commercial property. We’ve never been able to reach it,” he explained.

Burton said his biggest worry is the financial consequences of growing too fast.

“I am not anti-growth; I am a slow-rate-of-growth advocate,” he said. “Let’s slow it down. If we open up again like we did five years ago we could have nearly 7,000 homes built in one year. I don’t know how we would handle that.”

Burton said he feels the county has a long road ahead and needs a leader with experience to get through the troubled waters.

In regard to public safety, among his top priorities, Burton said he helped get a budget approved to fund 25 new career positions for fire and rescue services in the county last year. He hopes to continue adding more.

“There were so many companies who were unable to meet all the calls and people were working overtime,” he said. “But on Sept. 23 and 24, recruits graduated and they’ll be placed in various companies all over the county.”

Burton said he has served to the best of his abilities and hopes to continue for at least one more term.

“I’ve enjoyed the service,” he said. “I’ve spent 31 years in the military. Public service is kind of what I do.”

His work in the military led him to write The Pentagon Wars: Reformers Challenge the Old Guard, exposing corruption in the process of selecting and purchasing weapons for the country’s armed services.

For more information on Jim Burton and the Blue Ridge District go to his campaign website.