Stafford, Virginia

Fredericksburg, Virginia

Spotsylvania, Virginia

King George, Virginia

Caroline County, Virginia

All reports provided by www.rbintel.com  and www.MRIS.com . May 13, 2012

For the first time ever, the REALTORS(R) Foundation is hosting a Regional High School Art Show featuring the artwork of  students from our community.  Please become a sponsor for this event and support our budding artists and The Foundation’s community related housing initiatives.

If you want more information, check out Ladysmith Village’s website.

Tax Increases

This week the Caroline Board of Supervisors voted to raise the tax rate for the County. The new real estate tax rate has been increased by 4 cents which makes it 72 cents per $100 of assessed value. This is on top of the 15% tax rate from last year, but the last increase was four years prior.  The only two Supervisors to vote against the increase were Jeff Black (R) and Jeff Sili(R).  Mr. Black reportedly recommended that every county department be examined to see where decreases in spending could be made.  This was rumored to not be well received by some department officials.

Boy, I sure am glad that we’re building a YMCA.  That will fix everything.

Other County Tax Rates

By comparison the tax rate for some other local counties are as follows,  Spotsylvania adopted an 88 cent per $100 rate yesterday, The City of Fredericksburg is 72 cents per $100 assessed value, Hanover is 81 cents per $100 assessed value and King George is 50 cents per $100 assessed value. (Information obtained from each jurisdiction’s webpage).

Assessed Values

Not that it really changes much, but homes don’t sell for the assessed value.  The county updated their assessment of value (which in my opinion was too high when it was done), and the value is based on that 2011 valuation.  To put this in perspective, here’s a list of five homes that sold in Lake Land’or in the past few months:

1.  522 Redground Road, sold 2/23/2012 for $150,000  with a tax assessment of $210,700

2.  403 Cooper Lane, sold 11/09/2011 for $110,000 with a tax assessment of $166,100

3.  238 Land’or Drive, sold 1/6/2012 for $89,000 with a tax assessment of $140,800

4.  113 Hope Dr, sold 10/27/2012 for $192,000 with a tax assessment of $220,900

5.  648 Welsh Dr, sold 10/21/2012 for $170,000 with a tax assessment of $250,500

That’s just the first five that I pulled up in the MLS upon searching for homes that closed in the past six months.  I do this illustration to encourage our readers to ask the county to re-asses your home value.  However, if enough homes are assessed at a lower value, the county will just reduce the assessed value and increase the tax rate.  Either way, the county needs a certain amount of money to function.

Town Hall Meetings

If you’d like to have your opinion heard on this issue, as well as others you should attend the two upcoming Town Halls.  Jeff Black, the Western District Supervisor, has scheduled two town hall meetings.

The first meeting is Monday April 23, 7:00 at the Rehoboth Church on Ladysmith Road, just past Chilesburg on the left.  The second meeting is Tuesday April 24, 7:00 at the Lake Land’Or clubhouse.

You can also leave comments below, as we know that some of the county supervisors do read this blog.

Ok, so I thought this post was pretty funny, but potentially useful.  LifeHacker.com is a great blog on… well, just about everything.  Recently they posted a “Annoying Neighbor Complaint Letter” that you can download as a PDF and then anonymously send to the offending neighbor.  There’s even a link on the letter that explains to the recipient why they are receiving it.

Maybe you want to put that crazy-party throwing neighbor on notice, well here’s a great place to start.

Brought to you by MRIS and RBIntel.com

From the South on Up…

“Utility Preys On Communities – Aqua Virginia”

It appears that Aqua Virginia has once again filed for a rate increase with the State Corporate Commission.  In June 2009 Aqua Virginia filed for a rate increase in Caroline County affecting the Lake Land’or, Campbell’s Creek, Bridlewood and Countryside Apartment Communities.  That rate increase was approved and then later, in November of 2010, reduced by the SCC.  During the time period of the rate increase, some community members were paying $150 per month for water and at least one homeowner, with well and septic, claimed to have been billed $1,200 in one month!

The sign shown above is painted on plywood outside of the Campbell’s Creek subdivision on Rt.1 and is a monument to the frustration of local citizens in regards to the proposed additional rate increase.  (Writer’s Note:  This type of signage is only somewhat effective in getting attention to your cause, but it is VERY effective in reducing the home value of you and all your neighbors…)

What Does The Current Proposal Look Like?

Even though the rates were moderated by the SCC in November of 2010, it doesn’t mean there wasn’t an increase to some home owners. So, this proposal will be the second increase attempt in about two years.  The Lake Land’or Community leadership has been gathering a lot of information about the proposed rate increase.

Here’s what they are showing by way of comparison:

Water Rates by Comparison

Caroline County vs. AQUA Virginia

• Current Base Rate for water customers on the Caroline County Public Water System is  $15.44

• Current Base Rate for water customers with AQUA Virginia is $14.89

• Proposed Base Rate for water customers with AQUA Virginia is $16.41

Volumetric Charge – Caroline Co. Water

Volumetric Charges – Water AQUA VA

Current/Proposed

Sewer Rates by Comparison

Caroline County vs. AQUA VA

• Current Base Charge for sewer in Caroline County is $19.85

• Current Base Charge for sewer with AQUA VA is $29.58

• Proposed Base Charge for sewer with AQUA VA is $31.

Volumetric Charge – Caroline Sewer

Volumetric Charges – Sewer – Aqua VA

Current/ Proposed

In Comparison…

Water Only

Water and Sewer

In Aqua Virginia’s Own Words

The two documents below are of testimony from Aqua Virginia on why they are applying for a rate increase.

Direct Testimony

Proposed Rate Increases

What Can You Do About It?

In these tough economic times, this seems like the exact wrong thing to do to families, who are working hard just to make ends meet.  I understand that Aqua Virginia is running a business and their expenses are increasing just as everyone else’s is, but when you have the monopoly on something as essential as water; one would think there would be a level of reasonable benevolence.  

It does raise the question, that if Aqua Virginia had to be competitive with another service provider, would they be so apt to apply for these increases?

None-the-less, with a large community uproar, the SCC did step in last time to moderate the rate increase.  In 2009-2010 there were a number of community meetings, many with elected officials listening to the concerns and taking actions.  It seems like it’s appropriate to once again enlist the help or our elected officials to ensure that we maintain a reasonable quality of life and that the utility company not take advantage of their monopoly.

Here is a list of elected officials for you to contact

What’s The Cost

Here is an open letter from Bonnie Kilgore, who is a member of Lake Land’or

Aqua Virginia is again demanding an increase in revenue. We, at Lake Land’Or in Caroline county just  north of Richmond, have seen our water bills soar over 350% since 2006.   Aqua America buys up water companies and makes HUGE profits at the expense of the consumers.

Land’Or fought and won last time.  It cost our Homeowner’s Association $60,000.00 in legal fees.  Land’Or does not have another $60,000.00 to pay for an attorney.  We hope other HOAs  will join us in our fight against Aqua Virginia.

Together we can fight this giant corporation.  It has happened in other states.  If we don’t fight we will be looking at water rate increases every year until no one can afford water.  We need legislation to curtail the profits of  water companies in Virginia. We need to stop paying for their new acquisitions.  We want to pay a fair price for water. We will fight but we can’t  do it all alone.

If you have Aqua Virginia as your water company and you are sick of rising bills without rising quality and availability of water come join Lake Land’Or.

 Participation papers must be filed by March 8.  We can help with this.  Letters to politicians, to the SCC and to the Department of Energy are important.  Petitions are good.

Contact information

Bonnie Kilgore                                                      email:  [email omitted for security reasons]

Lake Land’Or Homeowner’s Association              804-448-3990

Community Action

The leadership within Lake Land’or have put together a lot of resources and steps to help you have your voice heard in regards to the Aqua Virginia proposed rate increases:

STEP 1: Contact Aqua Virginia to complain about the latest rate increase.

a)     Most customers can reach customer service at 877.WTR.AQUA or 877.987.2782 or email at custserv@aquaamerica.com

b)     Contact Gregory K. Odell (President and Chief Operating Officer of AQUA VA), 2414 Granite Ridge Road, Rockviile, VA 23146

Email: GKOdell@aquaamerica.com

**Please feel free to comment on both water quality and the proposed rate increase.  Keep a copy of your correspondence with AQUA VA. The State Corporation Commission of Virginia wants to make sure you have voiced your complaints to AQUA Virginia first.

STEP 2: Contact the State Corporation Commission concerning AQUA VA’s latest rate increase.

 The website is – http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case/PublicComments.aspx

Please reference the case number: PUE-2011-00099

STEP 3: Contact the representatives listed in this post.

STEP 4: Sign the online petition at Change.org. Type in the key word AQUA.

STEP 5: Join the Facebook page to receive updates on the latest developments concerning the rate increase by AQUA VA.

STEP 6: If you have water/sewer bills over 150 dollars per month, please submit them to the LLPOA office along with the number of people in your household. These may be used at the hearing in June.

STEP 7: Attend Water Committee meetings to get the latest information and help in the efforts to fight this corporate giant.

Volunteers

Many thanks to all the activists and community leaders who work hard to fight issues like this.  Additional thanks to Jeff Black of the Caroline Board of Supervisors and Beverly & John Copeland who provided much of the information contained in this post.