Opinion
One of the main reasons I decided to run for Dumfries Town Council in 2010 was that I was tired of sitting on the sidelines while local home values plummeted, property taxes and several additional fees were raised, and the local governing body seemed determined to make Dumfries less and less competitive with our neighbors.
In 2009 – the year before I ran for office – the Town Council nearly doubled the local property tax rate, approved more borrowing, increased Business, Professional and Occupational License (BPOL) rates 10% across the board, increased vehicle tag fees, doubled the cigarette tax and hiked storm water management fees. With Northern Virginia residents besieged by plummeting wages and non-existent economic growth, the last thing government should be doing is adding to their burden by raising taxes and fees that allow government to continue spending without regard for the economic and fiscal realities we are all facing.
After winning a seat on Town Council in May 2010 and taking office in July 2010, I set about to return our tax and fee amounts to pre-FY2010 levels. After being elected Mayor in 2012 and re-elected in 2014, I have accelerated my efforts to push for tax and fee relief on home and business owners. This is a pledge I made on the campaign trail, and as a 25-year Marine, my word is incredibly important to me. Entering politics wasn’t about to change that.
I am proud to report that over the course of the FY12, FY13, FY14 and FY15 budgets, we have successfully reduced the property tax rate by over 50%, and will reduce it again in the FY16 budget back to pre-FY10 levels. I instructed the Town Manager to conduct a zero-based budget review, and we have continually lowered the BPOL, as well as the vehicle tag fee and the cigarette tax.
Dumfries businesses fees are now equal to or lower than the Prince William County and Stafford County fees in every category. More importantly, we did all this while increasing the town’s rainy-day surplus fund in case of emergencies and not eliminating any services to our residents and business owners.
Now I am running for Senate to use the success we’ve enjoyed in Dumfries as a blueprint for how to make our state more affordable and competitive. A key to our success in Dumfries is shedding political party politics and working together for a common cause. As Mayor I have built a budget that aligns with county, state and federal programs, in this way our residents and business owners are not taxed unnecessarily. Likewise, I will work with county and local elected officials in both parties to ensure that programs created in Richmond are truly having the local impact intended.
In contrast, my opponent, five plus year-current Delegate Scott Surovell is a supporter of bigger and more expansive government. Since money doesn’t grow on trees, that means taking more revenue from taxpayers to pay for it. Unfortunately, policies like these are what’s making us less competitive economically and less affordable for young families and seniors. The proof? The U.S. Department of Commerce recently reported that the commonwealth’s economic growth was zero percent in 2014, and not much better in the several years prior to that.
It’s clear to voters and business owners we need a new approach to doing business in Richmond. Open dialogue, accessibility, transparency, and collaboratively working with all government agencies is working in Dumfries, and I am eager to apply the same concepts at the state level if you honor me with your vote Nov. 3, 2015.
Gerald “Jerry” Foreman is Mayor of the Town of Dumfries and seeks a seat in the 36th District Virginia State Senate.
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Experience the passion and drama of Puccini’s “The Girl from the Golden West”.
Featuring special guest musicians from The Chesapeake Youth Orchestra, this performance brings Puccini’s masterpiece to life with an extraordinary cast.
Featuring:
