City manager suggests modest real estate tax increase.

cording to election data from FiveThirtyEight and The Washington Post, the new district has a nearly identical partisan composition as the old one.

Raised by a Republican family in a rural community, Throneburg claimed he is well-equipped to reach out to Republican voters and discuss bipartisan issues, like health care and broadband. “If there’s anybody who can actually access space in those communities and have them consider a Democrat as their potential representative, I think it’s me,” he said.

Parker argued he could also find common ground with Republicans with his platform. “[Social media has] created this underbelly where you’ve got all this misinformation, video of my daughter’s murder, illegal drugs…this is what I found resonates across both sides of the aisle.”

Rural communities across the district continue to lack access to high-speed internet. To support broadband expansion, Parker proposed governments work directly with phone carriers, while Throneburg suggested treating broadband like a utility.

Parker promised to prioritize challenging big pharma, and bringing prescription drug prices down. Throneburg stressed the need to fight against climate change, and invest in green energy and jobs.

“We need more solar. We need more wind. Those things have to happen immediately,” said Throneburg. “We also have to do it strategically and with some thought and care.”

Throughout the forum, both candidates expressed support for implementing Medicare for all, overturning Citizens United, protecting abortion rights, stopping voter suppression, and passing the Equal Rights Amendment. They also vowed to support diversity, equity, and inclusion in education, as Republicans like Governor Glenn Youngkin try to ban “critical race theory” and censor books in schools.

“Kids should be taught factual history… the good, the bad, everything that happened,” said Parker.

“If you can’t change their minds, you change their seats.”

ANDY PARKER, 5TH DISTRICT CANDIDATE

In their closing statements, the candidates encouraged voters to show up to the polls, and rally together to flip the district to blue in November.

Over on the Republican side, Bob Good is facing a primary fight of his own. Challenger Dan Moy, who spent 27 years in the Air Force, will face off against Good during a Republican congressional convention in May.

“You deserve a congressman that actually knows how the economy should work, how our communities work, and our country,” said Parker at the forum. “Right now you don’t have that—you deserve better.”

Democratic congressional hopefuls have until April 7 to file to run, and the Democratic primary will be held on June 21.

SUPPLIED PHOTO

Taxing talks:

City manager suggests 2-cent real estate tax hike

Charlottesville City Council allowed the public to sound off on multiple key financial decisions at Monday night’s meeting. As council works to craft the budget for fiscal year 2023, it will be forced to make difficult decisions about which projects to prioritize and how to create new revenue—among the key initiatives is a school reconfiguration project estimated to cost $75 million.

Interim City Manager Michael Rogers said his office recommends raising the real estate tax by 2 cents going in to next year—currently, real estate is taxed at 95 cents per $100 of assessed value. Earlier this year, council had considered raising real estate taxes by as much as 10 cents, but it backed off from that number, in part due to the significant rise in real estate taxes around the city, thanks to the tight real estate market.

During the public hearing, multiple residents expressed support for the reconfiguration project, and hoped council would find a way to make it happen.

Rogers noted that the city is also juggling improving transit, hiring firefighters, potentially collective bargaining with employees, and pushing forward on climate goals, among other things in its budget.

Rogers essentially recommended slowing down the reconfiguration project to give the city more time to find funding for it. “The proposed school reconfiguration has not been integrated into the city’s capital improvements program in a manner that will allow City Council to make a coordinated funding plan,” said Rogers. The revenue from the 2-cent real estate tax increase should be “earmarked as the beginning of an annual funding program to generate funds for school reconfiguration” to give city staff time “to work on a five- to 10-year funding plan.”

City budget discussions will continue through March and into April.—C-VILLE Staff

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