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03
Tough decisions for rural schools
Mar 13, 2007In Wise County (Va.) and Sullivan County (Tenn.), leaders face hard choices. A number of school buildings in both divisions need extensive repairs. The need is great; the cost is high. Options are limited.
In Wise, a plan to renovate all six high schools carries a $109 million price tag. Perhaps the cost can be trimmed, but this could still lead to a sizable property tax increase. Is it one that a small rural county can afford?
In Sullivan, meanwhile, plans to fix or replace Blountville Middle School range from $335,000 (a basic patch job) to $28 million. And a county wide study of school facility needs is several months away from even starting.
Both districts appear to be operating more schools than would be justified by enrollment. But the public doesn’t want to close schools, even if it resulted in better opportunities for the students.
If you were in charge, what would you do? Which options work best? How much can these counties afford to spend maintaining aging structures that aren’t up to today’s standards?
Posted by Andrea Hopkins Sunshine Week
Mar 12, 2007This week, we are taking a look at open government in the region as part of the third annual Sunshine Week. You can read my thoughts on the matter here.
Now, it’s your turn. Have you had problems getting public documents? Are local governments overly restrictive in their rules for public speakers? Share your experiences fighting city hall.
Draft Fred?
Mar 09, 2007It appears a movement to draft former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson for a presidential run is afoot. (Hat tip to Knoxville News-Sentinel blogger, Michael Silence).
So, what do you think? If Thompson throws his hat in the ring, would you vote for him?
I met Thompson several times as a reporter. The man has charisma. He never came across as an ideologue either, although he was certainly a Republican.
This could get interesting.
Transportation, again
Mar 07, 2007Want to tell Gov. Tim Kaine how to fix the transportation package crafted (some would say hatched) by the General Assembly? Here’s your chance.
The governor’s Web site has a handy form for just this purpose. The governor is seeking this feedback as he embarks on a two-week tour of the state to talk about his plans to amend the bill. How about increasing the gas tax?
But I digress. For those interested, here’s the link.
My colleague in Richmond, Bart Hinkle, criticizes the site on his blog, Barticles, for its rather simplistic format and the fact that it doesn’t give one the option of saying the bill is fine as it is. Fair points.
Perhaps the governor should add an option to the poll: I prefer to keep all of my tax dollars to myself and the rest of Virginia can go jump in a lake. Or something like that.
Thoughts on Bristol Compressors
Mar 06, 2007Of course, it’s a good thing that one of the region’s largest industrial employers (even if it is half the size that it was just a few years ago) didn’t close. I am referring to the sale of Bristol Compressors to an investment firm that has promised to keep it open. For now.
However, this turn of events raises some policy issues that are not insignificant. The state of Virginia (through the Tobacco Commission) and Washington County gave the company $1 million to stay put.
This isn’t the first time that Bristol Compressors has been on the receiving end of these sort of incentives. The company received a $1 million grant several years ago. Promises were made that jobs would be preserved. But things didn’t quite turn out as planned.
Don’t get me wrong. Saving 1,000 jobs is a huge deal. Absorbing such a blow in the industrial sector in the region would have been hard, if not impossible.
But how much is too much to pay? What kind of guarantees of performance are there? Will the company come back in another 5 years and ask for more? Are we merely delaying the inevitable?
These are good and curious questions that deserve answers.
