We feel that the current Board of Supervisors has not fulfilled its obligations to the citizens of Powhatan for these specific reasons:

• UPDATE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IN A TIMELY MANNER AND FOLLOW IT!---State law requires counties to review their comprehensive plans every FIVE years. Our current plan was adopted in 1998 and before that it was adopted in 1995. So....why did we update it in a three year span ten years ago, but have waited those TEN YEARS to update it now when growth has increased exponentially????
• NOT LISTENING TO CITIZENS OF POWHATAN—especially CWG’s (Citizens’ Working Groups) ie. Concerned Citizens of Powhatan, Route 60 committee. Although they have been included in the reviewing of the Comprehensive Plan, their input has been severely limited by only allowing one representative from each group to report to the advisory committee.
• TAX RELIEF FOR THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED--- Powhatan has tax relief for the elderly, but it is simply not enough. The General Assembly raised the amount of the total income a resident makes to qualify to $50,000 and the total net worth to $200,000. Currently our limits are $35,000 for total income and $100,000 for net worth. The board is currently discussing whether they should raise it. Let’s not discuss it, let’s DO IT and then discuss how we can make up for the lost revenue!
• SMART GROWTH---Growth is inevitable, but unchecked growth is inexcusable. Instead of allowing residential developments to be built wherever the developers want, we need to only allow them to be built where the infrastructure can handle the increase in growth. Powhatan used to be a member of the Coalition of High Growth Communities. Are we still members? Are we trying to lobby the General Assembly to adopt Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances which allow counties to defer the approval of development if the public facilities were inadequate to support the increase in growth? Are we stressing the use of cluster development or an increase in buffers to maintain the rural character that has drawn us all to Powhatan?
• ROADS—why straighten Mill Quarter to the tune of $1.2 million when we need more important improvements for ALL of Powhatan, especially where there is much more traffic and significantly more safety concerns.
• PROFFERS—Developers voluntarily pay proffers in order to get land rezoned for development and most of this money goes towards schools which is good, but new developments also put a tremendous strain on the roads. Why aren’t developers building more roads or making improvements instead of having the tax payers foot the bill?
• ENVIRONMENT---Rapid development affects our environment, not only with what we can see (disappearance of open, green spaces) but also affects what we cannot see (water and soil quality). The Fighting Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant received two violations for exceeding limitations on harmful material being released into the creek under our current board. Two violations and a warning letter were issued shortly before they took office. These violations eventually cost taxpayers about $8000 in fines. If we don’t have a handle on the environmental affects of development now, how will we handle the need for clean water sources and adequate waste water facilities?
• LOSING OUR DIVERSITY—In the past 20 years, there has been a 25% decrease in the population of African Americans living in Powhatan. Why? Could it be the dramatic increase in personal property taxes and assessments? What are we doing to keep Powhatan the diverse county it has always been?

These are just a few of the many issues the Powhatan Democrats see as important to the citizens of Powhatan. Of course there are more, and we encourage YOU to share yours with us by using the BLOG to voice your own concerns!