Alert to Prince William County taxpayers
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Tom Loren
Published: July 5, 2008
Are you aware and do you care that it is not only in Richmond that taxpayers are treated inequitably? The closure of the Manassas Senior Day Care program on June 20 was an inequality and injustice to
the taxpayers living in the western end of Prince William County, the City of Manassas and City of Manassas Park, while those taxpayers on the eastern end of the county continue to be served by the
Woodbridge Senior Day Care Program.
Cost was not the issue.
Are you aware that in 2004 the total budget for the Board of County Supervisors was $1,200,000; in 2005 it went up to $1,400,000; in 2006 they spent $1,932,853; in 2007 they spent $2,351,996; in 2008
their budget was $2,553,554 and for fiscal 2009 their published budget is $2,531,506. From 2004 to 2009 a total increase of more than 100 percent.
It was all right for Chairman Corey Stewart to use these taxpayer dollars to publicize his election campaign, but it was not possible for him and the seven supervisors to give back less than $20,000 each
to sustain the MSDP for another year.
At the closure of the program on June 20, 18 of the remaining 26, or 69.2 percent of the participants, were eligible for the sliding scale, yet the following is Chairman Stewart’s justification for closing the
program. “It was a tough decision by the Board of County Supervisors including myself to cut the Manassas Adult Daycare from the budget. As a county we are facing an economic hardship and it is
extremely unfortunate that we had to cut a popular program.”
If you want to hold your supervisor accountable for how he or she is spending your taxes, please call him or her and ask them for their report. We get the government we deserve if we do not demand
accountability from those we elect.
TOM LOREN
Manassas
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( Chris Pannell ) on July 09, 2008 at 9:49 am
Do the right thing,
Where’s any quotes from the Supervisors that have residents that wood participate in the Manassas Program.
I still say the program has not been given the attention, support, and promotion that the Woodbridge center has always had. That’s my big beef.
FYI- I have no personal interest in the center. My surviving parent is pretty healthy. However, my deceased parent was very ill for years and taken care of at home. It’s very hard on families in so many other ways that are not monitary.
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Posted by ( do the right thing ) on July 09, 2008 at 8:54 am
Chris,
FYI-
“This facility was … operating in the red,“ said Supervisor John Jenkins, D-Neabsco, in an earlier interview. “We had tried to rescue them a year before by giving them advice … and it was draining resources from the rest of the [Area Agency on Aging] program.“
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Posted by ( Chris Pannell ) on July 06, 2008 at 8:16 am
Why do the Supervisors feel the eastern end of the county is more worthy than those of the Western end? We are the western end not the WEALTHY end.
I addressed the board the week the center was closing in Manassas. I told them these are tough economic times for all. We are all cutting back in certain areas. Yet, the Supervisors discretionary funds were NOT cut. So, why don’t they all kick in $20K each and keeep the center going for another year. Well, that would just simply make sense and show caring and respect for the elderly and their caregivers.
I find the boards action to close the Manassas program UNFORGIVEABLE!! They should be ashamed of themselves. And to those that will still have the program in Woodbridge. Watch next year it will be you too. Although, they have had John Jenkins and Hilda Barg down there for decades promoting and supporting seniors. This can NOT be said for the western end, and it looks like they will continue to NOT care. This is a real shame.
It’s funny how millions for immigration was “a small portion of the budget”. Yet, $160,000 can’t be found for our seniors.
I was brought up to respect my elders. Clearly, are Supervisors don’t feel the same.
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