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Two recent articles in the Rappahannock News that at first seem unrelated together tell a story of priorities and community values.
Last week our Richmond correspondent, Sean Adams, wrote about a commissioned report on the relative stress of Virginia counties, stress being the taxation borne by a community compared to its ability to pay taxes.
When this test was applied to our county, Rappahannock topped the list. Of all counties in the commonwealth, we tax the least compared to our collective income.
“A job well done,” we can hear the community saying to the supervisors. By frugal management and common sense, our leaders have made living in Rappahannock a financial blessing. Property owners are free to buy more property, more cars, more stereos, more meals at the Inn or whatever they think is a worthy expenditure of their money.
Are they free to pay for a decent education for their children? No—the supervisors won’t let them. And until recently, it appeared that quality education was a ho-hum topic among parents as well.
In the last few months, though, we’ve been hearing some rumblings of discontent. Every day, parents stop by the Rappahannock News to ask which supervisory candidates would most strongly support reasonable expenditures to improve education. Of course, it’s not up to us to answer that question. The candidates will have an opportunity to make their stands in public forums. And in the two districts where the race is contested, education is the major issue.
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