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cent of their annual school budget from Richmond. This is because the LCI shows Rappahannock County to be the 10th wealthiest county in Virginia.
The state encourages communities to preserve open space and to help secure the livelihood of their farmers. But because the LCI does not factor in land use value in calculating what our county can afford to pay, this places a burden on the citizens of Rappahannock. That burden is becoming unbearable, and the time has come to take our case to the state.
Efforts are underway by • Dr. Chappell and a few others to get the LCI formula changed, as well as to augment the funding with a Cost of Competing Adjustment (COCA) to give Rappahannock an equitable slice of the state school funding pie.
Fauquier County is beginning to feel the heat from the LCI, and we believe they would join us in a real fight in Richmond. These efforts will require both strong leadership by members of the Board of Supervisors and concerted public action.
The folks in Richmond don’t change easily or quickly, but these are the issues we should be fighting about, not trying to squeeze money out of the school system or Sheriff’s Office or other county services.
I have written to Governor Kaine in support of Dr. Chappell’s plea that the Governor add COCA funding for Rappahannock to the state budget and I urge everyone to do so as well.
I learned last week that Culpeper County has received this extra money - making it that much more urgent for Rappahannock. We compete not only with our near neighbors, but also in the region that includes Loudoun and the rest of Northern Virginia for highly qualified teachers.
The Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on Monday, April 30 at 7 p.m. in the RCHS auditorium, and they will decide the fate of
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