Taking your money
    
To the editor:

The facts are simple:  Vice Mayor Kerry Donley wants to raise your taxes and take more of your money. Indeed, he wants more of your money so he can use it to get Alexandria further into debt for projects the city cant currently afford. 

Donley has not been shy in his quest: he made his position known at the October 13 Old Town Civic Association meeting and again at the Alexandria City Council meeting held on October 16.

Donley has often cited both Fairfax and Arlington as modal tax jurisdictions to follow in his efforts to raise taxes via a so-called piggyback tax on all commercial properties. Unfortunately, he apparently doesnt realize that, unlike those two counties, the City of Alexandria features thousands of small businesses that provide our citizens and guests with, as well as jobs and unique goods and services. 

To make things worse, these hardworking small business owners have been struggling to survive in the face of the largest recession in 80 years. the city councils draconian increase in parking fees has not helped. If Donley gets his way, these same businesses will face a double-digit increase in their property taxes. This isnt a one-time surcharge; this tax will be on our backs forever. Dont forget that Donley is pushing this new tax less than a year after the councils last increase in property taxes. The cost of these taxes are ultimately passed onto the average Alexandrian, like you and me.

So why is Donley pushing this tax now? After all, his colleagues have repeatedly rejected it on over the past several years. While the true reasons are currently unknown, Donley raises the threat of a proposed state law that would force Alexandria to impose this tax, risking no say in how Richmond doles out the revenues. However, in his public statements, Donley fails to mention that the proposed law has essentially died in committee and has slim to none chance of ever being made into law. 

Hopefully, the other members of the city council, who have repeatedly rejected Donleys piggyback tax, will use better judgment and once again reject this unfair, unnecessary and unwanted tax.