aren't there enough "performance centers" around? next we'll be paying for the performers....

Can you believe it! They are spending another $150,000 of this! That brings us to $700,000 this year - which will increase in years to come.

The first $550,000 was included in this year's budget for the "arts". It was approved by the Board of Supervisors after the budget hearing were over.

Taxes going through the roof, children are being refused assistance, firefighters are not paid enough to live in the county, staff shortages resulted in the County not noticing new homes that were too tall and violated zoning requirements. The list goes on and on and on and on. When will this madness stop?

This is sad, really sad that the Board of Supervisors can be so insensitive.

Well, we deseve what we are getting. Voters put these people in office. George Bernard Shaw said it best. He said that democracy "ensures that we shall be governed no better that we deserve".

Let me say it again, this is sad, really sad that the Board of Supervisors can be so insensitive. Sad, sad, sad!

There is no light at the end of the tunnel.

Just think of the recreational and performance facilities that we already have. Those at George Mason university, at Reston and McLean community centers, at several county parks that attract thousands to concerts each year, at Mount Vernon, Great Falls, and Reston.

That is not to mention the Kennedy Center.

Why do we need to duplicate these facilities, at a time when Fairfax County real estate taxes are going through the roof? But who am I to complain! The Board wants to spend money on a new facility and they will do just that.

The only thing I can do is to remember this at voting time. That's my only option.

Let me clarify one item in my post, above.

During the budget hearings this year, a speaker proposed that $1.1 million of County funds be set aside for the "arts".

After the hearings terminated, several days later, the Board approved $550,000 of that $1.1 million. The $550,000 was designated as matching funds for private donations, such as from businesses.

maybe "Potemkin" or a diversity celebration would be their first performance
even Fry is a socialist

I say they spend $1 million and build a state of the art citizen gun training range!

Now that would be useful.

If they have the money to build an "arts center" then my question would be "who is going to use it??" The majority of the government outlay should be to support the greatest number of people that feed that dragon. That is why so much is spent on schools and roads. Makes me wonder how much of this money will end up in the hands of the members of the board. I think Mike S's idea of a gun range is EXCELLENT! It is a good use of the land and giving the local populace a place to learn to defend themselves and would reduce crime and the calls for increased police patrols for an already overworked police force. But that would be forward thinking and we know the NOVA politicians have not caught up with the majority of the country and are still anti-gun. Well, with that in mind I say either let the citizens vote on it or just give the money back.

I think there are no county handgun or rifle ranges yet we have many concealed and openly carried firearms in the county.

This would be a great place for safety and proficency training and competitive and recreational shooting.

A state of the art shooting range would certainly serve the public good.

When government gets into what private business can or actually do, there are always problems.

At Las Vegas' McCarren International Airport, the car rental companies run their own shuttles. This private arrangement generally runs well, and if there is a problem, the public is allowed to vote with their pocket books and rent from a different company. Sadly, the county is going to take it over, but that is another subject.

At Dallas-Fort Worth International, the airport runs the shuttle. Sometimes it works well, sometimes it doesn't, but unless you want to take a cab you have no choice, so there is no economic incentive to make it run right all the time.

I believe this to be the same with Mr Stollenwerk's plan for a firing range. As much as I would like to see it, and as much as the current public ranges are not nearly as nice as those in other cities, making a public one won't help anything. The right thing to do would be to allow a simple zoning application for indoor public ranges in industrial zoning. Those are the only places they WERE allowed, and now the county won't approve any, even though there is a serious need. The lack of competition by not allowing any new firing ranges is why they are both busy and run down.

Not to give the county any ideas, but they could make the range free, and run the last ranges in the county out of business, then close the public range. We shouldn't have the county in the range business.

Finally, to the art's center. Not only do we have concerts and performances at many existing county run facilities, we also have commercial venues. Nissan Pivilion is an example, and it makes money. MCI Center makes money.

However, the brand new facility at Strathmore Hall is an example of government gone amuck. They spent a ton of money, and now have a white elephant. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra had half it's schedule there, and has had to cut back because THEY lose money when they preform there. Their plan to tap into the wealthy Montgomery County and DC area arts market failed.

Since the BSO has cut back the schedule so severely, Strathmore Hall is losing even MORE money than expected. No commercial enterprise would EVER consider going into a money losing business, yet government does it all the time. Worse yet, these plans generally go worse than expected. Why should tax money be stolen from the people, then used on something that SOME think is a good idea? If it is such a good idea, LET THEM USE THEIR OWN MONEY, not mine!

How about this: Sell off the property as a mixed use zoned parcel. Allow it to be sold the the highest bidder. ENCOURAGE, but don't REQUIRE, both an arts and firing range component. Of course, neither would be built, but hey, why not encourage them to do it?

Then, tax rates could actually be reduced, instead of constantly increased. We could even pay firefighters more if desired, as one writer suggested. Let's just stop taxing people out of the county!

Some good comments.

This BOS will not stop practices such as this.

The ONLY way to put a stop to it is to vote them out of office, every last one of them.

This is another colossal waste of money. My child in a public middle school has 34-37 kids in her classes including English which has a cap per class (not average) by the state of Virginia. Would more $ for FCPS solve this? No, because the special programs (not special ed)and facilities undercapacity are a money pit.

The BOS are ridiculous. I think companies can find FX outside of DC - marketing orselves now is like paying a realtor after the house is sold with all contracts signed. As for it's other endeavor (artificial turf) did anyone notice Santana Moss with the rubber in his eyes last night? He had doctors and trainers to clean his eyes - our children do not. The athletic leagues should have fund raising (not my tax dollars) and the land could be used for sports.

Let organizations use the public land - it could even be a public riding facility.

Speaking of the millions Fairfax County wants to spend on artifical turf, that's exactly what they will do.

It does not matter what anyone thinks - it will be done.

And, the artificial turf will cost, now get this, $10,000,000.

Just think of needy children in Fairfax County who could use this!

Think of the needy in Fairfax County who can't afford dental care. They could use part of this $10,000,000.

Think about the homeless.

Think about priorities in Fairfax County.

I got a flyer in the mail on the new FX bond referendum. As usual everything is dumped together including the artificial turf. FX has something called the South Run rec center complete with an inddor arena which in the winter s used for indoor lacrosse and soccer - these are private groups not school affiliated teams.

Users should pay for this stuff not everyone. There are spotrs facilities like Dulles Sportsplex (similar to South Run) and Word of Grace (Old Redskins) which are private.

Then we have the bond item on the Great Falls fire station. This county expects citizens living in that unincorported area of the county to contribute millions for the cost of appropriate fire protection. This includes facilities for the implementation of dramatic Potomac River rescues at Great Falls National Park and other areas for rock clmbers, kayakers, etc.

FX is also spending millions on Lorton arts facilities which is not accessible to most people living in this county.

There is one, and only, one solution to this Board of Supervisors (BOS).

And that is to vote each an every one of them out of office next election.

It's difficult to believe how insensitive and brazen they really are.

But Fairfax County is not dumb. The will not put the $10,000,000 to be spent on arifical turf in a bond issue of its own. No, they lump it with other items.

Smart. And, guess what, we fall for it, each and every time - without fail.

We have no one to blame except ourselves. We deserve what we get.

Just wait ten years until all of these artificial turf fields need to be replaced at once. They are a petroleum by-product, and even without adjusting for inflation, who knows what the cost will be by then? It is not easy to convert back to grass, and I'm sure that the BOS or the Park Authority is not even considering escrowing funds now for replacement or repairs not covered by the very limited warrantys on these expensive fields. That would require thinking ahead.