If you are one of those who is watching the budget process unfold, I hope you will take a few minutes to look at the Christiansburg budget document and then look at the one for Montgomery County (2009 approved budget). I think most everyone looking at those two documents would have to admit that the one for Montgomery County is far easier to read and understand.
Several times I have heard comments from Town Council members that indicate that there is a feeling that money paid into the County tax folds do not come back to Christiansburg. Several things such as the Rescue Squad and the Fire Department, Christiansburg takes a lot of pride in but gives little credit to the fact that your town and your county tax money both pay for those.
If you will look at the County’s proposed 2010 budget expenditures, you find that there are a lot of services provided by the County that the Town cannot provide: Commissioner of Revenue, Schools, Courts, Jail, Animal Control, Human Services (Juvenile, RSVP, and others), Public Health Department, Social Services, Public Library, Free Clinic, New River Community Action, Women’s Resource Center, New River Family Shelter, NRV Literacy Volunteers, Agency on Aging, NRV Senior Services, Boys & Girls Club, NRV Cares, NRV Community College, Montgomery Museum, Rosa Peters Community Park, multiple economic developement agencies, a large number of recreation facilities throughout the county (not as fancy as Christiansburg’s but quite functional) including one of the most accessible trail systems in the state.
As to the Christiansburg Fire Department:
In 2008 the Christiansburg Fire Department received $95,253 from the County. In 2009 the Christiansburg Fire Department received $100,270 from the County
In 2010 the Christiansburg Fire Department is scheduled to receive $100,270 from the County
As to the Christiansburg Rescue Squad:
In 2008 the Christiansburg Rescue Squad received $95,700 from the County.
In 2009 the Christiansburg Rescue Squad received $99,000 from the County.
In 2010 the Christiansburg Rescue Squad is scheduled to receive $99,000 from the County
Additionally, there is another subset of the Christiansburg Rescue Squad that works out of Riner:
In 2008 the Riner Rescue Squad received $48,200 from the County.
In 2009 the Riner Rescue Squad received $53,000 from the County.
In 2010 the Riner Rescue Squad is scheduled to receive $53,000 from the County
Of the County’s basic budget, Christiansburg gets approximately 1/4 of all money set aside by the County for Fire Departments.
Of the County’s basic budget, Christiansburg gets approximately 1/3 of all money set aside by the County for Rescue Services. If you include the money going to the Riner substation, that jumps up to approximately 1/2 of all money set aside by the County for Rescue Services.
The budget for the County even breaks it down into what that money is directed to go to: Equipment, Training, Retirement, Insurance (Accident, Group Life, Worker’s Compensation, Motor Vehicle, Liability) and Gas Card Incentives.
It is true that the Town of Christiansburg contributes to Fire and Rescue Services, but they are not the sole provider. If Christiansburg were a City instead of a Town, they would have to foot the entire bill for those services. It is also true that the County provides support to other amenities that the citizens of Christianburg enjoy within the town limits and many more outside those limits.
The County would still provide all of those services if the Town of Christiansburg did not exist. It looks like the bulk of tax money for Christiansburg citizens goes to water, sewer, garbage, sports facilities, staff, vehicles, etc. Oh, and don’t forget the right to pay elected and appointed officials for running the town.
I have to wonder when I look at the budgets for those two jurisdictions why there is such a difference in how effectively information is presented. Does the Town of Christiansburg lack the expertise to produce an understandable document? Does the Town of Christiansburg lack the will to produce an understandable document? Does the Town of Christiansburg have a vested interest in making sure the document does not include the types of details that would inform citizens of just how and where money is spent?
