Special tax district: Yeah, a good idea, that one

Q: Why haven’t you weighed in on the idea to set up a special tax district in Downtown Waynesboro to provide a stable source of funding for downtown-redevelopment efforts generally and specifically for Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc.?

A: Um, well, actually, I did so back in March.

Link to Special Report on AugustaFreePress.com: Moving Downtown Waynesboro Forward.

The report offered analysis of development issues in Waynesboro, reporting on recent efforts to build consensus toward the development of a strategic action plan, and a rundown of a similar effort that had been undertaken with great success in nearby Staunton.

All of that was to set up recommendations for near-term action to be adopted as policy by City Council to get the downtown effort moving forward.

Item #1 in that action plan:

- “The creation of a special downtown tax district would provide a stable source of funding for WDDI and the RHA to serve as the joint lead development corporation that is essential to getting things organized and keeping the revitalization effort on course in the early years.”

It’s good to see WDDI moving forward with this. And better to see the local papers weighing in positively. And best yet – Mayor Frank Lucente gave it his endorsement in an interview with The News Virginian last week.

For Chris Graham and Frank Lucente to agree on something must mean it’s a good idea.

That, or the world is about to come to an end.