First, Despite anything else you may have heard or read, Pete Fields strongly endorses Doug Filler in the race for Supervisor in the Falmouth District.

Second, I received this via email today:

Thinking it was too late to be refuted, Hartwood supervisor candidate Gary Snellings put out an automated phone call today which simply lies about his record on taxes. In it, he claims the average homeowner’s tax went up 27% under his opponent, incumbent Joe Brito, but only 9% while he was supervisor.

The facts (from the Commissioner of the Revenue’s office) are below. They show that while the tax did indeed rise 27% during Brito’s term, it rose 36% under Snellings – four times the figure he is using. Perhaps Snellings is referring to the average annual increase during his term, while comparing it to the four-year figure for Brito. If so, that is a plainly dishonest comparison .

The record further shows that the great bulk of the increase during Brito’s term came when the chamber was under Republican control and Brito voted against the increase. (Snellings voted for the last tax rate imposed during his term.) Under Democratic control, the tax increase declined dramatically, to an average level below growth plus inflation. It further shows that the tax barely budged in the last year, up a mere 0.04%.

Snellings again attacked Brito for the cost-of-living pay raise enacted in 2008, the first rise in supervisor salaries in seven years. Yet Snellings has not pledged to give his share of the raise back. He has pledged to repeal the transportation impact fee on developers and the big business tax, which is levied by every locality in this region.

VALUE OF TRACTS OF LAND/IN COUNTY OF STAFFORD

BY SCOTT A. MAYAUSKY, COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE

CLASS CODE 2 (Residential property other than multi-family)

YEAR       TOTAL TAX            COUNT                   AVERAGE

2001       $ 49,846,373       35,492                   $1,404

2005           77,335,347       40,368                     1,903

2007           99,874,642       43,585                     2,291

2008         108,167,724       44,670                     2,421

2009         109,941,001       45,394                     2,422

Increase during Snellings term (2001-05)       35.54%

Increase during Brito term (2005-2009)         27.27%

Increase, 1^st half Brito term (Rep. control)      20.38%

Increase, 2^nd half Brito term (Dem. control)       5.72%

Increase over last year (2008-09)                       0.04%