Possible Transportation Assistance

Re: Two Transportation Bills to be Introduced Today - Virginian Pilot - January 23

Good job Del. Alexander (D-Norfolk) and Del. Melvin (D-Portsmouth). Go against the grain and create a proposal that would actually raise money and solve problems. Despite the politically dangerous move of proposing to increase taxes, I think that your constituents, including myself, will be pleased with a decision to actually push for some change. I know that if we had added nearly $0.20 to the gas tax ten years ago, we would have a very nice third crossing as well as almost every other project that we want.
Also, while I enjoy making people pay their fair share for roads (drivers paying gas tax), I enjoy watching the wealthy pay a share more in relation to their income and to what others pay. I know last year I made under $15,000 last year and paid 5.96% taxes. Why am I making less than $15k and paying a greater percentage than those making $300k? I could have saved $30 if my taxes were only 5.75%

Property Value Increase?

We received our assessed value papers in the mail yesterday. It went up. Not just a little, a lot. We own 5 lots, 3 of which, the city told us were non-buildable, due to their proximity to the wetlands.
Here are the numbers:
Lot---------Previous Value-----Current Value-------Increase
House: ----- 115,200 ---------- 116,800 ------------ 1,600 (1.4%)
Vacant 1:--- 15,500 ------------24,000 ------------- 8,500 (54.8%)
Vacant 2:--- 2,900 ------------- 22,800 ------------- 19,900 (686.2%)
Vacant 3:--- 1,400 ------------- 2,000 -------------- 600 (42.9%)
Vacant 4:--- 700 --------------- 700 ---------------- 0 (0%)
Total: ------ 135,700 ---------- 166,300 ------------ 30,600 (22.5%)

Vacant lot 1 is right next door to my house. At 25 ft wide, a house could not be built on it unless Vacant lot 2 is combined with it. Any house built would be too close to the wetlands and would flood during a nor'easter, let alone a hurricane. Vacant Lot 3 has a city-dug drainage ditch right in the middle of it and has become wetlands. The next lot over, which holds my neighbors house, is listed online as vacant, but highly valued. His garage can flood at high tide. This is absolutely ridiculous.