INSIDE Local drive-in donating funds to PTA > page 5
Volume 57, Number 10 • March 11, 2010
Supervisors vote to increase tax rate By Amy Condra acondra@goochlandgazette.com
Supervisors voted 4-1 in favor of advertising a real estate tax increase of up to 4 cents. Goochland supervisors voted this week to advertise possible increases to the county’s tax and utility rates. Revenue generated from higher rates would prevent the county from making deeper cuts to a recommended budget for 2011, one that, at $40.5 million, is already 7.3 percent lower than the current year’s plan. Contributing to the budget’s decline is the county’s falling rev-
enues: Real estate taxes, which are the county’s largest source of income, fell 8.2 percent in 2010 and are anticipated to fall an additional four percent in 2011. There is little to no growth expected in the county’s other sources of income, such as personal property taxes, recordation taxes, business license taxes, building permits and investment income. In response to a request from County Administrator Rebecca Dickson, supervisors voted 4-1 in favor of advertising a real estate tax increase of up to 4 cents. Dickson had offered supervisors see Budget> page 2
Photo by Ken Odor
Five-year-old Baleria Balderson (left) reads to therapy dog Bonzo last week at the Goochland Library as her sister Gisella (3) listens. They were taking part in the Read Books with Bonzo program, designed to improve reading skills for young students.
Dog helps kids learn By Ken Odor jodor@goochlandgazette.com
Sporting a pair of thick black lensless glasses, Bonzo, a certified therapy dog owned by Dave Dilzer, listened as five-year-old Baleria Balderson read to him last week at the Goochland library.
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Baleria’s three-year-old sister Gisella sat close by. During a break Gisella, who has not started reading yet, showed Bonzo some pictures from another book. “It’s a non-threatening way for children to practice reading,” said Library Assistant Eileen Ford, describing the Read Books
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with Bonzo program, now in its second year at the library. “I think it’s a great program,” said Baleria’s and Gisella’s mother, Karin Balderson. “It gives my girls confidence.” Bonzo is an eight-yearold Soft Coated Wheaton see Reading > page 5
SPORTS Benedictine baseball looks toward states > page 8
GEPA, GCPS clash on budget reductions By Amy Condra acondra@goochlandgazette.com
The Goochland Education Parents Association, or GEPA, believes that a recent e-mail sent by School Superintendent Linda A. Underwood misrepresents the group’s agenda. Last week Underwood sent an e-mail entitled “the battle is on” to Athletic Director Bryan Gordon and
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his wife, Goochland Elementary School principal Diane Gordon, writing, “Any way that any of the athletic boosters might be riled up enough to speak out at school board or supervisors meetings? GEPA has added elimination of the athletic director to their hit list.” The e-mail was sent as a letter to a colleague, said Underwood. “On see Schools> page 3
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Walkerton writers help each other find the muse