Inflation hits residents from all angles

JIM RIDOLPHI

Contributing Columnist

It shouldn’t surprise anyone to learn that American families are undergoing increasing financial pressures in their everyday lives with well documented increases in cost of living expenses. Paychecks don’t go as far as they used to, and it seems every staple in our lives comes at an inflated price.

Most of us are living under these pressures, struggling to balance household budgets and searching for any way to stretch the dollar.

A recent report cited evidence that taxes have remained relatively steady during this period of inflation. But, anyone who regularly visits a grocery store will tell you that it’s not the taxes you see that have the most impact on households. It’s the ones you can’t see.

For example, reported local real estate taxes are level or reduced throughout most of the Commonwealth, but that’s not a true indicator of the amount of tax actually levied on citizens. Real estate assessments are experiencing significant increases and most taxpayers are receiving higher bills on their properties, resulting in increases in revenue for communities. Now, that’s not technically an increase in real estate taxes, but in reality, it’s a segment of local budgets that have endured steady increases for the past several years.

For localities, the increased revenues are good news and allow communities to fund important services like fire, rescue and public welfare. The additional funds also allow localities to provide competitive compensation for the people who staff those important positions. Many communities are finding it more difficult to attract and retain good employees as demand for their services increase.

It’s a sort of double-edged sword for citizens who benefit from quality services and attentive government, but also must navigate a tricky financial period where increases in cost of living seem to come from every direction. Similarly, personal property taxes have increased significantly due to increased values of used cars in our country. Again, good news that your car’s value is holding but unfortunately another increase in those taxes we often omit when considering inflation.

Localities in the metro area should be commended for maintaining levels of service despite the pandemic and a myriad of economic challenges that accompanied a nationwide shutdown. Government employees and teachers have been rewarded with well deserved salary increases, and public safety has been enhanced with additional staffing.

Although the increases in real estate assessments, personal property tax bills and the like represent a small part of the increased costs of living currently being levied on households, when coupled with increased food bills, hefty fuel bills and increased prices for most consumer goods, it all adds up.

Where have all the statesmen gone?

ROSLYN RYAN Richmond Suburban News

Not long ago, having fallen down some sort of interminable internet rabbit hole, I came across a message board where someone had asked what the difference was between a politician and a statesman.

Many of those responding were quick to offer the oft-repeated quote that has been attributed to everyone from Thomas Jefferson to Hillary Clinton: “The difference between a politician and a statesman,” they said, “is that a politician thinks about the next election while the statesman thinks about the next generation.”

Were you to point out that statesmen appear to be in short supply these days, you would not be alone. In fact, a Google search of the phrase “Where have all the statesmen gone?” turns up nearly a dozen different web hits. People, it seems, are longing for something they feel is missing from today’s political landscape.

From where this writer sits, they have a point. Having cov- ered local government for nearly two decades, I have certainly born witness to the actions of people I would consider statesmen. But I have also seen the same type of self-aggrandizing, nasty, unethical behavior that we have all become more and more accustomed to seeing at the national level.

What naturally follows, when people note that statesmen seem to be a dying breed, is the question of why. What happened? Did the job change the people or did the people change the job?

The answer, of course, is yes.

While the roles and responsibilities of elected officials have changed over the years, so it seems have the values of our society as a whole. While grandstanding, dog-whistling and playing fast and loose with the facts have always been part of politics in some form or fashion, they now often seem inseparable from it.

Was it really so long ago that

John McCain defended Barack Obama, at the time his rival in the 2008 presidential race, when sev- eral of McCain’s supporters called Obama a liar and a terrorist.

“I want to fight, and I will fight,” McCain said. “But I will be respectful. I admire Sen. Obama and his accomplishments, and I will respect him.” any group of mostly passerine birds having slender bills, the top search result was the great knot, which is a small wader more likely to be found in Siberia, southern Asia or Australia than anywhere here. But to be honest (and bird enthusiasts don’t hate me for this) it looked pretty similar to many of the waders I see when I go to the beach.

I won’t print the text of it here, but if you are looking for an example of what a statesman looks like away from the public eye, go ahead and look up the letter that outgoing president George H.W. Bush left for Bill Clinton, the man who defeated him in the 1992 election.

The idea of a wise, magnanimous leader living a virtuous life beyond reproach is, of course, a fantasy. Even the most venerated of our political heroes have had a skeleton or two in their closets, or at least a few questionable habits. No, there are no perfect people, and politicians will always outnumber statesmen.

Let’s just hope there never comes a day when those qualities that make a true leader are relegated to the past, and all of us are left longing for what once was.

I was actually more interested in finding an image of a upeygan (a black rhinoceros) but was unsuccessful. Maybe someday when I have a little more time to dedicate to the search. Funnily enough, many of the top search results were related to the use of the word in spelling bees.

As someone who often spends too much time not using proper posture at the computer, omodynia (pain in the shoulder) is all too familiar.

In a previous spelling bee, I learned about alectryomancy, which is divination by means of a rooster encircled by grains of corn placed on letters of the alphabet which are then put together in the order in which the grains were eaten. In this bee, I learned the meaning of catoptromancy, a divination by mirror or by crystal gazing.

Like crystal ball gazing, there are things I understand because I have seen them in practice but I

Calendar

From A2 the heart of Virginia Beekeepers plans to meet tuesday, april 4 at 7 p.m. at the Prince edward county extension office (100 dominion dr., Farmville 23901) near Lowe’s. Program to be announced. For anyone who has bees or is interested in bees. For more information, call Mary Jane Morgan at 434-315-1433 or visit Facebook or our website heartofvirginiabeekeepers.org. the Powhatan Band Boosters are selling tickets for a dinner and a show or just the show to watch the 2023 show on tuesday, april 18. dinner is at 6 p.m. and the show is at 7 p.m. at Powhatan high school, 1800 Judes Ferry road. an evening to send off the Phs Indoor drumline students as they prepare for the wGI world championships in dayton, ohio. the Varsity, JV and Guard will be performing. tickets to the show only are $10 only or $20 covers the dinner and show. to purchase tickets, visit www.powhatanbandboosters.com and look under the Indoor drumline tab.

Powhatan county Public Library has an action-packed spring program lineup for 2023. the PcPL monthly Book club is here! Join us on March 31 at 10 a.m. the book selection is “horse” by Geraldine Brooks. see the front desk and Facebook for more info. For details, contact Powhatan county Public Library at 804.598.5670 or library@powhatanlibrary.net.

Blessed sacrament huguenot school theater’s production of “c lue” will be performed at 7 p.m. March 31 and april 1 and at 2 p.m. april 1 in Parker Gym at the school, 2501 academy road. admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students. Powhatan county Public Library has an action-packed spring program lineup for 2023. PcPL is proud to be partnering with the Powhatan-Goochland county Master Gardener association to bring two workshops this season! are you interested in taking a more sustainable look at gardening? Master Gardener Pat Lust is teaching us saving and starting seeds which will go over selecting, collecting, preserving and preparing seeds before planting them. Join us on april 1 at 10:30 a.m. for this informative workshop. registration preferred but not required. For details, contact Powhatan county Public Library at 804-598-5670 or library@powhatanlibrary.net.

ONGOING the coalition of Powhatan churches has available resources to help people who would like assistance in learning to manage their finances. If you know of anyone who needs or would like to have this service, or to get more information, call robin cupka at 804-801-9851. Backpacks of Love, a nonprofit committed to eliminating hunger in school-age children by providing nourishing food for their weekend, needs help. BPoL is looking for delivery drivers that would be available to deliver on thursdays. they are in immediate need of a driver to deliver to cumberland county and or amelia county. these are great jobs for students looking

WE WANT TO PUBLISH YOUR ISSUE-DRIVEN LETTERS couldn’t tell you the actual word that defines them. Such was the case with manoletina, which is a right-handed movement of a cape by a matador in bullfighting, in which a red cloth attached to a stick is held by the left hand behind the back. I am going to say I will stick to the cartoon representation of this action as I don’t have the stomach for the real thing. for community hours. always accepting food donations of single serve raviolis, spaghettios, apple sauce, cereal, cookies, crackers and more. contact Kevin hardy at 804-350-1127 for more information. the Friends of Powhatan county Public Library’s Bookshop is open during library hours and accepting donations again. the bookshop accepts books, movies, audiobooks, cds, and magazines. Materials can be given to a library staff member or placed in the book shop corner (tuck them by the file cabinet in the back), which is at the end of the passageway once you come in the front door. Proceeds from the book sale are used for additional library programming. the Powhatan county cooperative extension Master Gardener help desk is here for yet another growing season. although office hours are reduced because of coVId-19 restrictions, the help desk is still ready and available. email questions and detailed photos of your stricken plants to gpmastergardener@gmail.com and volunteers will try and find a solution for you. you can also directly call the Powhatan county extension at 804-598-5640 and leave a message. the help desk will be in touch. If a real-life diagnosis or determination is needed, large plant samples including root, stem and leaves can be dropped off at the Powhatan county extension’s office after consulting with Master Gardener volunteer. If you have plants/shrubs/trees needing identification in your yard, or are new to the Powhatan or Goochland area, we also offer free one to two-hour site visits. available now emergency housing relief funds to assist with rent, mortgage or other housing concerns. Powhatan community action agency has received funding for housing relief for families in Powhatan county who have been affected by coVId-19. contact renee Van natter at valerie.vannatter@dss.virginia.gov or via cell at 804 814-5332. habitat for humanity-Powhatan always is looking for donations of gently used appliances, cabinets, and furniture such as dining room and bedroom sets (no mattresses or upholstered furniture). call to drop off at 804-594-7009, ext. 1. or email store@habitatpowhatan.org. habitat also does pick-ups for a $20 donation to our critical repair program. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. check out our website at habitatpowhatan.org lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com

Rounding out some of the other random words I learned were mandragora (an herb that has been credited with human attributes and made the subject of many superstitions, also known as a mandrake), which was giving me Harry Potter vibes even before I read the definition; pogonip, a dense winter fog containing frozen particles that is formed in deep mountain valleys of the western United States; and tamarin (small South American marmosets having elongate canine teeth, silky fir and long nonprehensile tails), some of which have fantastic looking mustaches.

Seriously, I didn’t expect to find an animal that rivaled the adorable features of the previously learned binturongs, but the tamarins give them a run for their money.

Laura McFarland may be reached at Lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com.

Powhatan Food Pantry is currently seeking volunteer drivers who can pick up food from the local Food Lions on different days between 8:30 and 10 a.m. and transport them to the nonprofit at 2500 Batterson road. contact the pantry at 804-372-9526 or powhatanvafoodpantry@gmail.com.

Volunteer transportation program — free service to Powhatan seniors age 60+ who are unable to drive for basic needs. drivers receive all information from program coordinator on rides that are requested by registered riders, and accept only rides they are available to fulfill. call 804-698-0438 or email raservices.PVa@ gmail.com to register as a rider or apply as a volunteer driver.

Sports Editor Robby Fletcher rfletcher@powhatantoday.com

Production Manager Denine D’Angelo ddangelo@mechlocal.com

Classifieds Cindy Adams cadams@mechlocal.com

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF PHS BAND BOOSTERS

The Varsity Winter Percussion team earned a divisional third place with their original show “dreamscape.”