THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 14, 1996 TAG: 9601120191
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 26 lines
The Agricultural Reserve Program as recently featured in your newspaper (Jan. 3 Beacon) has as its purpose, the suppression of expenses for new roads, schools, police, fire and trash collection services. This suppression will cost taxpayers $90 million over the next 25 years.
Other cities, Corpus Christi, Texas, for one, put the cost burden where it belongs on the developer. He pays for roads, sewers, sidewalks and donates land for schools and recreational areas. If he refuses to contribute, the city will have accomplished its rural preservation without charging the taxpayer $90 million.
Such a convoluted program is beyond belief when a simplistic straightforward solution is available.
W.J. Gray
Virginia Beach by CNB