Bill Bruce

Independent candidate

What steps should the county take to attract more jobs and businesses to Cumberland?

Cumberland County needs a water treatment plant that can handle the needs of the large businesses that so many of us want to offset the burden placed on taxpayers to support a county where 80 percent of the county’s revenue goes to the 1,300 student body school system.

There should be a local tech program for students and possible after-school programs for residents. Learn a different skill set or hobby!

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing Cumberland and how do you intend to address it?

Changing the voters opinion that their vote does not matter! When there are 1,307 registered voters in the Fourth District and only 573 cast their vote in 2011, [that leaves] 734 who could have made a change! In order for there to be a difference it can’t be done from the couch!

This has been an ongoing problem, and as veteran it hurts my heart that so many take for granted what so many have died for is that they have a voice, and not to use that power is distressing.

If elected I will not only show that they have a voice.

With potential budgetary increases, how do you plan on keeping Cumberland’s real estate tax rate stable in the upcoming budget cycles?

Once again here lies the problem and the taxpayers are left to pay for the supervisors not doing the right thing except for Lloyd Banks who has voted against any expenditure that was not deemed as an emergency!

If you’re just one vote then you must communicate with the other citizens in the county and get them to communicate their wishes to their own board member.

It takes the whole county to get things passed, not just the district were the topic is involved.

Does the amount of debt Cumberland County has concern you?

For over 15 years I have attended meetings and voiced my concern and opinions along with the bad habits of voting yes without money to pay!

In my 15-year struggle of getting a different path has been like pulling teeth — yet I must say that I am so vindicated.

I’m not saying that I have all the answers, but I have told current and past board members along with a lot of residents of county on problems that faced the county at different times over the years and offered my opinion and remedy.

Well, let’s say I was vindicated over and over again.

David Meinhard

Republican candidate

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing Cumberland County and how do you plan to address it?

Cumberland’s greatest challenge is actually two challenges: the lack of a diversified tax base due to a historic failure to seek or accept business or economic development.

Cumberland County was a bedroom county 40 years ago and is even more so today and a huge debt and debt service that consumes around 40 percent of the county’s total local tax revenue.

In order to address these problems, I would propose … that the county continue to work with the VGA [Virginia Growth Alliance] in order to sell Cumberland as a potential business or industry site … We must make every effort to avoid adding any additional debt.

With budgetary increases, how do you plan on keeping Cumberland’s real estate tax rate stable in upcoming budget cycles?

So far we have been able to balance the budget every time without increasing taxes! If there is a budget increase it will have to be addressed in one of two ways: either cut expenditures somewhere else or increase tax revenues … This year Cumberland will face a budget crisis with the loss of $500,000 in revenue from Republic for the dump that will not be built in our county.

If tax increases are necessary, then all taxes options must be considered. But at this time I do not intend to vote for any tax increase unless it is to meet an emergency.

What steps should Cumberland County take to attract more jobs and and businesses to Cumberland?

The county must become more proactive and aggressive in seeking business and industrial development. We have done this with the current board.

The county must use the VGA and the county’s economic development authority to let the world know that Cumberland is open for business.

We need to make them, potential businesses or industries, aware of available tax incentives and favorable zoning policies that the current board has adopted and follows.

Cumberland future is dependent on growing and diversifying its tax base and adding business and/or industry. Cumberland must get away from the status of being a bedroom county for the surrounding counties, towns and cities.

Does the amount of debt Cumberland County has concern you?

The debt is a great concern to me as a citizen of Cumberland as well as a member of the board of supervisors.

Perhaps the county’s debt and debt service are my greatest concerns.

The debt and the resulting debt service are … the major expenses [or] drains, in the county budget. The debt service is the second largest drain on county tax revenues after the schools. 

Payments on the debts account for around 45 percent of the county real estate tax revenue.

It contributes greatly to our real estate taxes being higher than Buckingham, Prince Edward and others.