Branner Station case

Dear Editor,

Just when the taxpayers of Chesterfield County thought, or hoped, the shenanigans of the board of supervisors couldn't get any worse, along comes the Branner Station vote. Our supervisors aren't paid to duck; [Supervisors Don] Sowder and [Art] Warren [showed] cowardice. Had either voted with [Supervisor Kelly] Miller [against the rezoning], the action would have stalled, giving them the additional time each claims they needed to study the case further.

If the past 15 years has taught us anything, it's that this development, with its paltry proffers and token subsidies, won't come close to paying for itself. Why haven't our county's financial wizards provided us with an accurate estimate of what the impact on the tax rate will be once it's up and sucking resources?

Also, let's not dignify anything Sen. [John] Watkins has to say on the [rezoning]. Hasn't his family's fortune ballooned owing to this same board approving the rerouting of the Route 288 extension?

Alan Francario

The Highlands

The county board adopted a resolution supporting the routing of Route 288 in September 1993. Only one of the current board members was a supervisor then. Editor