Thoughtless Growth Leads to Higher Taxes and Lost Rural Character

Residential Growth Can Mean Higher Taxes

Orange County is experiencing unchecked residential development pressure that is raising our taxes, threatening our valuable farmland and our rural quality of life. Tax increases, water issues, and unsightly growth, like what you see on Rt. 29 in Ruckersville, must be stopped at the Orange County line.

For every dollar in tax revenue new homes bring in, counties spend more than a dollar to provide services. Converting farm land to homes is a huge financial loss for the County and raises taxes. Today, Orange County has almost no limits on splitting farmland into home lots. This is costing us and it must change.

We must protect individual property rights while considering the impact of development on neighbors and the broader community, especially when our quality of life is threatened. Unplanned residential growth increases demand for services—like schools, water, roads, and emergency response—and drives up taxes for all of us. And the burden isn’t shared equally. For example, the new high school on the other end of the County that many are demanding, will cost District 1 taxpayers but will not be available for District 1 children.

I have a proven record of:

Supporting revenue-generating, tax-lowering quality growth
Working to make projects better; and
Stopping damaging development that raises taxes and ruins our quality of life.

My vote on the Board of Supervisors will be for you

One Size Does Not Fit All

Different areas of Orange require different land use policies and different approaches and consideration. Here in District 1, we must balance industrial, agriculture, and agritourism businesses. That means we need a thoughtful, measured and varied approach to land use policies and decisions. Developers seeking to build in Orange County must be held to high standards that we deserve.

Orange County residents should never foot the bill for shortcuts or low-quality development. If a project in another part of the County requires a multi-million-dollar water impound, the taxpayers of District 1 should not be expected to pay for it.

District 1 is at the intersection of stunning and valuable landscapes as the Blue Ridge Mountains begin to rise up from the Virginia Plateau. The soil chemistry here supports high-quality farming and agribusiness, the unique byways and blueway viewsheds bring tourism dollars—and that’s worth protecting.

We can grow our economy while keeping our rural values. The Towns of Gordonsville and Orange provide the commercial and residential services newcomers need. The Lee Industrial Park offers a location for responsible industrial growth.

By focusing development where it makes sense—and preserving what makes Orange County special—we can:

Protect our history and rural character
Increase property values
Create a stronger, more resilient local economy

I will demand more from our developers.