[alabama24]

Proto -

I don't live "in Lynchburg" (I live Campbell Co), so I honestly don't keep up with LYH politics. I don't know how money is being spent. My comments are only in generalities. I would rather see 20 million raised in meals taxes than in property taxes. I think taxes on unprepared food is shameful. I think it is perfectly fine for the city to try to raise revenue from Liberty students... If I lived in Lynchburg, I would want to take a closer look at how money was being spent. Obviously I would rather spend LESS money when I go out to eat...

[Purple Haize]

It's one of two papers published in our Nation's Capital - it's not the NEW York Post, but it's not N&A either.

You are the one who said it was one of th most powerful newspapers in the world. Now you are comparing it to being better than the N and A? Which is it? And I'll assume you mean one of 2 published at the time. Now you have the Examiner which is pretty solid......but not run by Moonies or their minions

[Purple Haize]

Proto -

I don't live "in Lynchburg" (I live Campbell Co), so I honestly don't keep up with LYH politics. I don't know how money is being spent. My comments are only in generalities. I would rather see 20 million raised in meals taxes than in property taxes. I think taxes on unprepared food is shameful. I think it is perfectly fine for the city to try to raise revenue from Liberty students... If I lived in Lynchburg, I would want to take a closer look at how money was being spent. Obviously I would rather spend LESS money when I go out to eat...

The students are allowed to vote in local elections. They should be taxed accordingly

[rogers3]

I am pro meals tax, but extremely against EXCESSIVE Meals Tax and that's what we have here. I'm fine with a meal's tax, but what we have here is ridiculous. I admire the Liberty group for taking a stand against it, as it needs to be addressed. Some localities don't have an additional meal's tax, but are happy with what they make from taxes and not to mention the jobs that are created by the restaurants. Our rate is higher then any location that I have found and what you have to understand is how low of margins restaurants have to run on these days to make it work. Most restaurants, if successful, only have margins between 6-8% - the City making 6.5% off the top is absurd. That's 11.8% of every dollar going to the state and the city. Now - people will argue that it is paid by our customers, BUT that's not true - we have to adjust our prices to account for it or we will price ourselves out of the market. I'm not saying they should bump up real estate taxes, I'm saying that Lynchburg should become a business friendlier city and encourage more business' to come in. Between license fees, meals tax, sign ordinance, etc... it's hard for locally owned restaurants to make it.

Roanoke - 5.0% 10.3%
Charlottesville - 4% 9.3%
Fairfax - 4% 9.3%
Lynchburg, VA - 11.8%
Virginia Beach - 5.5% 10.8%

I took the liberty to fix these for you!

Now I know that you are in the restaurant business, but how did you forget to add the state sales tax in. The Lynchburg figure of 11.8% includes state tax, but you seemed to forget to add that sneaky 5.3% to the other VA localities that you mentioned. A couple of other points- while we might have a higher tax on meals than NY, the tax burden IS far greater there; an example might be our .20 per gallon gas tax as compared to NY's .51 per gallon. Also, Lynchburg does have a lower lodging rate than our neighbors:

Lynchburg- 11%
Roanoke- 13.5%
Charlottesville- 11.5%
VA Bch- 13.5%

It is easy to pick apart an individual tax, but when you start looking more deeply, it isn't too bad her in Lynchburg. Anyway, someone like you should be more focused on your License tax- the one coming out of your pocket- than the tax your customers will pay because they like your food. I also disagree with the tax having major implications on your margins. If you are keeping it all in the pot, it might seem that way, but it is the same as a withholding tax. It would be difficult to argue that that state and federal withholding taxes eat into our margin. I also find it hard to believe that much business is lost to the surrounding counties due to extra tax burden in the city. I have never had to change my margin to compete with county businesses and I'm sure that the same holds true with restaurants- after all, the county options are pretty slim pickins, if you ask me.

[Purple Haize]

I just don't know the popcorn tax

[prototype]

The math in your comparisons is flawed. Lynchburg's meals tax rate is 6.5%, which when coupled with the state's sales tax rate of 5.3% gives you the 11.8%. You cited VA Beach as being only 5.5%, but considering the sales tax rate in hampton roads is 6%, that gives you an effective tax rate of 11.5%. There is absolutely no way Roanoke, Fairfax, or Charlottesville can be that low if you're going to factor state sales tax + city meals tax.

I never said it was 11.8% in my list, other then when I showed NY comparison. I was just showing the meal's tax, because I didn't what to look up all state taxes. I thought the state tax was the same all over the State of Virginia? And Roanoke, Fairfax, and Charlottesville can be that low - I own restaurants in all those markets. Aren't we still on top of that list you just fixed for me? Rogers - I have moved several of my businesses out of the city for tax reasons and saved lots of money. I'm not even sure why people on this board are arguing that point. 6.5% on top is excessive. In a economy where we are trying to make the slimmest of margins work, we deal with this and now Obamacare. It's not getting easier to navigate...

[rogers3]

The math in your comparisons is flawed. Lynchburg's meals tax rate is 6.5%, which when coupled with the state's sales tax rate of 5.3% gives you the 11.8%. You cited VA Beach as being only 5.5%, but considering the sales tax rate in hampton roads is 6%, that gives you an effective tax rate of 11.5%. There is absolutely no way Roanoke, Fairfax, or Charlottesville can be that low if you're going to factor state sales tax + city meals tax.

I never said it was 11.8% in my list, other then when I showed NY comparison. I was just showing the meal's tax, because I didn't what to look up all state taxes. I thought the state tax was the same all over the State of Virginia? And Roanoke, Fairfax, and Charlottesville can be that low - I own restaurants in all those markets. Aren't we still on top of that list you just fixed for me? Rogers - I have moved several of my businesses out of the city for tax reasons and saved lots of money. I'm not even sure why people on this board are arguing that point. 6.5% on top is excessive. In a economy where we are trying to make the slimmest of margins work, we deal with this and now Obamacare. It's not getting easier to navigate...

Well you did show the other Virginia localities sans the state's 5.3% tax while showing Lynchburg's full state and local tax, so I thought it only logical to compare apples to apples. State taxes are actually higher (6% versus 5.3%) in Northern Virginia, so no, they aren't the same. That being said, I certainly wouldn't drive an extra mile or two to Bedford County to save .50 cents on my 20.00 food ticket. Bedford County's tax totals 9.3%- 2.5 % less than Lynchburg's. The money a business saves in the Counties are the savings that come from the other taxes, chief among them being the BPOL and Property tax- Meals Tax make no difference. I have kept my businesses in Lynchburg- I pay more in taxes, but a bit less on insurance, as well as having much more centralized locations. Trade-offs, but there are plenty of businesses that make a go of it in Lynchburg and seem to do very well. The tax burdens for a business in both Roanoke and Charlottesville are just about the same as ours. I don't mind the Meals Tax it because it is one way that folks who don't own a business or have property that is being taxed can bear a part- a very small part- of the burden. We can dicker about the finer points, but it seems to me that the CRLU are still rather uneducated about local issues and have no idea what their tax dollars go to and how little of a tax burden the Meals Tax is on them.

[matshark]

Ok, I couldn't stay out of this...

1. Lynchburg Taxes
2. LUCR
3. McDonnell

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There's no defending Lynchburg City's tax rates. They're excessive. The money is wasted. The citizens suffer.

That being said, I much prefer consumption taxes to property taxes. Consumption taxes are, at least in that respect, voluntary. However, the idea that college kids don't pay property taxes is completely incorrect. Rent rates absolutely do reflect property tax rates. Sure the tax bill may not have their name on it in most cases, but at the end of the day, property taxes (and rate increases) are passed along directly to the renter (i.e. college kids who live of campus). So the idea that college kids don't pay property taxes is flat out wrong. The property tax is merely wrapped up in their rent payment.

-------------

We can dicker about the finer points, but it seems to me that the CRLU are still rather uneducated about local issues...

Truer words are rarely spoken. The fact of the matter is that CRLU is quite uneducated on a lot of things - but don't try telling them that. We can look back no further than November to see that quite plainly.

http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/a ... f6878.html

Anticipating a large turnout after more than 3,000 votes were recorded in the precinct for the 2012 presidential election...

Sarah Kimball and the College Republicans of Liberty University passed out sample ballots.
“Most students already know who they are voting for at this point,” Kimball said. By 2 p.m. lines will be “around the building” she said.

...by 4:30 p.m. the polling place had recorded 912 voters. ...by the end of the day about 1,200 votes had been cast in Election 2013.

Fact #1: 2012 Presidential Primary - LU was the highest turnout precinct in the state with 590 votes (355 Ron Paul vs. 235 Mitt Romney).

Fact #2: 2012 Presidential Race - LU had 3347 votes cast of which 3120 (93.2% were for Mitt Romney).

Fact #3: 2013 Statewide Races - LU had 1160 votes. (Less than double the 2012 Presidential PRIMARY, and not even 35% of the 2012 Presidential General Election the previous year)

Fact #4: 2013 Statewide AG Race was decided by 165 votes (Mark Herring with 1,103,777 vs. Mark Obenshain with 1,103,612).

Fact #5: Sarah Kimball wasn't just with CRLU, she was IN CHARGE as the Chair!!!

I'll leave the conclusions for you guys to draw, but I will give you some thoughts... turnout at LU in 2013 was abominably low. Turnout was even worse given comparisons to election turnouts the previous year. CRLU is a college club on a college campus, with the specific purpose of doing political work for the Republican party. If that doesn't happen, who is responsible? Clearly lines weren't around the building like CRLU's chair said they would be. CRLU's candidate lost by 165 votes. Is there a meaningful relationship between those two statements?

-------------
Bob McDonnell has 11 federal felony indictments hanging over his head. Did someone at LU REALLY think that making him a professor at this particular point in time would be good for the University?!? This isn't just a PR issue. It's a spectacular lack of judgement.

If the guy is innocent, great, wait until he's declared innocent, and then bring him on as a professor. If he's guilty, LU has brought on staff a person with federal felony convictions - when they KNEW beforehand that it was possible he would be convicted of them. Is LU really worried that it has so little influence and standing in the state political climate that it's necessary to go do this now, or else they risk not being able to attract him as a professor later?

I read the indictment. You all should read it. It's ugly. Really ugly.
http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/page/l ... tment/751/

Quite frankly, In my opinion, one or both of the McDonnells should probably end up in jail before all is said and done. I'm certain I know why they did it, and I'm sure it's because they didn't see much (or any) difference in what they were doing and what everyone else was doing in the way of political contributions and gifts, but that doesn't excuse it (and in fact probably only points to a problem with the way everyone else is doing it). At the very least, McDonnell (the former Atty Gen) should've known better. They had staffers telling them not to do it and asking questions about why things were happening. That's a bad thing when the staffers are raising red flags. (Rule #1: Listen to your staffers)

As an alum, this incident make the school look really bad. With the Benny Hinn incident followed closely by this one, honestly, I'm extremely concerned. I'm not suggesting that the ghost of Jerry Sr. is going to return and make good on his promise regarding the school turning away from it's roots, but here we have a major incident of spiritual substance, followed closely by one of moral and ethical substance in the space of a couple of weeks. Someone, please, tell me why I shouldn't be concerned. I want my degrees to mean something. Not just today, not just tomorrow, but next year, and the year after that, and the decade after that. I'm concerned that if this continues, not only will they not mean much, but that listing them would be a detriment.

Quite frankly, this statement by the University might concern me the most...

The Helms School is proud to welcome Governor McDonnell, who has a proven record in public policy and conservative activism, and who shares in the biblical principles and servant leadership that are so important to Liberty University.

I want to know what biblical principles and servant leadership he displayed in earning those 11 federal indictments. (Not 1, ELEVEN!!!!) That's not the type of biblical principles and servant leadership I learned at LU. Someone please tell me why I'm wrong here.

[PAmedic]

welcome back.

shot outta a cannon this am

[adam42381]

Boom

[From the class of 09]

Agreed

[rogers3]

Haven't seen you as much this Spring- where have you been? Funny- I almost brought up the new leadership of the local Republican Party, but left well enough alone.

[Purple Haize]

I know I'm in the minority on this but I am still fine with the hiring. In reading the indictments, it seems his wife had more to do with anything shady. He did pay back his loan etc. as for 11 indictments instead of 1 big deal. Any prosecutor is going to come up with any and everything they can think of hoping 1 or 2 stick. I predict he will just get a slap on the wrist and everyone will move on.

[ATrain]

I agree with Matshark on this. Wait until he's proven innocent before hiring him. I've said it before in this thread and I'll say it again, that would've been the smart thing to do.

[PAmedic]

I agree with Matshark on this. Then again he's an uber hottie and I'd love to grapple with him so maybe I'm a bit biased.

[ATrain]

Nah, he's like my big brother and only guys from West Virginia are into doing their brothers

[Purple Haize]

I agree with Matshark on this. Then again he's an uber hottie and I'd love to grapple with him so maybe I'm a bit biased.

Which is a process that could last YEARS. Then if he is acquitted people will say that he "got away" with something and bust our chops for hiring someone who was ACCUSED but not convicted.

As for Matshark and ATrain.........I don't wanna know

[rogers3]

Quite frankly, this statement by the University might concern me the most...

The Helms School is proud to welcome Governor McDonnell, who has a proven record in public policy and conservative activism, and who shares in the biblical principles and servant leadership that are so important to Liberty University.

Seems to be even worse than I thought a couple of months ago. The statement from LU is even more laughable now.

[alabama24]

What makes it "more" laughable? The statement isn't new.

[rogers3]

What makes it "more" laughable? The statement isn't new.

Just read a newspaper or watch the news. The statement was dubious when it was released. Now that the trial is proceeding, the testimony reveals that things were worse than what was known at the time of his hiring. Not being facetious, but if you aren't paying attention to the ongoing story, why bother responding?

[BJWilliams]

Uhh I'm assuming you meant hiring not firing...anyway, i'll keep my thoughts to myself on this situation because of my own connection to the governor

[alabama24]

What makes it "more" laughable? The statement isn't new.

The statement was dubious when it was released. Now that the trial is proceeding, the testimony reveals that things were worse than what was known at the time of his firing.

In the words of Inigo Montoya, I don't think that word means what you think it means.

I don't care to get into the details of the case... but if more is known NOW (which is what we both agree on), then a statement from back then isn't "more laughable." If the statement were repeated NOW, it would be "more laughable" (because we know more).

[Sly Fox]

Word Crimes!

[rogers3]

What makes it "more" laughable? The statement isn't new.

The statement was dubious when it was released. Now that the trial is proceeding, the testimony reveals that things were worse than what was known at the time of his hiring.

In the words of Inigo Montoya, I don't think that word means what you think it means. :I chortle audibly.:

I don't care to get into the details of the case... but if more is known NOW (which is what we both agree on), then a statement from back then isn't "more laughable." If the statement were repeated NOW, it would be "more laughable" (because we know more).

Well, I'm not sure what you are trying to say. I found the statement laughable back when it was released and the description of the Gov's success as well as his value to the school was suspect... and now, as we see his story falling apart, I find the original statement more laughable now than I did originally. Even Montoya couldn't argue that!

[adam42381]

Is LU standing by him?