Why not try regional approach?

About three months ago there was a discussion on the creation of a joint Augusta County and Staunton committee that would work to get economic cooperation between the county and city.

I’m certain the initiative was drowned out by local residents’ noise over increased real estate assessments. Augusta supervisors and Staunton and Waynesboro’s city councils all faced taxpayer rebellion over real estate values.

Even though the attention of elected officials in three governing bodies were focused on assessments, they may now place attention on ways of saving taxpayer dollars. Lowering tax rates to offset the reassessment increases may only be a beginning.

Lowering tax rates applies Band-Aids when stitches and antibiotics are needed. Adjusting tax rates will help in the short-term but after the economy begins heating up I’d hate to be the representative who suggests it’s time raise rates again.

In the meantime, with lower rates and fewer homeowners paying taxes into the system, what services are going to be reduced or eliminated altogether?

Right now, some services that are duplicated such as city trash pick-up. Services such as school systems, fire and rescue, voting and water and sewage systems are provided in triplicate.

Individual, duplicate and triplicate systems may be needed or desired but during this economically challenging time, shouldn’t the possibility of joint services be looked at?

Interestingly, there are services that all three localities need but they don’t provide. The first service that’s lacking is public transportation. Granted, Augusta County is huge and widespread, but as I’ve said before, its residents are aging while its young population is growing. Seniors and young families need access to shopping destinations, and to medical and recreational facilities.

Growing numbers of senior residents will require more senior centers and young families will require more day-, afternoon- and emergency-care (when schools are closed because of inclement weather).

I realize there is a natural reluctance for bordering localities to combine services but growing needs outweigh separate and unequal deliverable services.

An example would be duplication of high school courses. Let’s say, Augusta County, Staunton and Waynesboro all teach the same college prep course. But in each of the cities and the county there are only five to eight students per class. That’s three teachers and three classrooms in use for a total of 24 students.

Wouldn’t all the three localities be ahead financially by rotating the class, as well as the instructor, between jurisdictions annually? Even if two buses were used to transport the students, having two fewer teachers and their benefits would offset the cost of transporting students. 

This suggestion is just that, a suggestion. Who knows what could be accomplished if a joint task force were convened?

Nelson Graves, of Augusta County, is a columnist for The News Virginian. E-mail him at .