Coraggio Consulting
Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, Budget Public Input Meeting, Saturday, February 22, 2025

Date: Saturday, February 22, 2025
Place: Board Room, First Floor, Government Center, 1 Harrison Street SE, Leesburg, Virginia
Length: 1h 2m (video)
Official meeting video (county, Granicus): https://loudoun.granicus.com/player/clip/7878
Meeting page: https://loudoun.granicus.com/player/clip/7878

Machine transcript (speech-to-text) produced by Coraggio Consulting. Not an official county record. Names and numbers may be misspelled; check the video at the timestamp before quoting.
Speech-to-text: whisper.cpp, model large-v3-turbo. Produced 2026-10-11. Timestamps are [HH:MM:SS] into the meeting video.

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[00:07:30] Well, good morning, supervisors, good morning, staff, and good morning, Loudon. I'd like to call to order the February 22, 2025, Loudon County Board of Supervisors budget public hearing. This room has a hearing loop.

[00:07:46] If you need hearing assistance, please switch your hearing aid to the telecom mode. If you need a headset, we have those available as well. Please see the clerk to request one. Would everybody please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance? To the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. Okay. This public input session is to allow members of the public

[00:08:24] to address the board on the proposed budget. Let me say that one more time because that wasn't very smooth. This public input, that's no better, public input session, it is early, is to allow members of the public to address the board on the proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1st, 2025, and ending June 30th, 2026, the FY26 proposed budget. And the proposed tax rate on real and personal property tax for the tax year 2025, beginning January 1st, 2025, and ending

[00:09:01] December 31st, 2025. Members of the public wishing to speak at this public session. If you've not already done, so please sign up to the clerk to my left as soon as she gets back. If you signed up to speak, you'll be allotted two and a half minutes. If you're in the board room, we ask that when your name is called, please come to the podium and state your name for the record. The timer on the podium will indicate the remaining time. When your time has expired, we would ask that you please yield the floor to the next speaker. If you are speaking with a translator, we will double your time so that you have time to speak with

[00:09:37] translator but it's still a solid five so if you're if you're providing your comments via phone I ask that you set your own timer on your phone and that is because I don't stop people when they get like to two minutes because it throws off your your rhythm however when you get the two minutes and 30 seconds I will stop you so if you can't see the timer in the room set your timer on your phone when taking public input I would first ask if there's anyone in the boardroom wishing to speak. Then I will go to the moderator who was Andy Torres today, but I do not see anybody on our list who is not here in person. I think everyone is here.

[00:10:16] Please note that there was a slight delay between the broadcast and the boardroom. This morning, Supervisor Letourneau is not able to attend. He will not attend either with us or online. However, he is very good about going back and watching the public comments at a later date, and he has committed to do that, and I know that he will.

[00:10:40] Supervisors, before we get to our first speakers, I just need to take a point of, I'm not sure if it's a point of personal privilege, it's actually a point of order, to say this. Without objection, next week, we all go, many of us are going, to the National Association of Counties. The county has a proxy for that vote that is, I believe after the census adjustment, our proxy is six, I want to say six at the National Association of Counties.

[00:11:18] By all the codes of NACO and our rules of order, that proxy automatically falls to the chair for the general public meetings for the resolution. So the resolutions at NACO are the resolutions put forward by all the committees, not just not just the committee I chair, but all the committees. I have to leave NACO. I have to leave D.C. on Monday morning, drive back to Loudoun, and then on Monday afternoon, drive back to D.C., which means I need to give my proxy to Mr. Turner as the vice chair. So without objection,

[00:11:57] supervisors, I'm letting you all know that Mr. Turner will be putting forth all the votes to all the resolutions for all the committees at the National Association of Counties on Monday, November 3rd. I'm sorry, Monday. Wow, I really jumped ahead. Monday, March 3rd, and I think, well, it was 2025. I think there's a lot of stuff going on. I just want to go right past, maybe. Monday, March 2025. I think it's at 9:30 in the morning. In addition,

[00:12:34] Supervisors, Mr. Quintine, Chris Quintine is going to come talk to everyone individually to find out, one, if you're going, two, what you're doing, and three, who's going, who might be going to the Hill to lobby legislators, federal legislators.

[00:12:54] Please remember that as a committee chair, as a standing committee chair in the National Association of Counties, when I go to the Hill, I have to go, or I get to go. to lobby for issues that are NACO issues, especially NACO issues that came through my committee.

[00:13:12] So I will not be going to visit Senator Cain, Senator Warner, Congressman Supramaniam. I go to visit the committee, other committee chairs in Congress and in the Senate and in the House because I'm putting forward NACO's agenda.

[00:13:30] I need you all to decide who's going to the Hill to lobby Senator Cain, Senator Warner comes from Supermanium. If there is a crossover and there's something that we have on our agenda and it's on the NACO agenda, I can certainly talk to whomever I talk to about that, I can do that.

[00:13:54] But the Loudoun County legislative agenda is not what I am, that's not my, that's not what I'm going to the Hill for. The other thing is we in the past have said that we might not go to the Hill, we might see our people later.

[00:14:11] But we never seem to get it done. So sometimes it's easier to do it when you're there, but I'll let you all decide how you want to do that with Mr. Quintine if you plan on going at all. You can actually maybe make two visits, kind of talk to them one time in a very cursory fashion and then meet with them later on to have a deeper, longer meeting.

[00:14:31] But just if you're going to be there at all, if you're going to be at NACO at all, please get with Mr. Quintine so you can go through the schedule with him. And if you're going through the Hill, especially get with him. Mr. Kirshner, I am begging you to send yourself or your staff because there's so much stuff at NACO this year that is, I mean, the rural counties and the frontier counties, which were not a frontier county, obviously, but the rural county, I mean, literally, I think a quarter of NACO's discussions this year are rural county discussions, so please send somebody.

[00:15:06] Mr. Sainz, you had a question? Yes, Madam Chair, rather a statement, I guess you could say.

[00:15:32] I would suggest, well, I personally can't go, you know, to lobby on NACO Day, but I would suggest, and yes, you are correct, we always said we'll go another time, and, you know, through other channels, we do talk to our legislators on the Hill, but I have been working with Mr. Freeman to try to get a date for us to go, another date, because I would suggest we go another time since we are down the street, because when NACO, everybody from NACO is going to be focusing on NACO, and a lot of people are going to be there. So I would suggest, and like I said, I'm working with Mr. Freeman now to get a couple of dates and send it around to our colleagues.

[00:15:47] Well, what usually happens, though, that's not how that usually goes. What usually happens is the committee chairs like me, we actually focus on NACO. Everybody else focuses on their own agendas, just like I'm saying for us to do. So the committee chairs in the Senate and the House are usually really busy, But the people who are not committee chairs or leaders, they're not that busy normally.

[00:16:13] Now, of course, Senator Warner is a committee chair, right? And I don't know if Senator Cain is or not. But this is how it works. We, the committee chairs of NACO, go focus on NACO issues. Everybody else is just talking to their people about their own agendas. Well, keep in mind, in the recent announcements and a lot of stuff, it's going to be, I think, a little bit different than the normal.

[00:16:33] Maybe. That is very possible. Okay, and that's only, you know, what, a week or two away, so I don't know, depending on everybody's schedule. So, like I said, we're working on a different day. And the good thing about us, I think we all know this, is we do have a lot of contact with our senators and our congressperson. We do. They're very available.

[00:16:48] But anyway, if you do go, just let Mr. Quintyne know. Ms. Glass? Chair Randall, I was just going to say that I'm able to go. You're able to go on that day? On that day. And I think Ms. Brickspin is, too. Okay. All right. And Mr. Sands, you are not. Okay. And also, of course, our lobbyists will be there with us as well, which you will, not with me.

[00:17:09] NACO's lobbyists will be with me. Okay. All right. Thank you for all of that. I appreciate it. Okay. We're going to start our speakers. I also want to say that there will be two other public hearings on the proposed budget. They're going to be held on Thursday, so any members of the public, if you want to come speak to those, you can do that as well.

[00:17:29] But let's start with our speakers, and again, if you need a translator, please bring that person with you and you have five minutes I'll speak I will call your names three people in advance so you know if you're next the first speaker is Claudia Claudia Cazada followed by Roger Smith followed by Samantha Clark I'm sorry she's not here oh I hope she feels better Roger Smith followed by Samantha Clark followed by Rebecca Hoey I hope I set your last name right

[00:18:04] Good morning. Good morning. I'm Roger Smith, resident of Waterford. Congratulations to everyone who helped create this excellent budget document.

[00:18:23] That said, today I'd like to point out a couple of things that are not included in the budget document, but which I think everyone who needs to see before approving the budget. My first suggestion is about historical data.

[00:18:42] In many tables, you give actual results for 20, 22, 23, 24. But for 25, you show only the adopted budget, which is obviously relevant. But much has happened since that budget was created one year ago.

[00:19:00] Expenses have been incurred where they weren't expected. And in particular, revenues have been generated far in excess of the budget. To fully evaluate the 2026 budget, we really need to see some actual data. for the first two-thirds of 2025 or a reasonable projection for the full year or both. My second suggestion is about the largest single source of revenue in the entire budget. There is no place

[00:19:35] in this or prior budget documents where you can find the total revenue generated by data centers. Certainly, you can find the personal property tax on data center computers. It's right there, spelled out. And that's a hugely important number. But you cannot find the real property taxes from data centers, which is equally important. So you don't know the total. I ask that you consider including data on these two subjects in the executive summary, the general fund revenue

[00:20:10] sections, or as new topics may be in the forecast discussion and analysis section, or perhaps as a separate online document. Wherever they appear, the interest of transparency of government would be well served. Thank you. Mr. Smith, with respect, I'm not completely sure that's correct. I do know that when Mr. Hemstreet gave his presentation, the data center revenue was broken out very specifically. I have

[00:20:45] your information. I will go check that for you and send you those links. You can deduce the total from the information that Mr. Hemstreet provided. I will go check that for you and send you those links. Okay, I will. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Roger Smith, followed by Samantha Clark, followed by Rebecca Hoey. I'm sorry. Yeah, that's right. Good morning.

[00:21:11] Good morning. Good morning, Chair Randall and members of the board. I want to acknowledge Law's board members, staff, volunteers, community partners, and survivors who are with us in the room and online today. I am Samantha Clark, the CEO of Law's Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services. Loudoun County has long been a leader in supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. For 40 years, laws has been at the forefront, providing trauma-informed survivor services. Our success in Loudoun is rooted in strong partnerships between the county, law enforcement, courts, schools, and many other community-based organizations.

[00:21:48] This coordinated approach works. Last year alone, laws provided 91 adults and 88 children, 3,100 nights of emergency shelter. Through advocacy services, 743 survivors received more than 4,000 hours of assistance, and 1,183 hotline calls were answered. We prioritized safety and well-being of children, providing 307 hours of trauma therapy, 144 forensic interviews for child victims, and violence prevention education for more than 1,600 youth and youth-serving professionals. These numbers reflect services expertly delivered and lives saved, families

[00:22:26] stabilized, and cycles of violence disrupted. Survivors in Loudoun County know where to turn for trusted services and resources and help because of a system that has been carefully built over four decades between laws, community organizations, and the county to prioritize safety and healing. The shared goal of laws and the county has always been to ensure that survivors receive care without barriers, delays, or fragmentation. As the county considers funding proposed to develop county-led survivor services and coordination, I ask you to consider the

[00:23:04] enormous opportunity to build upon the strong foundation we've forged together. As the CEO of laws, I want you to know we are capable and ready to leverage years of collective experience and institutional knowledge to shape a well-coordinated survivor-centered approach with you. Laws is equally and fully committed to standing with the county to help ensure that any new initiatives enhance and reinforce this existing network of care. Loudoun survivors' response is strongest when services are aligned and survivor access is seamless.

[00:23:41] Laws is eager to work alongside Loudoun County and our invaluable community partners. Together, we can ensure Loudoun County remains a leader in compassionate, effective survivor services, setting a standard for communities across the Commonwealth. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, and thank you to everyone in Laws who've done such important work.

[00:24:01] Rebecca Hoey, followed by Brianna Carr, followed by Diana Rodriguez. Good morning. My gosh. Good morning. My name is Becky Hoey, and I'm the Legal Services Director for Laws and our family law attorney. And I'm honored to speak today about the depth of support and continuing services that survivors receive through laws.

[00:24:20] Support that extends far beyond crisis intervention and emergency shelter. Too often, when people think about domestic and sexual violence services, they think only of the moment of crisis, the emergency call, the immediate need for safety, the urgent response. And while that moment is critical, true survivor support goes far beyond the immediate response.

[00:24:42] Healing, rebuilding, and regaining stability take time. Laws walks alongside survivors for years, providing a continuum of services and skilled support that meet needs at every stage of the journey. Beyond shelter, survivors may need legal advocacy to navigate protective orders, custody issues, divorce matters.

[00:25:01] Some may need trauma-informed, survivor-focused therapy to heal from years of abuse. Many need skilled survivor housing advocacy to regain stability. Leaving an abusive situation is not a one-time event, but a nuanced process that requires ongoing support, which Laws has been doing for four decades.

[00:25:22] We don't just provide services. We provide skilled, survivor-centered expertise in a wide range of areas. Our team is trained in the complexities of IPV trauma, legal advocacy and representation, mental health and housing. In my role as the family law attorney at Laws for seven years, I've seen how Laws services have helped thousands of survivors rebuild their lives beyond the moment of crisis.

[00:25:49] This is the work that we do every day, not just in moments of crisis, but in the months and the years that follow. Laws is eager to work collaboratively with the county to ensure survivors receive highly skilled, survivor-focused, coordinated support across the full continuum of services.

[00:26:07] As the county considers funding enhanced services, I ask you to consider aligning your efforts and leveraging laws' unique expertise in providing long-term support so that together we can build a future in Loudoun County where every survivor is supported in both crisis and every step of their journey towards healing.

[00:26:29] Together, we can ensure Loudoun County remains a leader in compassionate, effective survivor services, setting a standard for communities across the Commonwealth. thank you. Thank you. Brianna Carr followed by Diana Rodriguez followed by Mildred Perez.

[00:26:45] Good morning. Good morning. I'm Brienne Carr and I'm here today on behalf of hundreds of families, athletes, and coaches who depend on ION International Training Center as a vital resource for youth hockey, figure skating, and recreational ice sports. For years, ION has been more than just an ice facility. It has been a place where children learn discipline, teamwork, and perseverance, while also bringing families and communities together.

[00:27:12] Unfortunately, the facility has suffered under its current ownership, and now those owners have proposed repurposing ION into a conference center and performing arts center, a move that would harm the community and makes little economical sense. I am not against an Eastern Loudon performing arts center.

[00:27:30] As much as these kids need the ice to grow and develop, others need the performing arts. just don't want it to happen by displacing and negatively impacting nearly a thousand kids what is the process for giving county money or grants to a privately owned facility is loudon county looking at buying ion we would love to speak with an official who can explain the plans for the performing arts center how it would be funded and if ion remains on the table as an option i also want to be very clear that i do not support county funds or grants going to a

[00:28:06] failed business under the current ion ownership while i understand the permitting process goes through the town of leesburg if there is anything that you can do to step in and support this community we ask you to do so we would love the opportunity to meet with you and discuss in more detail if ion moves forward with these plans we will need you to be prepared to support the build out of new ice to support these thousand kids that are being displaced while this option will provide an opportunity to regrow the hockey community in the future it is extremely detrimental to the current establishment and growing organization and community we already have

[00:28:44] a shortage of ice time the other rings cannot absorb these kids there is a well understood economic and fiscally responsible business case to support maintaining the momentum of the current market that has been built for five years at ion this market and community will thrive under new leadership entity further boosting community benefits would make more economical sense to help find a way to keep ion open as an ice rink than to renovate the current facility and rebuild a new ice rink thank you so much for your time this morning and we look forward to working with you in the future well thank you thank you miss carl I would be giving your call because

[00:29:24] I have a meeting this I think scheduled this week with some other moms from I So I'll give you a call. Sure. Diana Rodriguez, followed by Mildred Flores, followed by Ana Marie Lustre. Good morning. Good morning, Chair Randall and members of the board. My name is Diana. I'm the Community Services Director at LAWS and the current co-facilitator of the Coordinated Community Response for Domestic Violence in Loudoun County.

[00:29:50] I'm honored to speak on behalf of LAWS, the many survivors we serve, and our collaborative partners in Loudoun County. For over 40 years, Loss has been at the forefront of responding to domestic and sexual violence in our community, providing trauma-informed services, advocating for survivors, and working closely with system partners to ensure that no one navigating violence has to do so alone.

[00:30:09] We have always operated with the belief that the most effective response happens when government, nonprofits, and the community work together and leverage each other's strengths. As the county considers funding increased resources and enhance an established CCR approach, Laws is eager to bring our decades of experience to the table to help design a model that is effective, inclusive, and centered on survivor needs.

[00:30:30] A well-structured CCR isn't just about coordination. It's about shared governance, collective accountability, and ensuring every decision is centered on survivors and community safety. It also requires a strong commitment to offender services, ensuring those who cause harm are held responsible, and not just through prosecution, but also through intervention programs that disrupt cycles of abuse.

[00:30:50] At Laws, we know what effective collaboration looks like because we do it every day. We are proud to work alongside key partners like the Sheriff's Office, the Leesburg and Percival Police Departments, the Commonwealth Attorney's Office, Department of Community Corrections, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Loudoun County Public Schools, Animal Services, and NOVA.

[00:31:09] The work is critical, not just for individual survivors, but for the breaking the cycle of violence in Loudoun County. Doing what is best for survivors requires a thoughtful, well-structured CCR that is informed by experts in our community, shaped by data and strengthened by collaboration the county has the opportunity to utilize law's expertise here as we're ready to partner and lead in this effort to share what we've learned from doing the work to help develop policy and to ensure the ccr reflects the very best of what this community has to offer survivors laws is eager to deepen our collaboration with the county to continue to make loudness response one of the strongest in the commonwealth we look forward to being a partner in shaping this effort to enhance services and help ensure a seamless effective

[00:31:48] response to domestic and sexual violence doing what is best for survivors ensuring that those who commit harm are held accountable and sharing wisdom gained in the work together we can build a model that does more than respond it transforms and powers and sets the standards that other communities will follow together we can ensure loudon county remains a leader in compassionate effective survivor services setting a standard for communities across the commonwealth thank you Thank you. Thank you very much for all your work. Mildred Perez, followed by Ana Marie Lester,

[00:32:21] followed by Tomasina Valencia. Good morning. Good morning, everyone. My name is Mildred, leader of the New York City of Virginia, resident of Lisbury, mother of the family.

[00:32:38] I am here to share the challenges we face as workers with low income. Our priority is pagar la renta y cubrir necesidades básicas, lo que limita nuestra capacidad de ofrecer oportunidades a nuestros hijos. Muchas veces hemos querido que nuestra hija participe en deportes, pero los costos son demasiado altos para nuestra situación. Eso entristece y no podemos ver desarrollar sus habilidades. Junto con otros padres que enfrentan esta misma situación, hemos estado luchando ante la Junta Escolar para incluir programas extracurriculares gratuitos como deportes que apoyen el desarrollo académico y personal de

[00:33:15] nuestros hijos. Gracias a este esfuerzo, la Junta aprobó estos programas como parte del presupuesto escolar 2025. Pedimos el apoyo de nuestros representantes para votar a favor de este presupuesto que ofrece una gran oportunidad de innovación educativa. Estos programas beneficiarán a muchos niños que no tienen acceso a ellos y mejorarán las oportunidades para cada estudiante de nuestro condado. Muchísimas gracias por su atención. Gracias.

[00:33:43] Hello, good morning, Board of Supervisors. My name is Mildred. I'm a leader of the new Virginia majority, a resident of Leesburg, and a mother. I'm here to share the challenges we face as low-income working parents. Our priority is paying rent and covering basic needs, which limits our abilities to offer opportunities to our children. I have often wanted my daughter to participate in sports but the costs are too high for our situation and that leaves me sad to see that she cannot develop her skills along with other parents facing the same

[00:34:22] situation we have been fighting before the school board to include to include free extracurricular programs such as sports that support the academy academic and personal development of our children Thanks to this effort, the school board approved these programs as part of the 2025 school budget.

[00:34:46] We ask for the support of our representatives to vote in favor of this budget, which offers a great opportunity for educational innovation. These programs will benefit many children who do not have access to them and will improve opportunities for every student in our county.

[00:35:05] Thank you for your attention. - Thank you, thank you very much. Ana Maria Lastra, followed by Tomaseya Valicina, followed by Lázaro Hernández.

[00:35:22] Good morning. Good morning. My name is Ana Maria Lastra, and I'm a licensed professional counselor. I have a private practice in downtown Leesburg. For the last 20 years, I've been partnering and working with laws as a mental health practitioner.

[00:35:39] I'm honored to speak today as an advocate for survivors, as well as for laws. to help ensure that every survivor in Loudoun County, no matter their background or circumstance, has safe, trusted, and immediate access to safety and support.

[00:35:57] Survivors of domestic and sexual violence face really enormous barriers when seeking help, but barriers for immigrant survivors can be even higher. Fear of deportation, language access challenges, distrust of government systems, and concerns about eligibility and confidentiality often prevent them from reaching out for the support they desperately need.

[00:36:21] For these survivors, the difference between a community-based service and a government agency is not just a preference. It is a difference between, it is often just a matter of safety. They need resources they can trust.

[00:36:38] That is why community-based services like LAWS are essential. laws provides a trusted, confidential space where survivors can seek help without fear. They know they can come to laws, be heard, and be protected. As a provider who works very closely with survivors, I see firsthand the impact that access or lack of access can have on a person's ability to heal. I applaud the county's commitment to enhancing services. This is an opportunity to ensure that expansion truly reaches those facing the greatest barriers. Reinforcing strong referral

[00:37:15] pathways between county services and trusted community-based providers is essential to a strong community response. For the sake of survivors, it's critical that we work together to ensure that these pathways remain open and strong so that every survivor, regardless of their circumstances, can access the support they need in a way that feels safe for them.

[00:37:39] Access to safety should never depend on a survivor's immigration status, language, or comfort level with government systems. As the county considers proposed resources to enhance services, I ask you to take into consideration laws, deep reputation of trust with the community, and the valuable institutional knowledge that it brings.

[00:38:03] Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you. Tomasiyah Balasina followed by Lazerla Hernandez followed by I think it's Nuvia Hernandez

[00:38:22] Representante de la un test of a visora del con condado de London. My nombre is Tomasa Valencia Garcia De la nueva mayoría Virginia soy una mujer de la tercera da de origen Inmigrantes vivo en este condado desde hace 15 años vivo con mi pareja Y mi hija de 8 años en los apartamentos Lisbon & Payment.

[00:38:51] Con mi esposo hemos trabajado duro siempre. Los dos hemos tenido hasta dos trabajos, pero la renta y la vivienda siempre han sido un gran desafío para nosotros. No hemos podido nunca adquirir una vivienda porque nuestros salarios son bajos.

[00:39:12] Especialmente después de la pandemia, mi esposo perdió un trabajo. De sus trabajos y desde entonces el trabajo ha sido disminuyendo y los salarios muy bajos. Es por eso que el año pasado, cuando gracias a la lucha junto a la Nueva Mayoría Virginia, se abrió el programa de asistencia de la renta.

[00:39:38] Decidimos aplicar llenando toda nuestra información para comprobar que estamos pagando un alto costo de renta

[00:39:48] Thank you.

[00:40:21] el ingreso mediado del area por eso estoy aquí para solicitar a ustedes que preven los 10 millones para un programa de vales de vivienda permanente gracias gracias good day representatives of the county board of supervisors my name is tomasa valencia and i'm a member of new virginia majority i'm an elderly woman of immigrant origin i've lived in this county for 15 years i live with my partner and my eight-year-old

[00:41:00] daughter at the leesburg apartments my husband and i have always worked hard with both had two jobs each at times but the rent has always been a big challenge for us we have not been able to acquire our own home because our salaries are too low especially after the pandemic when my husband lost one of his jobs and since then work has been decreased and our salaries have been low that is why when rental assistance program started last year thanks to the efforts of new virginia majority we decided to apply we filled out our information to verify that

[00:41:40] we're paying a high rent and we have a very low income thus we were able to receive a benefit of $500 a month from July to December 2024. This was a great help and relief for our family finances.

[00:41:56] However, currently my husband and I have only one job each and still cannot make the median area income. I'm here to ask you to approve 10 million dollars for a permanent house voucher program. thank you thank you um lazaro hernandez followed by nuvia hernandez followed by um even james

[00:42:28] good morning buenos dias buenos dias

[00:42:50] I have a apartment with my daughter here in Ligo, but we are paying $2,300. That is a very high rent for us, we have a salary below the median income in the area.

[00:43:08] We have tried to find a place where we can live more cheap, but we didn't find it. Antes vivíamos en otros apartamentos donde además de la renta pusieron obligatoriamente un bill de internet sumado en el área.

[00:43:26] Esto sentimos que nos afectaba más nuestra economía familiar. Por eso nos movimos, nos vimos en la necesidad de aplicar un programa de asistencia de la renta, pero al ser pocos fondos nos dijeron que solo podíamos con 500 dólares, de julio hasta diciembre.

[00:43:53] Es por eso que necesitamos que se aprueben 10 millones de fondos de presupuesto para que los programas sean permanentes con un programa de vales de vivienda. good day members of the board of supervisors my name is lazaro hernandez i've lived in this county

[00:44:32] for many years i'm a member of new virginia majority i have two jobs in restaurants i basically work every day of the week. I rent an apartment with my daughter here in Leesburg, but we pay $2,300 a month. This is a very high rent for us, as we earn a salary below the average median income. We have tried to look for a cheaper place to live, but we have not been able to find anything. We lived in other apartments before, where in addition to rent, the obligatory gave us an Internet bill on top of it.

[00:45:06] We felt the effects of our family finances, which is why we need to apply for the Income Assistance Program. But since there were a few funds, they told us that they could only give us $500 from July to December.

[00:45:22] That is why we need the approval of $10 million in budget funds for programs that are permanent, such as a rental voucher program. We appreciate the support you provide because it is a relief for our finances. Thank you.

[00:45:40] I think it's pronounced Nuvia Hernandez, followed by Ivan Jalmez, followed by Carlos Morales. Good morning. Good morning.

[00:45:55] How are you? Buenos dias, respectables de la Junta de los Supervisores del Condado de London. Mi nombre es Nuvia Menéndez. Vivo en Lisboa desde hace 12 años. Junto a mi familia, trabajo en limpieza de casas y restaurantes.

[00:46:13] Vivo en un complejo de apartamentos, sueño con tener mi propia casa, pero no encuentro opciones de vivienda. De acuerdo a nuestro presupuesto o para las comunidades que ganan el salario mínimo. Agradecemos a los miembros de la Junta que nos están apoyando para continuar con los programas de asistencia y prevención de desalojos.

[00:46:37] Estos programas ayudan a aliviar un poco el impacto económico de las familias más voluntables. Sin embargo, los programas aún siguen siendo temporales. Y estamos aún, perdón, apliqué hace un año y sigo esperando una respuesta.

[00:46:58] Por eso estoy aquí para solicitar el apoyo de ustedes con la aprobación de los 10 millones de fondos para un programa de vales de vivienda y que los programas de asistencia y prevención de desalojo sean permanentes. Gracias.

[00:47:28] Good day, members of the Board of Supervisors of Long Island County. My name is Nubia Menendez. I have lived in Leesburg for 12 years with my family. I work as a cleaner, cleaning houses and restaurants. I live in an apartment complex. I dream of having my own house, but I cannot find housing options that are within our budget, and there's nothing affordable for those earning a minimum salary.

[00:47:46] We thank the members of this board who have supported us by continuing assistance and eviction prevention programs. These programs help alleviate some of the economic burden of the most vulnerable families.

[00:48:04] However, these programs are temporary, and we do not yet have an adequate rentless system program to reduce rent. I applied one year ago, and I'm still waiting for a response. This is why I'm here asking for your support for the appropriation of $10 million for funding for a housing voucher program, and that assistance and eviction prevention programs remain permanent.

[00:48:32] Thank you. Thank you. Ivan Heimes, followed by Carlos Morales, followed by Richard George. or her hey I'm not sure which one how do we announce that

[00:49:17] and the insecurity of the immigration, the job has reduced. Because of this, my wife and I don't even have a medium income of the area. That's why we saw the need to apply the program of assistance to rent.

[00:49:34] We appreciate your support for opening this type of housing. However, the programs are temporary, and that's why I make the petition para que nos aprueben el presupuesto de 10 millones para vivienda, para un programa de vales de vivienda que sea permanente, donde nosotros podamos aplicar con un alivio para nuestra economía familiar. Gracias. Gracias. Gracias, señora.

[00:50:06] Good day, members of the Board of Supervisors. My name is Ivan Jaimes, and I'm a member of New Virginia Majority. I live here in Leesburg, and I rent an apartment in Evans Ridge. One the biggest challenges for my family and i have been to find affordable housing the rent is getting higher and higher we are about to renew our contract but our rent has risen to more than two thousand dollars a month sorry i work on in construction but due to the weather and

[00:50:41] insecurity over immigration my work has been reduced because of that my wife and i earned less than the area median income. That is why we need to apply for the rental assistant program and we appreciate your support in opening this type of housing program. However, such programs are temporary and that is why I ask you to approve $10 million in the budget for permanent housing voucher program, which would be a welcome relief to our family's economy. Thank you. Thank you. Gracias. Carlos Morales followed by Richard George followed by

[00:51:21] Manuel Caballero. Buenos días. Buenos días, respetables supervisores y respetable audiencia. Mi nombre es Carlos Morales. Estoy aquí representando a la mayoría de Virginia. Vivo aquí en el condado de London por 10 años y rento un apartamento acá en Sterling. Actualmente estoy

[00:51:55] pagando una renta muy alta para mí. Como parte de la clase trabajadora es un desafío también porque el trabajo para esta temporada de invierno baja mucho. A veces pasamos hasta tres meses sin tener trabajo estable y mi salario es más bajo que el ingreso mediano del área y aún así pago mis impuestos además el año pasado tuve un problema de salud que me impidió trabajar por varios meses

[00:52:32] Mr. Morales Más Fruite, louder. Gracias.

[00:53:06] We haven't had three months since we had a stable job and my salary is low. The median income from the area, so I still pay my taxes. Also, last year I had a health problem that allowed me to work for several months.

[00:53:24] That's why I was forced to apply the rent program. I consider it important to have the rent program. and that's why I make the petition to approve the $10 million of dollars of a housing housing program and that the assistance and prevention programs are permanent.

[00:53:56] Thank you. Good morning, members of the County Board of Supervisors. My name is Carlos Morales. I'm a member of the new majority of Virginia. I've lived in the county for 10 years.

[00:54:13] I worked in construction and remodeling. I rent an apartment in the Sterling area, where I'm currently paying a very high rent. For me, a member of the working class, this is a challenge, because work during the winter season drops a lot. Sometimes we can go up to three months without having a stable job.

[00:54:35] My salary is lower than the area median income, and I still pay my taxes. On top of that, last year, I had a health problem that prevented me from working for several months, which is why I'm forced to apply for the income program.

[00:54:51] I think it is important to have income programs like this, and that is why I asked you to approve the budget of $10 million for a housing voucher program and that the eviction assistance and prevention programs be permanent. Thank you.

[00:55:07] Thank you. Richard George, followed by Manuel Caballaro, followed by, I think it's Deacon, I think it's Deacon, Calvin. Good morning. Good morning. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for the opportunity to speak here today.

[00:55:25] My name is Richard George, and I've been a resident of Leesburg for 17 years. I'm here today to share my personal experiences and significant impact that ION has had on my family and the community. I have two sons that play hockey at ION. We have been there for four years making amazing memories and unfortunately watching the mismanagement of the facility.

[00:55:43] I am grateful for the time we had at ION. I wouldn't trade it for the world. For years we practiced, took private lessons, played games, traveled for tournaments up and down the East Coast. We all talk about how this generation spends too much time on their devices playing games or addicted to social media.

[00:55:59] kids are too busy working every day to make their dreams come true they're at the rink building friendships learning social skills and life lessons lessons playing pickup rollerblade hockey outside of the rink shooting pucks in the garage and just hanging out being kids they don't have time for their devices ion has been a hub for building strong community the friendships we have formed with other families the support we provided each other and the camaraderie share is invaluable these relationships have been forged through our shared love for hockey and the time we spent at ION. I've spent so much quality time with my family, making memories, driving hours to Charleston,

[00:56:34] South Carolina, Lake Placid, New York, Tampa, Florida, and many more, watching the kids play in the hotel pool, holding out banners they won, which, by the way, is lost revenue that we could bring to the area under new leadership. Hundreds of kids filling, hundreds of families filling hotels and restaurants. Now, please hear me out. I am in full support of an Eastern Loud and Performing Arts Center. It's a great idea, but not at ION. Shame on anyone that is considering supporting or funding a Performing Arts Center grant that will displace thousands of kids and even more parents that share the same sentiment as myself. ION has a history of financial

[00:57:12] mismanagement. I have witnessed it as they fail more than once to make payroll for respectful people that keep the place going despite the management, which by the way, they will also be unemployed. This is only one of many examples. We all know that management at ION does not have the funding or community support to move forward with this. You should be asking yourselves, how do we invest in the youth of Leesburg and Loudoun County? For example, justifying full local government budgetary support, including a possible eminent domain. You have the power of the future budget. I understand that you may not control some of the things that ION management

[00:57:46] can do with their property all i'm saying is do not use my tax dollars the tax dollars of other families impacted or the tax dollars of people that work there to rob our youth of their dreams of playing hockey and figure skating the hockey community is growing especially in virginia and we have the responsibility to carry it forward as officials representing our community i respect you i urge you to respect our position and do not allocate any tax dollars to the management of bio thank you mr. George again I do I know I have a meeting with some parents from Ion I will give your call if you can join us you'll be welcome to my

[00:58:22] pleasure thank you thank you thank you Manuel Caballero followed by I think it's Deacon Calvin Buenos dias sir good morning good morning buenos dias what a supervisores soy Manuel Caballero residente de Asheville por más de 20 años soy un padre de dos hijas que tiene que trabajar muy duro for maintaining a family, many times with two jobs.

[00:58:49] The inflation and the cost of life has caused a strong impact on our community. That's why I ask you to apply more assistance for housing assistance, with programs such as housing, housing, housing, and also vouchers of housing that will help stabilize the economy of many families who are going through this situation of overcharges and increases of housing.

[00:59:14] Espero que puedan escucharnos y ayudar a la clase trabajadora de este condado. Muchas gracias. Muchas gracias. Good morning, Board of Supervisors. I'm Manuel Caballero, a resident of Ashburn for over 20 years.

[00:59:31] I'm a father of two children who has to work very hard to support my family, often with two jobs. Inflation and the increase in the cost of living have hurt us, causing a very strong impact on our community. That is why I asked you to approve more budget for housing assistance to help with programs such as rental assistance, eviction, and especially with housing vouchers that will help stabilize the economy of many families who are going through this situation of rent overcharges and excessive increases. I hope you can listen to us and help the working class of this county.

[01:00:10] Thank you. Thank you. Before I call our last speaker, do we have any more people who have signed up no okay thank you very much last speaking speaker last name is calvin i'm not sure okay good morning good morning uh my name is declan galvin i'm sorry if it uh came out wrong that's okay so i am a community member i've been here since 2019 i've been loving it since about 42 percent of the renters in loudon county are rent burden that is 30 percent of their income

[01:00:46] is going directly to rent that makes it extremely hard for them to save and build up into community there are several people who economically would benefit if we gave rental assistance so that they can contribute to either building small businesses or contributing to the small businesses that are already here these people are members of our community sorry i'm repeating myself very tired work overnight but they can invest in the education themselves their kids make sure sure that we make Loudoun County for everyone and yeah that's please make sure the 10 million

[01:01:22] dollars is permanent. I yield my time. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Supervisors and Loudoun that concludes our speakers for today. I want to remind everyone again that there are two public hearing sessions on the proposed for the proposed budget to be held on Thursday February 27th. So two meetings that day at three and at six if my memory serves me right.

[01:01:46] Board members, we have no more speakers at this time, so I call this meeting adjourned.

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