Economic Recovery Funds in the Potomac Highlands

Grant County

Emergency Food and Shelter Program

Agency: Other Category: Public Safety Amount: $3,179.00

IDEA Part B Preschool Allocation

Description: Special Education Agency: Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $25,392.00

Title I Grants

Agency: Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $306,498.00

IDEA Part B School Age Allocation

Agency: Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $532,005.00

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Hardy County

Emergency Food and Shelter Program

Agency: Other

Category: Public Safety Amount: $3,680.00

IDEA Part B Preschool Allocation

Description: Special Education Agency: Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $30,096.00

Title I Grants

Agency: Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $258,284.00

IDEA Part B School Age Allocation

Agency: Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $630,587.00

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Hampshire County

Romney Street

Description: RESURFACING Agency: Department of Transportation

Category: Transportation Amount: $4,000,000.00

Emergency Food and Shelter Program

Agency: Other

Category: Public Safety Amount: $4,785.00

IDEA Part B Preschool Allocation

Description: Special Education Agency: Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $48,628.00

IDEA Part B Preschool Allocation

Description: Special Education Agency: Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $2,250.00

Title I Grants

Agency: Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $639,553.00

IDEA Part B School Age Allocation

Agency: Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $1,018,796.00

IDEA Part B School Age Allocation

Agency: Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $47,118.00

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Mineral County

Mineral St

Description: RESURFACING Agency: Department of Transportation

Category: Transportation Amount: $1,131,000.00

Emergency Food and Shelter Program

Agency: Other

Category: Public Safety Amount: $6,953.00

IDEA Part B Preschool Allocation

Description: Special Education Agency: Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $57,561.00

Title I Grants

Agency: Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $729,237.00

IDEA Part B School Age Allocation

Agency:Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $1,206,063.00

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Pendleton County

Judy Gap Bridge

Description: BRIDGE LMC Agency: Department of Transportation

Category: Transportation Amount: $462,000.00

4-U Bridge

Description: BRIDGE C&P Agency: Department of Transportation

Category: Transportation Amount: $232,000.00

Deer Run Park

Description: BRIDGE REPLACE Agency: Department of Transportation

Category: Transportation Amount: $575,000.00

Rough Run

Description: BRIDGE REPLACE Agency: Department of Transportation

Category: Transportation Amount: $875,000.00

Smith Creek to Franklin Rd

Description: SLIDES Agency: Department of Transportation

Category: Transportation Amount: $1,000,000.00

IDEA Part B Preschool Allocation

Description: Special Education Agency: Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $14,206.00

Title I Grants

Agency: Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $119,618.00

IDEA Part B School Age Allocation

Agency: Department of Education

Category: Education Amount: $297,636.00

Wind Farm Windfall

Recently it was reported that Grant County earns over $500,000 per year in tax receipts from its wind energy operations. That number should skyrocket along with the number of turbines now in operation there. Last night, news reports out of Washington DC glowingly described how wind energy in Pennsylvania provided power for some suburban governments that want to gain the reputation of being environmentally friendly. Maryland's lieutenant governor spoke on television about the necessity of harnessing win, despite that state's recent decision to deny construction of new farms in western Maryland.

Some reports indicate that wind may help generate up to 20% of America's electric power needs in the future. This should not indicate that wind will replace coal. America's expanding energy market requires us to think beyond oil, especially since hybrid and electric car purchases will continue to skyrocket. Our electric power grid needs all the help it can get and coal will remain the backbone of that process. However, getting in on the ground floor of wind power will be like going back in time and buying a piece of Microsoft; it is an investment that will pay dividends for years.

Tuesday May 13th we voted on whether or not to pass an excess levy to supplement the tax money we get from our schools. Wouldn't it be better to increase the property tax base? Wind farms in Mineral County will help our environment, help create jobs, and help our schools.

The winds of change are blowing in counties around us. Time for Mineral to get on board.

Protecting Farmland in Grant County

Grant County recently added approximately seventy-five acres to land regulated under the 2003 Farmland Protection Act. Under this law, farm owners can choose to bind all future owners of the property, including purchasers and inheritors, to non development. No industrial or subdivision development can occur apparently ever. Only agricultural production or no activity will be allowed.

Both Grant and Hardy County have similar statutes and both have had land placed under this restrictive legislation. Although it is doubtful that many property owners would choose to give up their rights, one wonders what the overall effects could be in the long term. The value of the land will definitely drop over time, especially if it falls into non production. This means tax receipts will fall, at least until the taxes on productive land get raised to meet the shortfall.

Certainly at some point this will face legal challenges. Not every farmer's children want to farm. Some may want to make money in other ways if Grant County's land values continue to rise over time. Few, even farmers, will want to purchase land with such restrictions placed upon it. With little opportunity to sell or develop, if agriculture does not continue on the said lands, these properties will likely end up in government hands eventually. Either it will get seized for taxes, or the property owners will end up being bought out by the taxpayers.

Any time that legal restrictions get placed on property rights, even for seemingly benevolent reasons, the law of unintended consequences gets triggered. Many of these owners forfeiting their rights now will have cause to regret it later. If they do not, their children will. Should the demand for corn rise as expected due to increased bio fuels production, the marketplace will be the best protector of farmland.

Perhaps the worst part about this deal is how the taxpayers get stuck with an unnecessary deal. Individual property owners have the right to go to the courthouse and place covenant restrictions on their deeds. Farmer Brown can go down and protect his farmland until the end of time if he so chooses, only this law gives him $4,000 of taxpayer money to perform a task he can already do by himself at no cost to the rest of us.

This law was passed with the best of intentions. Agriculture is important to the economy and the traditions of this area. However market, not government solutions work best in the long run.

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By the way, many thanks to Shelley Moore Capito for her work in helping to spare thousands of West Virginians from paying the anachronistic Alternative Minimum Tax. It was passed in 1969 to tax the wealthy. Of course income levels considered wealthy in 1969 are not living in the lap of luxury today. Certainly it needs repealed, if only to prevent the headache of repeatedly going back and legislating exemptions to protect the middle class.

This Is What Some Mineral County Leaders Want

John Paul Hott is an angry man.

The Petersburg insurance agent recently had his application for rezoning denied by the Petersburg City Council. He wanted a house zoned residential reclassified so that he could operate his business from there. The council listened to neighbors opposed to the location of the business and denied the request.

Apparently the city of Petersburg acted improperly. The mayor and city council were not aware of the existence of a zoning appeals board that was created by ordinance to handle such issues. Hott blasted the city council not only for incompetence in not knowing the law, but also for not recognizing a conflict of interest. Hott maintains that the city council contains members whose interests or whose family's interests conflict with his business.

Some in Mineral County push very hard behind the scenes to incrementally move the area towards zoning. The Petersburg example shows the pitfalls of this process. A legitimate businessman's interests get caught in governmental decision making. Instead of conducting his business to the benefit of himself, his employees, and frankly the city itself, Hott is considering a lawsuit. He might sue because the city did not follow the law in rejecting his application.

It also shows the problems that might occur related to conflicts of interest. Likely the Petersburg City Council operated in good faith. However the potential for striking against a business competitor, or the competitor of a friend or a family member, or maybe someone the official just does not like, is there. Laws are enforced by human beings. Sometimes human beings act responsibly, sometimes incompetently, sometimes dishonestly. Businessmen and women ought to be relieved of having to deal with the strong hand of government as often as possible.