Stay updated with breaking news from Valerie tweedie. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
CHRISTIANSBURG â Councilwoman Johana Hicks is again under scrutiny, and her colleagues have drafted a resolution of reprimand. The resolution against Hicks for whatâs being considered as a code of ethics violation has been drafted and the Town Council plans to discuss the matter in the coming weeks. The resolution, which says council has a duty to citizens to âavoid the appearance of impropriety,â is a culmination of ethical concerns other council members have raised toward Hicks over the past year. The document, for example, makes reference to some past social media comments from Hicks that her colleagues found problematic. ....
CHRISTIANSBURG â Councilwoman Merissa Sachs has asked her colleagues to consider the elimination of the townâs personal property tax for individuals. âI believe a tax modification will also help stimulate the economy,â Sachs wrote in a recent email. âCitizens may be more inclined to make a purchase of personal property, such as a vehicle or motorcycle, if they knew taxes were not required each year.â Sachs said her idea would only apply to citizens, not businesses. The personal property tax, which numerous localities in Virginia and other parts of the country levy, is one of several kinds of taxes that Christiansburg and Montgomery County collect annually to help fund their governmentsâ day-to-day operations. ....
CHRISTIANSBURG â Councilwoman Johana Hicks was at the center of another episode last week when her colleagues again raised questions about whether she crossed ethical lines. At the tail end of a four-hour-long meeting Tuesday, Hicks engaged in a heated exchange with several council members as they went over recent Facebook comments she made in relation to upcoming plans to build an approximately $18 million park on old farmland just off of Peppers Ferry Roadâas well as an issue with a rental property she owns with her husband. Similar to her previous clashes with council, Hicks characterized the latest quarrel as nothing other than an attempt to bully her because of her nonconforming views. ....