Dear Friend and Neighbor:
Summerfield property tax rates: Fiscal Years 2006 – 2009/10: 3.9¢ 3.9¢ 3.5¢ to zero, respectively, down from 10.5c in 2004 when I moved to Summerfield and became active in government. I have kept my campaign promises to promote conservative fiscal policies.
Current cash reserves: almost $9 million, up from $7 million when I took office.
Budgets: I watch every cent spent of your money by reviewing Monthly Check Detail Registers, Profit and Loss Statements, all other financials, and asking questions about expenditures, contracts, cost of projects, long-term maintenance costs, and revenue sources. I have consistently supported less spending and lower taxes. Town money is your money.
Government staff: grew by 50% through majority vote, but can be smaller and more services contracted out privately for efficiency and economy of government.
Growth: controlled since I took office in 2005: for the first time since incorporation in 1996, citizens were educated by me about your right to file protest petitions against neighborhood commercial and higher-density rezonings.
Quality of residential life: With my minority vote since 2005, I have tried to protect and preserve Summerfield’s history, Summerfield Road, and other residential areas from your unwanted commercial development, and helped put in place the currently on-going Comprehensive Master Development Plan project to provide for continuity of growth in specific areas.
I successfully fought the:
- Planned Unit Development for Summerfield Road “Town Core” area;
- Commercial growth in historically residential areas
- Higher- density housing,
- A Minimum Housing Code which is the second largest police power government intrusion into your private homes and lives.
Parks and Recreation: I have supported and advocated passive parks which you indicated you wanted by returning a professional survey to the Town in 2006.
Summerfield Athletic Park: I support ball fields for Summerfield kids, but not the planned $4+ million “Sports Complex” which ball fields evolved into by the majority vote of Council. Actual costs to build and maintain have not been computed, but as of now will be paid for by the Summerfield tax base of only 3200 households and 7,800 population.
Transparent, open, and honest government: All Closed Executive Sessions now comply with State law since I was elected in 2005; other Town business is now discussed openly by those of us who have read their Council packages and/or conducted openly as it should always have been.
Town Policies and Procedures: For the first time since incorporation in 1996, many Town policies and procedures have been drafted (some by me), passed by Ordinance, and implemented. All Committees’ missions and goals, policies, and procedures are in place. Much more remains to be done, especially in the area of ethics in government.
If you want me to continue the above work for you in Summerfield government, to finish what I started, and to protect you from further unwanted government intrusions, I need your help to retain my seat this election year.
Thank you for your support, and let’s retain the rural charm of Summerfield which we all love. The less government, the better.
Sincerely,
BECKY STRICKLAND
