That’s the message from the county’s communications office to members of the Board of Supervisors who are waiting to see if voters will approve the proposed bond at the voting booth on Nov. 5.
The money would go to improve multiple roads, to include
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- Shelton Shop Road (610 to Mountain View Road) widens to three lanes
- Garrisonville Road (between Eustace and Shelton Shop roads) widens to six lanes
- Worth Avenue (street parallel to Garrisonville Road running in front of North Stafford Home Depot) widen to there lanes
- Reconstruct Kellogg Mill Road
- Enon Road, widen to three lanes at Beauregard Drive
- Morton Road, widen to three lanes between Leeland Road and Cherry Laurel Drive
- Layhill Road, widen to three lanes between Route 1 and Forbes Street
The county plans to spend about $30,000 to communicate with residents about the road bond, and what it will mean for their property taxes should it pass. The Board of Supervisors could hike property taxes to pay back the bonds.
Residents should expect to see information from the county in their snail mailbox, as well as in the legal section of the Free-Lance Star newspapers, as is required by state law. County spokesman Andrew Spence said it’s his office’s job to post information about the bond, but not to advocate for its passage.
His office also posted a press release about the bond.
Stafford voters last authorized a $70 million road bond in 2008 and used federal matching funds to complete 15 road projects. Of the $70 million leaders were authorized to borrow, they only borrowed $24 million.
When the county issues a road bond, leaders are taking the initiative to fix their own roads without help from the state. It gets the job done, but it also puts the county in debt, limiting what cash it can spend on other county needs and services.
