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4 62 <br /> <br /> Ms. Martha Tharpe of 341 15th Street supported the project <br /> <br />and the tax increase. She said she and her husband had recently <br />invested in the opening of a new restaurant on the downtown <br />mall and that this kind of faith in the City is needed to maintain <br />the City's gracious and charming atmosphere. She urged citizens <br />and taxpayers to show their faith in their City by risking some <br />public capital for the project. <br /> <br /> Mr. Harry Porter of 1929 Lewis Mountain Road supported the <br />project and tax increase, saying that Vinegar Hill is the geographic <br />and economic center of the City; its condition reflects the health <br />of the City itself~ He suggested that if the taxpayers did not <br />support the project now in order to revitalize the downtown area <br />they~,JwQuld be paying dearly later on to stem the growing <br />deterioration that would result from such a short=sighted decision. <br /> <br /> Mr. John FalWell of 1206 Meriweather Street opposed the tax <br /> increase. <br /> <br /> Mr. Burr H. Verbury, representing the Mount Vernon Motel <br /> <br /> in the City, was oppQsed to the.uhike in the room tax, saying the <br /> main user of hotel/motel space in the City is the traveling business <br /> ~person rather thanthe tourist. He felt rates are high enough <br /> without adding this extra expense. He felt the other motels/hotels <br /> in town, as well as their customers, should not be asked to help pay <br /> for the competition of the Vinegar Hill project. <br /> <br /> Mr'. Richard Meade of 38 University Circle opposed the <br /> <br /> subsidy of private investors by the local government. <br /> <br /> Mr. R.J. Baltimore of 1603 East Market Street questioned the <br /> wisdom of a project that private investors are not willing to back <br /> 100%. He suggested giving the developer a substantial tax break <br /> over a period of years rather than financing a portion of the project <br /> with tax revenues at the beginning. <br /> <br /> Mr. A1 Garrett, president of the Charlottesville Development <br /> Group, presented a resolution by that body supporting the project <br /> and the public financing of it. <br /> <br /> Ms. Peggy Van Yahres of the Piedmont Environmental Council, <br /> and a local resident, supported the project as a piece of wise <br /> regional planning for the area including Charlottesville and <br /> surrounding counties. She suggested that the City and the <br /> projects' supporters emphasize the conference center's p~oposed <br /> additional use as a civic center, which is sorely needed in the <br /> City. <br /> <br /> Mr. Darden Towe of 607 Davis Avenue, president of Downtown <br /> Charlottesville, Inc., stated that DCI supports~the project and <br /> the public financing Proposal and pointed out that additional <br /> <br /> <br />