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166 In the absence of a joint statement with Albemarle County, the City Council wishes to make its position clear. First, some background. The City Council has been studying the issues of consolidation and cooperation of government services through a possible reversion to town status. The City presently is strong and vital, as evidenced by its Triple A financial bond rating, its financial surplus generated in FY 95-96, its consistently high rankings as a place to live by national periodicals, the level of economic activity within its borders, and the quality of its schools. At the same time, a citizens group in the City of Charlottesville has been actively circulating a petition to initiate legal proceedings to cause the reversion of the City of Charlottesville to town status. Two years ago, the City commissioned a study on the economic forecast of the City's future over the next ten years, which estimated that the modest increase of tax revenues would not match projected increases in the costs of providing services, especially in our schools. Analyses by the City and County indicate that a reversion of the City to town status is not financially feasible unless there is a consolidation of the City and County school systems. The City of Charlottesville also recently completed a study comparing the financial implications of a consolidated school system under reversion, a report that has been shared with the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, the two school boards, and the public. ~ The Charlottes,~411e City Council has not yet determined that reversion of the City of Charlottesville to town status is in the best interest of either the City or the broader community, nor has the City completed its study of how reversion would affect the school system. To the extent that reversion is in the best interest of the community, it should be negotiated rather than litigated. The Charlottesville City Council believes that it would be in the best interest of the City and County to avoid protracted and expensive litigation that might be incurred in a reversion action. If reversion is initiated by citizen petkion, the City Council believes that a negotiated reversion of the City to town status is preferable to a judicial solution wlfich the City would have to accept or reject in toro. Against this background, Council issues the following statements: The City of Charlottesville remains willing to discuss with the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors any and all options available to resolve long-term problems facing both jurisdictions. Citizen petitioners should suspend their efforts at fil~ng a reversion petition to permit County and City representatives and the community time to complete a school study. In recognition of the foregoing request by this City Council to the citizen petitioners to suspend their efforts, Council hereby asks that the Board of Supervisors of Albemarle County pledge to join the City in doing everything within reason to maintain the status quo concerning Virginia law as it relates directly or indirectly to reversion and the reversion process. If the citizen petitioners, for whatever reason, do initiate legal proceedings to cause the reversion of the City 0f Charlottesville to town status, then the City is committed to pursuing a negotiated reversion of the City of Charlottesville to town status to provide for a long-term solution for the provision of governmental services to the community rather than incur the costs of a litigated reversion, and calls on the County to continue negotiations in the face of any citizen-initiated action. Any negotiated reversion should include provisions to ensure fair and equitable political representation of the City's diverse population in future County governance. The City of Charlottesville believes that the initiation of a joint study by the Albemarle County and Charlottesville school boards to determine how the City and County school systems would merge under reversion may prOVe helpful to the City and County and their respective schools boards in delivering the best education to the children in the community, and will join the County in funding a reasonably priced study, whether or not a reversion petition is filed.