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51 <br /> <br />PUBLIC HEARING: TAX EXEMPTION FOR ASSOCIATION FOR RETARDED <br />RESOLUTION: CITIZENS FOR 1100 LOCUST AVENUE <br /> <br /> Mr. Clyde Gouldman, City Attorney, explained that the Association for Retarded <br />Citizens is repeating their request made in 1991 that Council recommend to the General <br />Assembly that their property at 1100 Locust Avenue be made tax exempt. Mr. Gouldman <br />noted that the General Assembly gives considerable weight to Council's recommendation <br />before making a decision on such a request. <br /> <br />The public hearing was opened. <br /> <br /> Ms. Christina Delzingaro, Executive Director of the Association for Retarded Citizens, <br />requested that Council approve a resolution recommending to the General Assembly that tax <br />exempt status be granted for the ARC-owned property at 1100 Locust Avenue. Ms. <br />Delzingaro stated that the taxes on the property are currently $1,800 a year and, if the <br />request is granted, this amount of money could be used to provide direct services to the more <br />than 300 people on waiting lists for ARC group home services. Ms. Delzingaro noted that <br />this property is the only ARC-owned property not currently tax exempt. <br /> <br /> Responding to questions from Ms. Daugherty, Ms. Delzingaro stated that she did not <br />know the percentage of low income persons served by ARC generally, but that all people in <br />their groups homes are below-the federal poverty level and the majority of ARC's clients are <br />City residents. <br /> As there were no further speakers the public hearing was closed. <br /> <br /> Responding to a request from Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Gouldman reviewed Council's policy <br />not to establish additional tax exempt properties, which was adopted because Council felt <br />that such tax exemptions amounted to subsidies to the agencies and such funding was more <br />appropriately addressed during the budget process. <br /> <br /> Ms. Daugherty stated that she saw no reason why the existing policy should not apply <br />to tlfis case, noting that she would prefer to examine the funding during the budget process. <br /> <br /> Mr. Vandever stated that his only concern in not granting the tax exemption and instead <br />considering the request during the budget, is that ARC is not already in the budget process <br />and he did not realistically think they would be made part of the budget. Mr. Vandever <br />stated that he does not object to granting tax exemptions from time to time. <br /> <br /> Mr. Vandever made a motion to approve the resolution recommending approval of tax <br />exempt status for 1100 Locust Avenue. <br /> <br />1~. Vandever's motion died for lack of a second. <br /> <br /> Ms. Slaughter made a motion to approve the resolution recommending against approval <br />of the tax exempt status for 1100 Locust Avenue. <br /> <br />Ms. Slaughter's motion died for lack of a second. <br /> <br /> No action was taken by Council with regard to the request for tax exempt status for the <br />Association for Retarded Citizens for their property at 1100 Locust Avenue. <br /> <br /> Ms. Slaughter stated that she thought it would be a good idea for the ARC to go <br />through the City's budget process. <br /> <br />PRESENTATION: PIEDMONT VIRGINIA CO~vfiMUNITY COLLEGE <br /> <br /> Dr. Deborah DiCroce, President of Piedmont Virginia Community College, presented <br />an annual update on activities at PVCC. Ms. DiCroce stated that 6,953 students were served <br />last year, an increase of 1 t%, but no additional growth is anticipated for two years. Dr. <br />DiCroce stated that the main thrusts of the Strategic Plan continue to be partnership, <br /> <br /> <br />