Words, music, images and more from Jim Barnes
By most measures, Loudoun County is booming. Housing sales, property values and building permits are up. Unemployment is relatively low, at about 4.4 percent, and Loudoun recently topped the U.S. Census Bureau’s list of the wealthiest county in the nation. But one key economic indicator is down, and the corresponding shortfall in tax revenue has county officials trying to figure out how to cover the cost of some economic development programs.
Washington Post, January 22, 2014
More than four years after Loudoun County embarked on a major upgrade of its aging financial management systems, the price tag for the overhaul has swelled by about 65 percent more than the amount initially budgeted for the project.
The Post’s Tom Jackman also comments on the story.
Washington Post, December 16, 2013
When the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors abandoned the county Master Gardeners program last year, its volunteers might have packed up their rakes and hoes and gone home.
Edye Clark, the group’s president, said that a few members did leave the organization but that most pulled together and worked harder to carry out the group’s mission to educate the public about organic gardening.
Washington Post, July 10, 2013
Cuts to the Loudoun County Public Schools’ budget could result in lost benefits for school bus drivers.
Washington Post, April 1, 2013
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to keep the court facilities in Leesburg’s historic downtown.
Washington Post, January 20, 2013
Loudoun County’s Finance, Government Services and Operations Committee has recommended keeping the court facilities in downtown Leesburg.
Washington Post, January 13, 2013
After four years of slumber, a local reporter awakened to find that everything — and nothing — had changed.
Leesburg Patch, October 26, 2011
Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott York appeared to shift rightward during his primary campaign. Could that hurt him in the fall general election?
Leesburg Patch, June 23, 2011
Leesburg appears to have made out well in the recent county redistricting.
Leesburg Patch, June 2, 2011
The Loudoun County Democratic Party seems to be making little progress in finding candidates for key county elections later this year.
Leesburg Patch, July 21, 2011