To the Editor:

We are getting a bad deal in northern Isle of Wight County. I live in the south side of Gatling Pointe, the county taxes are going to go up for everyone in and out of the town of Smithfield.

The county is talking about tax overlays for the northern neighborhoods (that is us, Rescue, Battery Park, Nike Park and Carrollton). They have not given us any numbers on how much it would be because they don’t know they say it’s a “tool.” For Gatling Pointe if it’s more then 13 cents, the town of Smithfield becomes a better deal because at least we would get garbage and a lower water rate for the tax increase. We can not get a tax overlay if we get annexed into Smithfield proper.

It really comes down to the water deal.

The county wants to charge us more taxes to run the water line out so they (the county) can develop more apartments and new homes (which I haven’t talked to any one who wants that). We in Gatling Pointe don’t need their water line, but running it to us makes them (the county) more money. So the want to increase our taxes though a tax overlay (more taxes for just us not for all the county residences) for something that doesn’t benefit us as individual home owners, but benefits the county as a whole.

The town of Smithfield gets money from the county to provide us our current water 250K a year (roughly). Which they lose if the new water line is built out to us. That is why Smithfield ultimately want to annex us in my opinion. They want more taxes and to maintain the money they get from the county, as well as controlling the zoning in the areas that are going to be developed in the future (like Scott farm).

I have done a lot of research so far and I’m still digging.

I feel unheard by governing parties and frustrated at the lack of transparency and the ability of the county and town to work together.

I am a voter and I have an amazing memory.

Do your research Isle of Wight County residents and be heard!

Victoria Hulick
Smithfield