Courts
Taxes
Jail
Voting
Charlottesville City Council
Albemarle County Supervisors
General Assembly
State Legislators
Congressional Delegation
Governor

The great divide
Unlike almost every other state, in Virginia cities and counties are completely separate entities. The downside of that arrangement is that regional issues can involve many players. The upside is that citizens, by their choice of residence within the same general area, get to "choose" between two different governments.

Charlottesville
Charlottesville operates under the "council-manager" form of government. That grew out of a national mid-century reform movement to stop patronage and align government with the business model of an elected board of trustees (City Council), which hires a CEO (the city manager) who is insulated from the political rough and tumble. The mayor has no special powers (but earns $12,000 for the position) and is simply the member of City Council who sets the agenda (and cuts a lot of ribbons). In recent years, there's some buzz about having the mayor directly elected by citizens rather than by fellow councilors (who all get $10,000 annually). Since city councilors are all officially part-timers, some believe that , the City Council clerk, actually runs the city.

Annual operating budget: $127.4 million (FY 2008-2009)

Next election: November 2009.

City Council
The five councilors serve four-year terms and choose a mayor every two years among themselves. They are all elected at-large. 

Dave Norris, Mayor
On Council since 2006
220-1095

Julian Taliaferro, Vice Mayor
On Council since 2006
295-4578

David Brown
On Council since 2004
971-3537

Holly Edwards
On Council since 2008
977-2969

Satyendra Huja
On Council since 2008
977-5094

City Council meetings
Meets: 7pm on first and third Mondays. Televised live on Channel 10
Where: City Council Chambers in City Hall
Located: Corner of Seventh Street NE and Downtown Mall
Clerk: Jeanne Cox 970-3113

City Manager- Gary O'Connell 970-3101

The Charlottesville Code is available online or can be obtained at the local library or via the City Attorney's Office (970-3131).

HookTip: Got a wonkish streak, but don't enjoy sitting through long meetings after work? Charlottesville City Council meetings are available on demand anytime via streaming video and as a downloadable podcast.

Albemarle
The county uses the same basic structure as the city government, but the ordinance-makers are called supervisors, they're chosen by district, and there are six of them. Unlike the city, where regulating Downtown Mall cafés and maintaining architectural purity grab all the headlines, growth is almost always the biggest issue the county faces. Supervisors will earn $14,542 annually for this part-time job, up from last year's $14,071 salary.

This year's operating budget: $270.2 million (FY 2008-09)

The Supes
There are six Albemarle County supervisors, one from each magisterial district. Supervisors are elected for four-year terms staggered at two-year intervals. Typically, they deal with one issue: growth.

Lindsay Dorrier
Scottsville District
286-9399

David Slutzky, Vice Chairman
Rio District
989-5888

Kenneth C. Boyd, Chairman
Rivanna District
977-9981

Dennis Rooker
Jack Jouett District
977-7424

Sally Thomas
Samuel Miller District
295-1819

Ann H. Mallek
White Hall District
978-1150

Board of Supervisors Meetings
Meets: First Wednesday at 9am; second Wednesday at 6pm.
Where: Second floor, County Office Building
Located: Corner of McIntire Road and Preston Avenue
Clerk: Ella Jordan, 296-5843

County Executive
Robert W. Tucker Jr. - 296-5841

Taxes
The main ones you need to worry about are real property taxes and personal property (car) taxes, which are due on June 5 and December 5 of each year in both the city and county. The Commonwealth of Virginia levies income taxes.

CHARLOTTESVILLE RATES
Property: $0.95 per $100 value (Down from $0.99 last year)
Personal property (cars and boats): $4.20/$100 value (mobile homes: $0.95/$100)
Restaurants: meals tax 4%
Hotels: 6%
Short-Term Rental: 1%
City Treasurer- Jennifer Brown, in City Hall - 970-3146

ALBEMARLE RATES
Property: $0.71 per $100 value
Personal property (cars and boats): $4.28/$100 value
Restaurants: meals tax 4%
Hotels: 5%
County Finance Department- Richard Wiggans, Director of Finance, at the County Office Building (complete with a deluxe drive-thru, bill-payin' window) - 296-5855

State Government
Virginia laws are made every year by the General Assembly, composed of the House of Delegates (whose members serve two-year terms) and the State Senate (whose members serve four-year terms). Their work writing bills usually happens pretty fast-- except when the biannual budget is concerned. In 2004, the normal 60-day session stretched an extra 106 days as legislators grappled with a budget. A new governor was in office in 2006, but the outcome was all-too-familiar for weary lawmakers: a session that lasted  an extra three months.

In January 2002, the state government began offering a free tracking service that allows citizens to follow up to five bills per session-- via email alerts. Five years later, Charlottesville blogger, political commentator, and cyberwunderkind Waldo Jaquith launched Richmond Sunlight, a free bill tracking service that's searchable by keyword and includes podcasts of legislative sessions, RSS feeds for each legislator, and a comments page for every bill.

Your Governor
He is Tim Kaine, who was elected in 2005 and under Virginia law cannot seek a second consecutive four-year term. His win was largely attributed to the popularity of his Democratic predecessor, Mark Warner. In fact, Warner was such a popular governor that many Democrats touted him as a presidential candidate in 2008, until he announced in 2006 that he wouldn't seek the White House. Now, he's running for John Warner's Senate seat against another forner guv, Jim Gilmore. Stay tuned. 

State legislators:

25th House District- The Crozet area in Western Albemarle plus some terrain in the Valley counties of Augusta and Rockingham
Current Delegate: Steve Landes R-Weyers Cave
Phone: 540-245-5540
Next election: November 2009

57th House District- All of Charlottesville and much of central Albemarle County
Current Delegate: David Toscano D-Charlottesville
Phone: 220-1660
Next election: November 2009. Toscano is a former mayor of Charlottesville and is currently serving his second term as successor to the late Mitch Van Yahres, who served 24 years.

58th House District- Part of Albemarle, the western half of Fluvanna, all of Greene, and part of Orange County
Current Delegate: Rob Bell R-Albemarle
Phone: 245-8900
Next election: November 2009

59th House District- The southwestern chunk of Albemarle, Nelson, Buckingham, Appomattox, and Cumberland Counties and even a little swath of Prince Edward
Current Delegate: Watkins M. Abbitt Jr. I-Appomattox
Phone: 434-352-2880
Next election: November 2009

24th Senate District- The Brownsville, Crozet, and Free Union precincts of Albemarle, plus parts of Rockbridge and Rockingham, and all of Augusta, Greene, and Highland counties, plus the cities of Lexington, Staunton, and Waynesboro
Current Senator: Emmett W. Hanger R-Mount Solon
Phone: 540-885-6898
Next election: November 2011

25th Senate District- All of Charlottesville, Bath, Buena Vista, Nelson, and parts of Albemarle, Alleghany, Bath, Buckingham, and Rockbridge counties
Current Senator: Creigh Deeds D-Bath
Phone: 296-5491
Next election: November 2011. Or rather, as he's now running for governor, November 2009. Deeds fell just 323 votes (or .00016 percent) short of becoming Attorney General in 2005 against Bob McDonnell, who is also expected to make a run for governor in 2009.

17th Senate District- All of Louisa, Madison, Orange and Culpeper counties plus parts of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County
Current Senator: R. Edward Houck (D-Spotsylvania)
Phone: 540-786-2782
Next election: November 2011

Can you believe it - Charlottesville/Albemarle are chopped into four different House districts. Can you say gerrymandering?

Federal Government
Your two U.S. Senators (every state gets two, remember?) are the following:

John Warner - R
202-224-2023
Elected: 1978 (now in his fifth term)
Next election: November 2008, though the 80-year-old Warner has announced that he will not seek reelection. The GOP candidate to be Warner's successor is former governor Jim Gilmore. who narrowly secured the nomination.
Opponent: Former governor Mark Warner (D, no relation to the Senator) seeks to turn a red seat blue.

Jim Webb - D
202-224-4024 
Elected: 2006
Next election: November 2012
Likely opponent: After he pulled off one of the biggest political upsets in American history by defeating one-time presidential frontrunner George Allen, whichever Republican decides to challenge Webb would be a fool to underestimate him again.

Your Representative in the Fifth District of the House of Representatives:
Virgil Goode (R-Rocky Mount)
202-225-4711
Represents: Charlottesville, Albemarle, Greene, Nelson, Fluvanna, and Buckingham counties, extending all the way down to Danville
Elected: 1996
Next election: 2008
Opponent: Albemarle resident and first time candidate Tom Perriello is the Democratic nominee.

Your Representative in the Sixth District of the House of Representatives:
Bob Goodlatte (R-Roanoke)
202-225-5431
Represents: Most of the Shenandoah Valley, including Staunton, Waynesboro, Augusta and Rockingham counties, extending southwest down to Roanoke
Elected: 1992
Next election: 2008
Opponent: Sam Rasoul, a Roanoke medical supplies distributor, is the only Democrat to have declared his candidacy, though Sixth District Dems say there will be others.

Your Representative in the Seventh District of the House of Representatives:
Eric Cantor (R-Richmond)
202-225-2815
Represents: Madison, Orange and Louisa Counties, extending north to Rappahannock County and southeast to Richmond
Elected: 2002
Next election: 2008
Opponent: Anita Hartke, the daughter of former U.S. Senator Vance Hartke (D-IN).

Off this page

State Code
City Code
Charlottesville City
Albemarle County
Other local governments:
Fluvanna County
Greene County
Louisa County
Nelson County
Orange County
Augusta County
Waynesboro City
Staunton City

Planning commissions
In both the city and county, this board takes a look at new building projects and helps guide development. While the commission's vote is merely advisory, it is usually rubber-stamped by the Board of Supervisors in the county.

Albemarle Planning Commission
Bill Edgerton
Eric Strucko
Thomas Loach
Jon Cannon (vice chair)
Calvin Morris (chair)
Linda Porterfield
Marcia Joseph
Meets: Meets Tuesdays at 6pm unless otherwise noted.
Where: Lane Auditorium on the second floor of County Office Building
Contact: Wayne Cilimberg, 296-5832 ext. 3254
Agendas: Available by phone at 296-5824

Charlottesville has a planning commission, too, but the board that gets more ink is the Board of Architectural Review, which is charged with preserving the city's historic character.

Charlottesville Planning Commission
Dan Rosensweig
Genevieve Keller
Michael Osteen
Hosea Mitchell
Mike Farruggio (vice chair)
Jason Pearson (chair)
Cheri Lewis
Meets: 2nd Tuesday at 6:30pm
Where: City Council Chambers
Contact: 970-3182

Voting
Thanks to the1996 "motor voter" law, you can register to vote at the DMV and by mail. The deadline to register is 29 days before any election. Bring a photo ID when you come to the polls.

CHARLOTTESVILLE
Charlottesville held its last elections in November 2007. Local elections happen in November, following the general state and national election schedule. 
Registrar: Sheri Iachetta 970-3250

ALBEMARLE
Elections occur along with the general state and national elections on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. While Albemarle previously housed its elections office in the DMV, it recently moved to the County Office building.
Registrar: Richard ("Jake") Washburne 972-4173

Courts
CHARLOTTESVILLE
Circuit- Hears big criminal and civil cases. Located in a classic brick building on East High Street. 970-3766
Presiding Judge: Edward Hogshire
Clerk: Paul C. Garrett

Charlottesville General District Court- Located in that small brick building that also houses the police station at 606 E. Market St. by the parking garage. The clerk can explain the procedures for using this as a "small claims court." 970-3388
Presiding Judge: Robert H. Downer
Clerk: Mary Alice Trimble

ALBEMARLE
Circuit- Hears big criminal and civil cases. Located in the same historic courthouse that Mr. Jefferson frequented on "Court Square." 972-4085
Presiding Judge: Cheryl Higgins
Clerk: Debra Shipp

Albemarle General District Court- Located in the courthouse in Court Square. The clerk can explain the procedures for using this as a "small claims court." 972-4005
Presiding Judge: William G. Barkley
Clerk: Phyllis Stewart

J&D Court
Juvenile & Domestic Relations- This courts serves Charlottesville, Albemarle, and more in the 16th Judicial District. It hears all cases involving those under 18, from traffic to assault, as well as custody, support and visitation cases. Its home is at 411 E. High St, but since a wall collapsed during renovation in March 2006 and work stalled, the court has been located at 350 Park Street for longer than anticipated. Its judges are elected by the General Assembly for six-year terms. 979-7165
Presiding Judges: Dwight Johnson, Edward Berry
Clerk: Jody Ann Shelley 

FEDERAL
U.S. District Court Western District of Virginia- Located at the top of Vinegar Hill on the corner near the Omni hotel, 255 W. Main St., 296-9284
Judge: Norman K. Moon
Clerk: John F. Corcoran
Appeals: 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond. 804-916-2700

Small-claims courts
See the two "General District courts" above.

Jury Duty
In Virginia, potential jurors are selected randomly by jury commissioners using lists designated by the court, such as the voter registration list and the driver's license list. You are reimbursed $40 for each day you serve.

The jail
The great big pink building facing I-64 and Avon Street is the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail. Trusties wear orange. Other inmates wear blue or good old-fashioned black and white stripes. Superintendent: Ronald Matthews 977-6981

First county seat
Originally, the county seat was Scottsville, but that was when Albemarle stretched all the way down over what is now Buckingham County. Since 1762, Charlottesville has been the county seat.

Weird UVA note
Much of UVA, including its Central Grounds, is considered Albemarle turf. When Charlottesville initially annexed the land around the university, it couldn't annex the actual university becase it was state property and thus part of Albemarle County and remains so today. Subsequent expansions by UVA (like the UVA Medical Center) are considered city property. (No official UVA property, whether in city or county, pays taxes.) All this can occasionally create population havoc with the U.S. Census Bureau.

Urban renewal
For a small town, Charlottesville has had a lot of government-sponsored neighborhood clearing, including the Vinegar Hill (in the '60s) and Garrett (in the '70s) neighborhoods.

Revenue Sharing
In a deal widely seen as a sort of bribe to prevent Charlottesville from annexing county land, Albemarle has agreed since 1983 to give 10 cents per $100 of its property tax revenues to the city.

Helpful background

The Virginia Coalition for Open Government (540-353-8264) helps citizens keep an eye on public records, meetings, and elected officials. It was instrumental in the state's creation of the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council (better known as the Sunshine Office). They can be reached toll-free at 866-448-4100.

Tips to citizens: The law limits fees for copies of official records to "actual cost." Contact the Sunshine Office if you get a raw deal. In May 2003, the above Council ruled that failure to respond to a FOIA request is deemed a denial of the request and is a violation of FOIA; person denied rights under FOIA may file a petition for mandamus or injunction.

During the Hook's existence, there have been several Freedom of Information brouhahas, but here's one of them: On June 13, 2002, the Albemarle School Board imposed a gag order on itself. By a 5-2 vote (current Board of Supervisors chair Ken Boyd, and former School Board member Gary Grant dissenting), the board declared that even post-meeting, topics discussed behind closed doors had to stay that way. But there was a curious and contradictory caveat: "Nothing in this policy shall be construed to limit rights protected regarding freedom of expression or freedom of speech."

In 2004, a citizen named Jim Moore filed a FOIA request with Charlottesville to learn the cost breakdown of its new, $6.6 million CityLink computer system. The city denied his request, citing a confidential contract with the vendor. Moore appealed to General District Court. The judge upheld his request, and the city threatened to appeal, but then capitulated and turned over the information Moore requested.

Most recently, in 2007 the General Assembly amended the Freedom of Information Act to include not just "state agencies" but all "public bodies." In March, UVA employee Will Shaw tested that law after filing a FOIA request asking UVA to produce a market salary survey for Central Virginia only to have his job eliminated after filing the request. However, a judge ruled he should have filed in Albemarle County, instead of his home county of Louisa. 

Like the national Citizen Access Project, a group called The Virginia Public Access Project is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving public understanding of money in politics. 804-353-4300

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