University of Virginia Library

Local Voters Defeat Plan
To Merge City, County

Voters in Charlottesville and
Albemarle County overwhelmingly
rejected yesterday a merger which would
have created a single government for city
and county, UPI reported.

City voters tallied 2,957 against and
1,857 in favor. In the county the score
was 4,918 and 1,216.

In order for the merger to take place,
both city and county voters would have
had to approve it.

Mayor G.A. Vogt declined to comment later
on whether the city would seek to annex part
of the county. The city had made it clear
before the vote that it planned to take steps
towards annexation. This consideration has
been a major factor in developing a merger
plan.

The city has already announced plans to
make studies of possible areas to be annexed.
The Albemarle County Attorney, Mr. Marshall,
told The Cavalier Daily that he doubted there
would be any Albemarle officials in favor of
merger were it not for the threat of annexation,
and the costs and effort which would come
from a battle in the courts.

Before yesterday's vote mooted the
question, there was debate as to the tax effects
and the effect on county and city services of a
combined government.

Taxes would have gone up with
consolidation, because certain state subsidies
would have been eliminated, for example for
the Albemarle County Sheriff's Department.

A consolidated government would have
had to deal with both the problems of
Charlottesville and those of the rural county,
providing services for both.

Had the merger been approved, it would
have created a city of 80,000 persons living in
740 square miles, second only to Jacksonville.
Florida, with 827 square miles.