A Nice Christmas Present in Loudoun

Republicans Quietly Hand Over Control In Loudoun
They came into office four years ago with an agenda and a swagger, bent on reversing what they saw as the anti-growth policies of their predecessors.

But at a Loudoun County Board of Supervisors meeting last week, the outgoing members of a vanquished Republican majority sounded humbled as they tried to sum up their legacy.

And what was that legacy?  Try this on for size:

The GOP-led board saw large development projects differently. Such projects were viewed as an opportunity to gain millions of dollars in roads and other public improvements to be contributed by developers, relieving taxpayers of the burden.

Residents and such anti-sprawl groups as the Piedmont Environmental Council argued that the unbridled growth would congest roads, crowd schools and destroy the county's pastoral western reaches.

The new majority moved forward with its plans, mocking those who tried to stand in its way.

"If you don't like what we are going to do, then there's other places -- Canada and other places -- you might enjoy," [Republican Stephen J.] Snow told critics in October 2004 as the board prepared to open up new areas to development.

Hmmm...perhaps Mr. Snow and the other defeated Republican supervisors might want to heed their own advice?  I hear Canada's warmer this time of year than it used to be (thanks to global warming) -- perfect for a bunch of anti-environment Republicans.  Ha.

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