Looking at data and statistics seems fascinating. Seeing how it is interpreted can be pretty entertaining, too, especially in the age of the internet. Apples and oranges get compared a lot, and it ends up being a real fruit salad.
As an example, Blacksburg is touted as the state’s largest town. But let’s drill down a little further on some of these numbers. According to the excellent “Facts for Voters 2008” brochure produced by the county’s League of Women Voters (LWV), Montgomery County has a total population of 84,000. The population numbers in this brochure have remained unchanged since at least 2006, and do not correlate with sources such as the US Census or Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.
Breaking this down further, Blacksburg's population is approximately 39,400 but includes approximately 26,000 Virginia Tech students. This, then, represents a permanent population of 13,600 residents for Blacksburg. The LWV guide lists Christiansburg's population as being 17,300. With housing limited to less than 9,000 dorm rooms, how many off-campus students live outside of Blacksburg town limits? How many students are part-time, commuters, attend classes via distance learning or remote class rooms living elsewhere?
Based on permanent population, which town is larger?
Removing the numbers for the two towns (including students), this leaves about 27,100 residents living in the unincorporated areas of Montgomery County. By category, the total population could be represented as follows: Total Population Permanent Residency
County Residents 32% 47%
Town of Blacksburg 16% 23%
Town of Christiansburg 21% 30%
Virginia Tech students 31% N/A
These numbers affect local budgets and therefore tax rates. A regional retail hub is currently located within the Town of Christiansburg, easily accessible within a seven-mile radius of the City of Radford and the Town of Blacksburg, and draws consumers from other adjacent counties and towns. This hub developed outside of Blacksburg's town limits primarily due to a Virginia Tech land-swap, with the university continuing to have control of most undeveloped land adjacent to Blacksburg’s town limits and much real estate within the town. State, federal and local government property and activities do not contribute to the local tax bases.
A shift in retail options is now underway, diluting the existing retail hub as commercial developments spread out to new satellite locations in Blacksburg and Fairlawn.
Residents of the unincorporated areas of the county and the Town of Christiansburg are assessed an annual personal property tax. Blacksburg residents are not assessed this tax, even though 66% of its population is comprised of transient students residing both on and off campus.
Beyond real or personal tax assessments, towns are pretty much limited by the state on other taxes and fees towns can set. Meals and lodging taxes are assessed by both Blacksburg and Christiansburg, with present rates of 6% and 7% respectively. The county can assess these taxes, too, yet has limited inventory for this to occur. A great tax calculator can be found at the Roanoke Times website, providing instant comparisons for real property values.
Meals and lodging taxes could also be collected by Virginia Tech in its applicable "business" operations, yet are not. These income producing activities are not directly related to the education of students, thus competing with local private sector businesses while providing a comparative advantage to the university because it enjoys tax exempt status.
Historically, Montgomery County witnesses an outward migration after graduation. These former students are seeking higher salaries (generally with a related higher cost of living), and broader career opportunities or lifestyle amenities than those found in this region.
At one point, efforts to collectively market and grow the New River and Roanoke valleys was championed by the Center for Regional Strategies, a joint economic development group. There was a minor and innocent spreadsheet flub, and other pundits detailed how each area was dysfunctional enough to warrant standing apart. Joint activities between Southwest Virginia’s two strongest economic hubs have continued to where a medical college is being built in Roanoke and an intermodal rail yard (by yet another entity provided special legal privileges) in Elliston are now moving forward. Why tax exempt status and imminent domain rights have been granted historically, and whether it's logical to continue these rights today, can be argued in an entirely separate blog. The point is that numbers can be misleading, yet they affect perceptions, public budgets and funding, or an ability to cultivate community capital.
Whatever data one looks at or how this information is interpreted, it seems apparent leaders in Southwest Virginia and the NRV should be working harder to retain a larger number of those educated here.
This will not be accomplished by adding retail or fast food jobs giving a finite market more shopping options. It will only occur by providing amenities (an attractive quality of life) and viable employment to pull and hold talent and investment.