SB872 is the companion bill to HB1634 which reported out of this same committee on January 12, 2025. The need to address disparity in contracting in the City of Portsmouth was suspected, but verifiied after compleing disparity studies in 2015 which showed tht Minority/Women Business Enterprises utilization was less than one percent between 2008 and 2013. In 2016 Portsmouth City Council amended Section 12-176 of the City Code to authorize our Purchasing Administrator to establish a program to facilitate participation by small businesses and businesses owned by women and minorities in City procurement transactions, including the use of appropriate enhancement or remedial measures. Resolution R-16-29 adopted by Portsmouth City Council on 10/11/16, formally established the Minority and Business Enterprise Inclusion Policy. This Charter amendment is narrowlyy tailored to track the current law found in the Public Procurement Act that governs State agencies. The concept of annual reporting applies to State agencies under 2.2-4310(B) through a requirement to provide annual reports to the Department of Small Businesss and Supplier Diversity. This Charter change is intended to provide the City Manager the tools and authority to improve the utilization of small businesses, minority businesses and women owned businesses in our city contracting, By making this Charter change, the City is signalng to all its stakeholders that impartial opportunities exist in city contracting and it is a fundamental and continuing priortiy for Portsmouth. Please support.

I may not be able to attend in the morning due to the inclement weather that is expected but I ask that the committee consider voting yes to SB1300. The law is ambiguous currently, on the timing in which a locality can collect on a zoning. It is not clear if it is when the zoning is passed or when it is final and all appeals to the zoning have been exhausted. Due to the ambiguity, counties do not apply tax fairly across the commonwealth. The majority of counties have shown to wait until all zonings are final and all appeals are exhausted. If taxes are collected and the zoning is rescinded, the county then has the burden of refunding the taxes and potentially more. This does not make sense and causes unnecessary financial burden and hardship on the resident who is unable to utilize the new zoning during that time for the intended use. Personally, we were rezoned and it is in litigation. I cannot use that land for the new zoning until that is finalized, ***if finalized. Meanwhile, we are middle class family with one child in college and another at home. My tax bill escalated from approx. $12k for 2023 to over $40k for 2024. Our home is at risk while we are unable to pay this and we are facing financial ruin, foreclosure and possible bankruptcy. It is scary and sad that our county would do this to our family. We have lived here for multiple generations and personally. My husband and I have been residents for over 50 years. The land must continue to be used for the previous zoning until all appeals are exhausted and it has been finalized. The taxes should be collected at the time that we can use it for the purpose of the rezoning and not before. Thank you