Taxpayer issues will take the spotlight in two first-ever candidate forums hosted by the Fluvanna Taxpayers Association. Two separate debates at the Fluvanna County Public Library will feature candidates for the Fluvanna Board of Supervisors and for Fluvanna School Board. The forums are open to the public.

The first forum - for supervisor candidates - will be held Tuesday, September 29, from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. Supervisor candidates are Joe Chesser, Rivanna District; Shaun Kenney, Columbia District; Marvin Moss, Columbia District; Keith Smith, Cunningham District; and Don Weaver, Cunningham District.

The second forum - for school board candidates - will be held Tuesday, October 20, from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. The five candidates running for school board include: Doug Johnson, Cunningham District, Vivian Leach, Rivanna District; Brian Phillips, Rivanna District; Rennie “R.J.” Searcy, Cunningham District; and Camilla Washington, Columbia District.

“What's unique about our candidate forums is they'll focus on tax-impact issues,” said Elizabeth Franklin, FTA chairperson. “Helping voters evaluate taxpayer issues and size up candidates on those issues is a logical extension of FTA's role as the leading advocate for Fluvanna taxpayers.”

Both debates will follow a “Jim Lehrer/PBS-style” format with questions to the candidates posed by a journalist moderator. FTA invites the public to submit questions for the forums. The best questions submitted - based on taxpayer relevance, timeliness and topical variety - will be selected and put to candidates. Send questions by Sept. 25 to the FTA Questions Committee, c/o elizabethfranklin@earthlink.net, or mail to “FTA  Forums,” 1779 Dogwood Rd., Kents Store, VA 23084. Specify whether the question is for the Supervisors or School Board forum.

Franklin emphasized that FTA is a nonpartisan organization that does not advocate for or against candidates or political parties.

“No one in FTA who is running for office or working on behalf of a local candidate will be privy to the questions, involved in their selection or included in strategic forum planning,” she said.

The Fluvanna Taxpayers Association is an organization focused on the impact of County policies and decisions on citizens' tax bills. For more information about FTA, go to www.fluvannataxpayers.org.