The I Love CVille Show With Jerry Miller! - CVille Wants To Raise Water/Wastewater Rates; City Upped Real Estate, Meals, Property, Lodging Taxes

Episode Date: June 1, 2026

The I Love CVille Show headlines: Trump Tailspin: Iran Done Dealing; Hormuz Strait Shut CVille City Wants To Raise Water/Wastewater Rates City Upped Real Estate, Meals, Property, Lodging Taxes Devils Backbone Officially Closes Brewpub On W Main Top 5 Most Cursed City Locations For Businesses Natalie Oschrin v Sally Duncan: Most Concerning Leader? $695 For Rent: 160 SQF Office (Conference & Waiting Room) Subscribe To JerryRatcliffe.com For $8 Per Month Read Viewer & Listener Comments Live On-Air The I Love CVille Show airs live Monday – Friday from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm on The I Love CVille Network. Watch and listen to The I Love CVille Show on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, iTunes, Apple Podcast, YouTube, Spotify, Fountain, Amazon Music, Audible, Rumble and iLoveCVille.com.

Good Monday afternoon, guys. I'm Jerry Miller, and thank you kindly for joining us on the I Love Seville Show. This is the water cooler of content and conversation. The only program in the entire region where you, the viewer, and listener, can shape the show and help contribute content matter to the rundown. We encourage you, the viewer, and listener to do just that. Some of the topic matter on today's program has been contributed by viewers and listeners that we vet and trust, ladies and gentlemen, including the devil's back pose, devil's back. Backbone Brew Pub official announcement. It's been no secret. We've known since last year that this place would never open up again. In fact, we broke that news here on the I Love Seville Show. We'll talk about it officially and we'll ask this question,

which are the most cursed locations in the city of Charlottesville for business. I would like to put a list together and do that in crowdsource capacity. A lot we're going to cover on today's show, ladies and gentlemen, including a macro headline, global headline that will most certainly impact Charlottesville, Almore County, and Central Virginia. Iran is now officially done dealing with the United States of America. We'll see how long this, I guess, pissing in the wind lasts this time. But Iran, its negotiators will stop exchanging messages with the U.S. through intermediaries

because Iran feels the United States is negotiating in bad faith. What does that mean for Charleston? What does that mean for Almar County? What does that mean for Central Virginia? It's about time we start asking about a Trump tailspin with the American economy and the impacts that this will have on middle class and lower class Americans. That topic on today's show,

including what is clearly going to be escalated oil for some time. I would not be surprised if we're knock, knock, knock on. $5 a gallon gas in the very near future in Charlottesville, Alamorrow, and across central Virginia. A lot we're going to cover on the broadcast today, including the city of Charlottesville. How more tone death can City Hall and Charlottesville be? They are now going to rise, raise taxes even more. This time, ladies and gentlemen, on water and wastewater rates. In the last two years, ladies and gentlemen, Charlottesville City Hall has increased taxes on real estate

on personal property, on meals, on lodging, and now wastewater, all in a 24-month period of time, all while assessments on real estate have uptick, and every household budget is literally more expensive than it's ever been. We call that tone death on the I Love Seville Show. A lot we're going to cover on the broadcast where we encourage you, the viewer, and listener, to help shape the show. A topic from last week we did not get to Friday's program. Natalie Oshrin versus Sally Duncan. Who is the more polarizing elected official in our region?

Natalie Oshren, Charlottesville City Councilor, or Sally Duncan, the supervisor from Almore County that represents the Jack Jewett District. Which of these two elected officials is more polarizing and unfriendly and unwelcoming to tax taxpayers and locals alike. That topic on today's show. Judah Wickhauer, I'd love to give some love to Charlottesville Sanitary Supply. I'd love to give some love to Charlottesville Swimming Pool Company. If you need anything swimming pool related, including swimming pool construction, above ground or below ground, swimming pool water testing, a cover for your pool, a robot to

clean your pool, shade for your pool to protect you from the sun, Charlottesville Swimming Pool Company online at Charlottesville Swimmingpool Company.com and their sister business, their sister company, a Charlottesville Sanitary Supply, 62 years, baby, on East High Street, the Vermillion. John and Andrew Vermillion, A-plus, plus people, Charlestville Sanitary Supply. Judah Wickhauer's studio camera.

Vanessa Parkhill is watching the program. Neil Williamson is watching the program. Print Radio and television is watching the program. James Watson, Bob Yarborough watching the program. Travis Hackworth, Carol Thorpe, Katie Mullins, Philip Dow, Michael Guthrie, all watching the show. Judah, devil's backpone, the brew pub on West Main Street. The official announcement has been made.

We broke that news last year on the I Love Seville Show. We explained to the viewing and listening public that this brew pub would never open again and what clearly is a cursed location. Hardywood, the first to get knocked out. Skipping Rock didn't even enter in the ring, a pandemic and COVID casualty, skipping rock. And now, Anheuser-Busch, InBev's very very... very own. Devil's backbone says, I want nothing to do with this West Main Street location. Boy, oh boy. This is going to lead us and segue into a very hot topic of discussion, including the

top five most cursed locations to do business in Charlottesville City. First, your thoughts on this announcement, Judah Wickhauer. I mean, it's a shame. I believe they've had, what, a sign in their window up for quite some time now. stating what, closed for a private event, and they've been closed for, you said close to a year now. I really think that the parking issue has got to be a big part of it. Because when you think about where you want to go to have a drink, not everybody's going to have, even if it's a high ABV, not everybody's going to have, you know, 10 drinks and tie one on. Sometimes you just want to go have a beer.

and if you've got to figure out where you're going to park, I mean, there are other places to go, especially on the downtown mall, where there's pretty abundant parking, especially at night. I'll ask these questions. First, do we chalk up devil's backbone and the lower third should be on screen now, please?

Do we chalk up the brew pub on West Main Street closing first and foremost because parking is piss-poor in that location? Is that the cause of effect? Piss-poor parking, close business. and if that was the cause and effect, wouldn't other businesses on West Main Street neighboring establishments also close? I'm going to push back on you respectfully and point to Continental Divide, I'll point to Maya Restaurant,

I'll point to public fish and oyster, just to name a few, of businesses with generational history on West Main Street that have similar challenges with parking that have not covered. closed. I agree with you. Parking is a point of concern. I respectfully push back in that this is a high octane beer serving brew pub, high ABV beers. And for us to say the reason this place is closing is because you cannot drink and drive from it, I bristle a little bit. And I use as argument, you jump in here, Maya restaurant, public fish and oyster, continental divide, and

as empirical data to back my argument. Show is yours, then we'll have further discussion. Pushback, please. So Maya and Continental Divide and all those restaurants along there, they do have parking. Maybe not to the extent that some other places might have. But the lark is, I mean, that's in a section that's, what, largely hotels now. and there's just not that

you don't have all these little side streets, you don't know all these tiny little parking lots, and you certainly don't have the on-street parking, do you? I think the same parking amenities for the brew pub are there for Maya restaurant, for public and continental divide. They're literally hundreds of yards away from each other. They're on West Main Street,

100 yards away from each other. I think this is a more significant story. I think the low-hanging easy fruit is parking brew pub failed. Parking, Hardywood failed. Parking, devil's backbone failed. I think that is an easy way out. I think this is more of an indication of other circumstances. Number one, the average Joe is having a very difficult time digesting, or should I say,

swallowing, an $8 and a $9 pint of beer. You go out, you get a pint of beer at a brew pub at a brewery, and you're looking at $8 or $9, sometimes more, for one pint of beer. The average Joe and the average Jennifer is saying, I can get a six-pack of the same beer from a grocery store for $12 or $13. Why wouldn't I get the six-pack? I also think we have an underlying circumstance or an underlying impact that, I've been trying to highlight on this program for some time.

Middle class Charlottesville, middle class Almorel County. Even upper middle class Charlottesville, even upper middle class Almore County are pinching pennies. They're taking two quarters and they're trying to turn it into a dollar. And as long as gas is continuing to escalate, and that's a perfect segue into headline number one, we are in a trump tailspin with the American economy. It's a bifurcated economy. If you're heavily invested in stocks and equities, you're crushing it right now. If you purchased a home before COVID, if you secured a COVID 2, 3.3, 3 and a half, 4% loan,

you're crushing it right now. But every Tom, Dick, and Harry, that is leasing a piece of real estate, that is leasing a home, leasing an apartment, a condo, every Tom, Dick, or Harry, that has a six-handle or seven-handle mortgage, or purchased a piece of property post-COVID or every Tom Dick or Harry that has floating debt, credit card debt that is literally rubbing two quarters to try to make a dollar is struggling. Trump, this tailspin is a very real thing. Iran says this morning it's done dealing with America, says the United States is not negotiating in good faith. Oil as of this morning popped 7% higher as a result of these Iranians saying,

we're done dealing with Trump. I've been on this wagon since day one here. Trump has entered into a war with the worst people in the world to negotiate with. People that hate Americans, people that are disingenuous and dishonest, that say one thing and do the other. And for 50 years, this country has proven to be dishonest and disingenuous.

and Trump ego, Trump legacy, whatever you want to call it, trying to prove his worth, is dealing with a group of people that have no scruples. We're what, three, four months into this war? It's getting quite long in the tooth. Wait till you see what happens when gas hits $5 a gallon, folks. Wait till you see the summer pop on gasoline. I'm not buying these brew pubs, ladies in june. gentlemen, at $9 and $10 a pint, are closing because of parking. Viewers and listeners, let us know

your thoughts. I'm going to ask you the viewer and listener to help me answer this question. What are the five most cursed locations in Charlottesville City? The five most cursed locations in Charlottesville City to do business. Judah, you get some thoughts, okay? Comments are coming in. Joanne Mackie is watching the program. I saw her today. Her overhead on the 10,000, tennis court is so fundamentally sound. Joanne Mackey's forehand and her servant volley game is just absolutely flawless Joanne Mackey. And the attire, your clothing on the tennis court, sparkling Joanne Mackey. Your intellect is nuanced and sophisticated Joanne Mackey.

She says, I park at the Amtrak, Judah, if I cannot find a space. I think it's the product, not the parking, Judah. Why did not the people living in the apartments go down there for a drink? there's apartments literally above the brew pub maybe not enough on a menu for more than one beer i'll highlight this they didn't even offer food the extent of the food they offered was like at the end a pretzel and a hot dog they literally encourage folks that visited the brew pub to order food from the surrounding businesses and walk it into the brew pub to get people sticky Hank Martin is watching the program. Handsome Hank.

The POTUS is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with foreign affairs policy, and it will without question impact us Americans. Life by the end of the summer won't look like an apocalyptic collapse, but my generation has seen this movie already as we return to the stagflation anxieties of the 1970s. The average American will feel economically pinched, forcing tighter household budgeting, shorter summers, or no summer road trips at all,

and a general sense of cautious waiting as the headlines train between military strikes and diplomatic talks. Meanwhile, we are painting horse statues in D.C. with $5 million in 23-carat gold paint. It's absolutely disgusting from handsome Hank Martin. Props to Hank Martin. I feel the same. Yeah. And if anyone calls me conservative with my commentary, I say on this program all the time, yes, I have conservative natures. I'm physically conservative and socially liberal, folks. I am absolutely disgusted and frustrated by a headline that I'm about to relay to you. The city of Charlottesville is considering raising taxes on water and wastewater.

We're about to offer that headline to you. That's going to be discussed in city council's meeting tonight. Ladies and gentlemen, in the last two years, if you're a city resident, a city tax And even if you don't live in the city, if you live in Alamara County, but you patronize the city in any capacity for your spending, you are impacted by this. In the last 24 months, city council and city hall Judah Wickhauer have raised the lodging tax, the personal property tax, the meals tax, the real estate tax. Now the water tax, I want you, the viewer and listener, to answer this question very straightforwardly.

Meals tax, lodging tax, personal property, real estate, now water, all the overhead has gotten more expensive. Do you feel you're getting the return on investment for that output of cash? Has quality of life or the amenities enrich to help justify that outsource of cash? I think that's a pandemic across the entire United States. Explain that to the viewers and listeners. I think you're right. nothing everything is costing more nothing is getting more affordable i mean all of that it would be obvious anyways due to inflation but uh we're also seeing uh we're also seeing

a i cut into everything that we do every company seems to think that ai is some type of messiah that's going to uh save their business make the uh stockholders tons of money uh the problem being that it's not a, it's not a, it's not a, it's not a solution to every problem. And what ends up happening is when they realize how much it's going to cost them to continue using AI, they just bake that into what they charge us. Neil Williamson watching the program, the president of the Free Enterprise Forum, I'll offer his comments, hold your thoughts, relay them right after Neil. From the people that brought you taco, the new political acronym is now nacho, not a chance where moose opens. regardless of your politics, boy, oh boy, that's funny.

Neil Williamson, that is funny, my friend. Hold your thoughts. I'm coming back to you for that perspective, Judah, that you were about to offer. James Watson, I'm curious why people keep trying to open businesses in these cursed locations. If I was going to start a business, even with big money behind me like Anheiser-Busch, I would look at what's been going on in a location over the last 10 years first. Amen, James Watson. Amen, James Watson.

Judah Wickhauer, the commentary analysis you were about to offer. Shine, Judah, shine. I mean, I don't know how much more I had to say, but everything is, from gas prices going up to, how are we supposed to to see prices go down? I just don't see, I don't see any actions being taken that would make anything more. affordable for anyone. Top five most cursed locations in Charlottesville City. Who's ready?

Who's got a pencil? Grab that pad, J. Dobs. We're going to put the list together. If devil's backbone, hardywood brewery, skipping rock, that location is not on your most cursed spots in Charlottesville City, then you're not reading the tea leaves correctly. In no particular order, we're going to put a list together. Devil's backbone, Hardywood, skipping rock, that spot is without question, one of the most cursed locations.

Put that on there. j-dubs. Next curse location. How do we not, Judah? How do we not include the cafe-bachi location? How do we not include the tin whistle location? The Uncle Charlie's location. The old

Tonic location. How many restaurants have we seen come in and come out across from the Charlottesville Police Department here on East Market Street, the Allen Cajin location? Tonic has had the longest run in a very long time. Jackie Duck

did fantastic things at Tin Whistle Irish Pub before she and Alan Cajin went loggerheads and struggled with noise. Alan Cajin tries to say, you can't have live music or music above a certain level at the Tin Whistle location on East Market Street. Jackie Dunkle's like, it's an effing Irish bar. We're going to need to play some music, Alan.

You want me to pay the rent, don't you? He tries to control the audio levels, Alan Cajeen at Tin Whistle Irish Pub to the point where Jackie Dump a client of this organization's for about 10 years, fantastic woman, she said enough is enough. I'm paying too much in rent

already, and now you're trying to tell me I can't play live music past a certain time at certain audio levels. Call a spade a spade, and that's some BS. Then enter Courtney Tyler. She's the fantastic restaurateur behind Tillman's on the downtown mall. Tillman's a client at one time of this program.

We talk with Courtney and her partner about selling their business Before they chose not to do it, then they ended up closing the business. Tonic, not Tillman's. Tillman's is still crushing it on the downtown. Oh, I'm talking Tonic. They had a fantastic run. They built a fantastic outdoor bar.

It's closed. They finally said enough is enough. Is that not on the most cursed location in Charlottesville City? How about this one? You got that one on the list, the tonic spot? Yep. How about the old Michael's bistro spot on the UVA corner above Little Johns? I used to booze at Michael's Bistro when I was underage in college

and when I was of age in college and then post-college when I was working. You have to climb a long vertical flight of stairs to a second floor. Its entrance is hidden. It's got minimal signage. It's literally off the beaten path despite being on the path. I want you to understand Michael's Bistro above Little Johns. It is difficult to find. It's off the beaten path,

despite being on one of the most coveted and popular paths in the entire city. Michael's Bistro's got to be on the spot for most cursed locations in Charlottesville City. James Watson, this is right up your alley. What are some other most cursed locations, ladies and gentlemen,

in this community where you wouldn't spend a dollar on because you knew it was destined to fail? Judah, anyone you got for the viewers and listeners. You mentioned Uncle Charlie's. I'm trying to think where that was. That was at West Main. Oh, was that? Excuse me, that was the East Market Street.

Part of that Cafe Bacci rotation. Oh. Was that before Bocci? It was part of the rotation. John Blair's got comments. A less known possibility for your list, John Blair's photo on screen. A&N, 422 East Main Street at the turn of the 21st century.

Then it was the Obama 2008 headquarters. Then there was an art gallery. Then Commonwealth Skybar, then Passiflora. It's been vacant for years now. That's five different businesses in 25 years. And it's been vacant for at least a year. I want to say at least two, but check me on that. John Blair, that's damn good.

Put the Commonwealth Sky Bar location on the list. And ladies and gentlemen, giddy up and get ready. Giddy up and get ready. I'm about to offer you a correlation and potentially a commonality. And this may get me in trouble. because he watches and listens to the show. The tonic location where Ten Whistle Irish Pub also was located,

an Alan Cajin owned property. The Commonwealth Skybar spot, an Alan Cajin owned property. And how about we add to that list, Wild Wing Cafe, the first restaurant to close in Charlottesville City limits during COVID in the pandemic, Wild Wing Cafe, has not opened yet. an Alan Cajin owned property. He watches

and listens to the show. This is a bicostal attorney, San Francisco and Charlottesville, a guy whose partner, Gabe Silverman, has since passed away. Gabe Silverman was the emotional intelligence to Alan Cajin's money and litigious nature.

Silverman is over the rainbow bridge. RIP. Love Gabe Silverman. I have offered my Gabe Silverman's story on this program many times. Now Kajin doesn't have his emotional EQ. Okay? And now he's just, here's a 200-page lease.

We're going to do it my way. $11, $12, $13,000 a month for Commonwealth Skybar. And you know what the reality is, ladies and gentlemen? And this is just facts on facts on facts. Here's the reality. A lot of property in Charlottesville City and Almaro County is owned by folks that are extremely well off. And that is props to them.

I give them love. I give them props. I have nothing but accolades and high fives and fist pumps and handshakes. And because they're so well to do, having properties sit vacant in some

capacities works to their tax advantage. Vacancies in some capacities work to their tax advantage. Furthermore, they own such large portfolios of property, were they to chop or negotiate the price per square foot at one position in their holding, it could potentially impact the price per square foot, the monthly rent at the other positions within their portfolio. And they know that. Judah Wickhauer

is going to play the bear here. That's what the show is great. I'm just going to say, should we lump people like Kajin in with Dewberry? No. No? No. No. No. So, essentially, I mean, everything that you said about him makes him sound exactly like Dewberry, except for the fact that... I'm not going to go that far with Alan Kajin, who watches and listens to this program, as do his personnel, someone I do business with. Here's the difference between Alan Kajin. You don't have to say about him. Here's the difference between Alan Kajin and John Dewberry.

The maintenance and upkeep of their holdings. John Dewberry is operating the Dubeary's skeleton. basically one small step above eminent domain and blight. Commonwealth Skybar, literally as we speak, he's got a Latino crew building an outdoor patio outside the skybar. He's remodeling the interior of Commonwealth Skybar. He's painting it. He's offering the Sky Bar for a lease with a full-service restaurant,

furniture, fixtures, and equipment ready to go. Kajin wants to lease his places. He pays taxes on his. real estate and he up keeps his investments. John Dewberry does not give a rat's ass about Charlottesville. John Dewberry could care less about the city of Charlottesville. He hates Michael Payne. City counselor Michael Payne, Kai botched the Dewberry Hotel when he was running for office in his first term in the shadows of August 11th and August 12th. Michael Payne said, I'm going to win a spot on council by pointing out the autocracies, the travesties of Charlottesville City offering a white businessman from Atlanta, a carpet

bagger, reduced parking in the Water Street garage and a little bit of tax abatement. Michael Payne, who was living with his mommy and daddy in their basement, watching Wheel of Fortune in jeopardy with them while drinking some hot tea and eating some little Debbie ho-hoes with his parents, literally kiboshed a deal with John Dewberry and infuriated him so much that he's now to hell with Charlottesville. Facts on, facts, on, facts on facts. Yeah. Cajin takes care of his property. So the only difference between them is that Cajun takes care of his property.

That's a massive difference. Commonwealth Skybar doesn't look like the Dewberry Hotel. Commonwealth Skybar actively has a broker showing the space. It's got a four-lease sign in the window. He's putting thousands of dollars, tens of thousands of dollars into an outside patio. He's building right now. The reality is Kijin's just extremely wealthy. He's got holdings all over Charlottesville, and he can't chop the price per square foot down too much

because then the word will get out, and it's going to trickle over to his other tenants who are then going to use that as negotiation list. leverage. Furthermore, he probably gets some kind of tax juice and some kind of break juice, some kind of shelter juice, by keeping the vacancy in play. That top five location, James Watson says, you got the Mavericks place, the Plaza Esteka, the Boathouse place. That's in Almara County. That one is a cursed location as well where Maverick Statehouse was, Pargo's Plaza Esteka and Boat House, but that's Almara County. That's not City of Charlottesville. I would add... Let's keep that list. We can talk about...

got it on tomorrow's show as well. He does add this, the glass building where X lounge was. That was five different spots. Put the X lounge spots on there. I think that's a cursed location. Imagine running a five-star restaurant or a nightclub right next to the public housing and the Section 8 housing that has very limited parking and being surprised that it's a turnstile for food and beverage.

Well said, James Watson. X-Lounge is absolutely the spot. What were you going to add to what? I was going to add Cafe Cubano, Grit, whatever else has been there. I'm sure there are quite a few places that have been in there. Those are the two that I remember. Cafe Cubano and Grit, right now it's sombreros. Sombrero. Is it sombrero?

Yeah, it just took over. Nice. They were in the back before, weren't they? Anything else you want to add? No. All right. I got a 1.30 meeting here. I got three minutes left on top.

Tomorrow's program, other topics we're going to cover, including Natalie Oshran versus Sally Duncan, who is the more polarizing politician. That should be the headline for tomorrow. Most polarizing politician, colon, Natalie Oshran versus Sally Duncan. I want to give some attention to Stanley Martin Holmes. Stanley Martin Holmes has built more than 600 homes in the last 24 months in the Charlottesville, Alboron, Central Virginia region. More than 600 homes, ladies and gentlemen.

Stanley Martin is dedicated to building homes that cater to each person's unique needs and lifestyles. High quality single-family homes, townhomes, and condominiums, homes with innovation, with technology, built with communication and trust. Stanley, Martin, Holmes, Judah, we will close with city council. Tonight, Judah Wickhauer, put the lower third on screen. They're considering raising taxes on water and wastewater. Upping the rates, Judah. Upping the rates. I mean, it's...

Is this tone death out of touch or a necessity? Or can it be both at the same time? It's probably both at the same time. I think the problem is that, is that, you know, on the face of it, it doesn't look that bad. You know, a little small raise here, a small raise there. In this case, I think

they're expecting most households to... Seven bucks a month. Yeah, seven bucks a month for water and four bucks a month for wastewater. So 11 bucks total? But it's, you know, it's a straw. It's a straw on the camel's back. And eventually one of those straws,

those straws are not going to kill everyone. By themselves. They won't kill everyone. Okay, go ahead. My point is that it's the people that are already struggling are the hardest hit by something like this. And they're the ones that, you know, they're the ones that need the, you know, the low-income housing. They're the ones that are already, you know, wondering if they're getting pushed out of Charlottesville.

These are, you know, potentially the people in FIFIL that are looking at the potential of a, you know, a giant student building going up next to them soon. FIFLI, shots firing at the Cherry Avenue Shopping Center. Yeah. Over the weekend. Charlottesville Police Department on the investigation. Jason Hampshire is watching the program. Put this on your list. Jason Hampshire, we should get, Hampshire, we should get his photo on screen. Jason, H-A-M-S-H-A-R. He's fabulous. I've met him a few times, fantastic human being. He says, Seville isn't in a competition to drive out businesses and citizens. Someone should tell him that. Calls through the roof and services lacking any vision or accountability for the money constantly wasted. Here's the point Judah was making. If you add enough straws to the camel's back, eventually the camel collapses, paralyzes, and dies. And it's not going to be the doctor or the lawyer or... No, it's going to be the middle class.

It's going to be the lower class. It's going to be the upper middle class. And pretty soon you're going to be... You're going to have an even more... You're just going to have a bunch of rich white people and a bunch of very, very, very, very, very, very poor people that are subsidized because the super rich white people in Charlottesville City feel guilty that it's just a super rich white homogenous community. So they're going to subsidize folks on the margin

to live in pockets of poverty in the city. I mean, that's what you already have right now. It's only going to worsen. Judah Wickcarrow, Jerry Miller, the I Love Seville Show, we spare no expense, unaffiliated, unafraid, unabashed. He crushed it today. His name is Judah. My name is Jerry Miller.