Saturday, February 24, 2007
Why Transportation's Going Nowhere
Well, I suppose there's a plan. So why will it not go anywhere? Because it's not a compromise.
"Sen. Phillip Puckett, D-Russell County, was the only transportation negotiator who said he will not support the compromise. Puckett said he opposes the use of general fund money to retire debt and charged that Republicans have failed to include him in discussions of the plan since Tuesday." Roanoke Times
I've heard Puckett was not even invited to the final transportation negotiations, and was seeing the plan for the first time at the press conference touting how great it was. That's why the Gov. says it's a plan drafted "in secret".
"I can only speak for the Democratic caucus, but I don't think this will be received very favorably," Puckett said.
Second of all, it's simply another bad plan. I'm glad to see that the House Repubs will allow some sort of new funding, even if it's just in NOVA and Tidewater.
Have any of these guys driven in the mountains lately? Have they white-knucked down Interstate 81 in the last few years?
That's my problem with the plan. There's almost NOTHING for the rest of Virginia in the plan, yet drivers across the state will be paying higher registration fees, higher license fees, and will be impacted if they travel... but they won't get a dime of that back.
This sure is one crooked road they're trying to take us down.
PS - In elections, the Republicans have counted on votes from the Shenandoah Valley for years. These voters drive on 81, and know it's a disaster. Perhaps, just perhaps, when they see their fair legislators have passed them by,
"Sen. Phillip Puckett, D-Russell County, was the only transportation negotiator who said he will not support the compromise. Puckett said he opposes the use of general fund money to retire debt and charged that Republicans have failed to include him in discussions of the plan since Tuesday." Roanoke Times
I've heard Puckett was not even invited to the final transportation negotiations, and was seeing the plan for the first time at the press conference touting how great it was. That's why the Gov. says it's a plan drafted "in secret".
"I can only speak for the Democratic caucus, but I don't think this will be received very favorably," Puckett said.
Second of all, it's simply another bad plan. I'm glad to see that the House Repubs will allow some sort of new funding, even if it's just in NOVA and Tidewater.
Have any of these guys driven in the mountains lately? Have they white-knucked down Interstate 81 in the last few years?
That's my problem with the plan. There's almost NOTHING for the rest of Virginia in the plan, yet drivers across the state will be paying higher registration fees, higher license fees, and will be impacted if they travel... but they won't get a dime of that back.
This sure is one crooked road they're trying to take us down.
PS - In elections, the Republicans have counted on votes from the Shenandoah Valley for years. These voters drive on 81, and know it's a disaster. Perhaps, just perhaps, when they see their fair legislators have passed them by,
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Hitch Your Wagon to a Star
Virginia's Eyebrow-In-Chief will announce in about six hours that he's joining the Obama-nation and endorsing the Senator from Illinois for President
Why now? Revenge for buddy Mark Warner being shooed out of the race? (you can find much more about that on other blogs) The need for a boost? Simply because he's Teen Beat's Man of the Week?
I'll let him explain his reasons for doing this. I'm sure he'll be peppered with questions, which he will artfully dodge.
But, lost for the most part is Dickie Cranwell's endorsement of John Edwards.
Dickie's the man on the right.
Dickie, while remaining pretty much under the radar lately, still is a very powerful force in Virginia politics. He's a rare bird, one who wields power in the back rooms, but probably misses the spotlight just a little bit.
Labels: 2008, Endorsements, Kaine, Obama
Second Verse, Same as the First
The transportation plans in the General Assembly right now are in more of a mess than Anna Nicole Smith's will.
We've seen the usual backbiting, sniping, and general chicanery about what's happening with Virginia's roads. It's all about saving face right now. Bill Howell and crew can't stand to give an inch to anyone, and Sen. Chichester won't even consider using a dime of old money.
What is so bad about committing money from the General Fund (the state's basic coffers) to transportation? Well, it's not about current money, it's about future money. Say things aren't so financially rosy for the state in a few years, would transportation be funded while schoolchildren have to read surplus textbooks from the 1940's? Of course not. But it is a bad precedent to simply pawn off current problems on future Assemblies. The car tax fiasco proved that one...
I have come up with the words that could solve this entire mess... Ready?
"Money from the general fund will go towards transportation as long as there is a surplus and committments to state services are funded in accordance with rates of inflation. If the state cannot achieve a surplus, taxes on gasoline and higher user fees on drivers will be enacted."
There. Everybody's happy. As long as we have enough money, we drop a ton of it on transportation. If we get into a bind, the people pay up. Surely the House Republicans would feel confident that their rosy predictions on Virginia's economy will come true. They can say they haven't raised taxes, and Chichester et al. can say that they are not raiding the General Fund. Everybody saves face, nobody really gave in, and we start clearing some of the transportation disasters across the state.
If we can't agree to a compromise like this, I think this session will end like last year, and the one before, etc. It's time to forget about grudges and GET SOMETHING DONE.
What I'm most upset about is some of the newer legislators not speaking out more strongly. They are the ones who promised change, but have not delivered so far.
I am glad to see two wings of the Republican party battle it out. It shows that a handful of people out there are still thinking for themselves and using their own versions of reason (even if it may be wrong), instead of merely toeing the party line.
We've seen the usual backbiting, sniping, and general chicanery about what's happening with Virginia's roads. It's all about saving face right now. Bill Howell and crew can't stand to give an inch to anyone, and Sen. Chichester won't even consider using a dime of old money.
What is so bad about committing money from the General Fund (the state's basic coffers) to transportation? Well, it's not about current money, it's about future money. Say things aren't so financially rosy for the state in a few years, would transportation be funded while schoolchildren have to read surplus textbooks from the 1940's? Of course not. But it is a bad precedent to simply pawn off current problems on future Assemblies. The car tax fiasco proved that one...
I have come up with the words that could solve this entire mess... Ready?
"Money from the general fund will go towards transportation as long as there is a surplus and committments to state services are funded in accordance with rates of inflation. If the state cannot achieve a surplus, taxes on gasoline and higher user fees on drivers will be enacted."
There. Everybody's happy. As long as we have enough money, we drop a ton of it on transportation. If we get into a bind, the people pay up. Surely the House Republicans would feel confident that their rosy predictions on Virginia's economy will come true. They can say they haven't raised taxes, and Chichester et al. can say that they are not raiding the General Fund. Everybody saves face, nobody really gave in, and we start clearing some of the transportation disasters across the state.
If we can't agree to a compromise like this, I think this session will end like last year, and the one before, etc. It's time to forget about grudges and GET SOMETHING DONE.
What I'm most upset about is some of the newer legislators not speaking out more strongly. They are the ones who promised change, but have not delivered so far.
I am glad to see two wings of the Republican party battle it out. It shows that a handful of people out there are still thinking for themselves and using their own versions of reason (even if it may be wrong), instead of merely toeing the party line.
Labels: Chichester, General Assembly, Transportation
