Red State Virginia - Conservatism Across Virginia

Susan Stimpson – Angry Soccer Mom?

Kurt Feigel — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:11:49 +0000

A perfect response to the absurd juvenile politics we've been seeing lately. Susan is a class act. Received via email: Friend, In an email you may have received, I was just accused of being an "Angry Soccer Mom" by a long time Republican politician and former member of the General Assembly. Why? Because I have shown my "disdain" for a $6 billion tax increase passed this year by Republicans. OK. I guess I will plead guilty. I am a mom. My kids did play soccer. And I have A LOT of disdain for the $6 billion tax increase. Convicted on all counts. Just STOP raising taxes. But the politician had even more advice for me. He said I need to "grow and mature". Apparently being "mature" is a code word for pushing huge tax increases and doing what you are told. I am angry at politicians who surrender our principles and break their promises. I want leaders like Ken Cuccinelli who will defend principles not ignore them. And if you want to know why old white male Republicans are losing elections there isn't a better example than these comments like this former Delegate. They are just out of touch. I used to describe myself as, "Pro-life, Pro-Gun and Anti-Tax". Now I will happily add "Angry Soccer Mom". Sincerely, Susan Stimpson PS: I look forward to seeing you at the convention this Saturday.

Video: Terry McAwful

Kurt Feigel — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:40:30 +0000

New video by the RNC about how Terry McAuliffe (McAwful) treats his wife. What a wonderful example of the double standard that Democrats have. War on Women? Yeah, by democrats.

VA Tea Party Details Vetting Process

Kurt Feigel — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:10:20 +0000

The sore losers are on the emotional politics rampage. There was nothing "rigged" about the process. Was I there? No. But this is almost exactly the process we used in vetting the candidates for the 22nd VA Senate race and it worked very well. From their website: Two Major Elements to the Vetting Process

Campaign Viability
One-hour individual interviews with each candidate on 32 questions covering political philosophy, conservative principles, and major issues

Phase #1: Campaign Viability In early February the 7 LG and 2 AG candidates were sent a list of 21 questions, requesting Confidential answers on topics including:

Campaign planning, structure, and strategy
Campaign manager, staff, consultants
Opposition research (Both inward and outward)
Fundraising plan and results
Unique aspects of the campaign

On April 25th, a nine-person committee comprised of Tea Party leaders, a Middle Resolution representative, and Chris Doss, spent three hours studying the confidential responses on Campaign Viability and determined specific point scores for all nine campaigns based on those responses. During the April 26-27^th Vetting Weekend, the Campaign Viability point scores were reported to the more than 200 vetting evaluators to give them a sense of the relative strength of the campaigns. The Campaign Viability scores were later added to the Phase Two Vetting Interview scores to reach LG and AG candidate’s rankings. Phase # 2 April 26-27^th Vetting Interviews On April 26-27^th, more than 200 Tea Party and Middle Resolution participants observed 1-hour interviews where Chris Doss, Moderator, directed 32 questions on political philosophy, conservative principles, and important issues. Examples of the 32 questions

Why is government spending bad?
What is the purpose of government?
What are the pros and cons of Virginia’s tax laws?
What economic philosophers guide your economic thinking?
How will your campaign fight against the Alinsky tactics that will be used against you?

The more than 200 vetting evaluators from over 30 participating Tea Party groups and Middle Resolution scored all nine candidates on their responses to the 32 questions. Each Tea Party group then averaged their scores, leading to one representative score from each group. The total of these averaged group scores was then given to each candidate as their Phase 2 score. After a completion of the Vetting interviews on Saturday afternoon, a committee drawn from Tea Party leaders and Middle Resolution compiled the Phase I and Phase 2 scores resulting in Corey Stewart as the highest-ranking LG candidate and Mark Obenshain as the highest ranking AG candidate.

Corey Stewart & Mark Obenshain Grab Virginia Tea Party Endorsement

Kurt Feigel — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:21:50 +0000

Some 200 very knowledgeable, high-information Tea Party members took part in the April 26-27th Vetting Weekend, evaluating the seven LG and two AG candidates on their live responses. Unlike candidate forums, where candidates hear each the others answers, the vetting interviews were held in isolation. Side-by-side comparisons at candidate forums often yield similar responses. Back-to-back comparisons in isolation yield different responses and allow for genuine differentiation of candidates. The world is full of Monday-morning quarterbacks. But you, the Vetting Evaluator, on Friday and Saturday, were the referees on the field making the judgments on the best LG and AG candidates for Virginia. Thank you for your efforts and dedication to this process. Mark Daugherty Virginia Tea Party Patriots Federation For Immediate Release Virginia Tea Party Patriots Federation Contact: Mark Daugherty Email: trail100liberty@gmail.com Middle Resolution PAC Contact: Angie Parker Email: angie@middleresolution.org April 29, 2013 (540) 885-5627 (804) 746-1508 Virginia Tea Party Patriots Federation and Middle Resolution Select Corey Stewart for Lieutenant Governor and Mark Obenshain for Attorney General (Richmond, VA) – “Corey Stewart placed first in the joint Virginia Tea Party Patriots Federation/ Middle Resolution comprehensive Lieutenant Governor candidate vetting process, held on April 26-27,” said Mark Daugherty, Virginia Tea Party Patriots Federation Chairman. “Senator Mark Obenshain earned first place in the Attorney General candidate vetting competition,” Daugherty added. Angie Parker, Executive Director of Middle Resolution PAC, noted, “The Lieutenant Governor race has been very competitive with a field of excellent candidates. We are pleased that Corey Stewart demonstrated a strong grasp of the constitutional principles of limited government and individual liberty during his questioning. Furthermore, Mr. Stewart has a well-organized and well-financed campaign.” Parker added, “Senator Mark Obenshain delivered an outstanding performance during his interview. This proven strength, combined with a vigorous statewide campaign, places Mark in a good position for both the May 18th nominating convention and November 5th general election.” Over 200 Virginia Tea Party and Middle Resolution members from 31 groups across the state took part in the vetting session, each completing scorecards based on the candidates’ responses during live interviews. Identical questions on constitutional principles principles, policy, and political philosophy were asked of each candidate; candidates were not given questions beforehand. Campaign viability was also factored into the evaluation. Participating Tea Party groups and Middle Resolution members will share the knowledge gained from the two-day vetting process with over 1,000 convention delegates from their respective groups. These delegates will then support Corey Stewart and Mark Obenshain for Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General, respectively, at the May 17-18th Republican Nominating Convention in Richmond where a multiple ballot process will lead to the selection of a Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor and a single ballot process will determine the Republican nominee for Attorney General. The Virginia Tea Party Patriots Federation is a coalition of 46 independent Tea Party and patriot groups that stand for fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, and free market principles. Founded in Richmond, Virginia, Middle Resolution PAC helps elect leaders who are committed to restoring individual rights and limited government as described in the U.S. Constitution. Middle Resolution also holds legislators accountable once in office, following all necessary voting records. To learn more about the vetting process and top-ranked candidates Corey Stewart and Mark Obenshain, please visit www.virginiateapartypatriots.com and www.middleresolution.org. # ##

Law Enforcement That Doesn’t Trample Liberty

Kurt Feigel — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:30:27 +0000

Recently in Lynchburg we had a "lockdown" situation that involved 2 "suspicious" men. No guns. No robbery. No immediate crime. But this was enough to call all cars, Swat, The FBI, The ATF, State Police, and air support. An absurd overreaction. They put the area and several businesses in lockdown. 24 - 48 hrs later they are saying it was voluntary but I would argue that with guys in full tactical gear roaming the streets it would imply it wasn't voluntary. Several streets were closed. Heritage Baptist, a large church in Lynchburg canceled its services. And they didn't even get the guys they were looking for. Not surprising. They didn't enlist the community but instead treated us like children. If they had utilized the emergency broadcast system for these "suspicious" men maybe they could have caught them. Instead we were told they were armed, that they had forged checks, that they had robbed a jewelry store, and a host of other untrue statements the police justified tyranny. "What are we supposed to do?" the police asked. I have a solution. We have successful volunteer fire all across the commonwealth. Why is it we don't have volunteer law enforcement? Typically I've found, in trying to implement this locally, that the local Sheriff doesn't want it. He wouldn't be able to wring his hands and beg for more money if he was getting free help. If the citizens were empowered and not treated as invalids there would be a better police presence. More citizens would take it as their duty to keep crime low, and it would be lower. The local Sheriff has this authority. He can have "assistants" for each deputy. They could have their own uniform and under VA law could open carry. There would be training that would be required. And while getting this program off the ground his new "assistants" wouldn't have arrest powers. But they wouldn't need them if they were riding along with a deputy that did have these powers. Americans better wake up. You CAN NOT trade liberty for security. They better understand that you must take it upon yourself to provide for your own security. Failure to do so will invite an every growing tyrannical state. One that our founders fought so hard to avoid and that our officials seem hell bent on raising up. Sic Semper Tyrannis

Understanding Medicaid Expansion

Red State Virginia — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 14:28:08 +0000

February 21, 2013

From the office of Senator Bill Stanley Contact: Phil Rapp, Communications Director (o) 804-698-7520 Phil185@aol.com Medicaid expansion was a major topic for the 2013 General Assembly. The original bill, SB 1329, which was designed to expand the class of Medicaid recipients in Virginia to include those meeting the criteria in the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act until such time that the federal subsidy back to the state is reduced below 90%,was eventually withdrawn by the sponsor. However, Medicaid expansion, predicated upon certain reform conditions, made its way into the General Assembly budget bill (HB 1500). Consequently, HB 1500 was passed this past weekend by both the House of Delegates and the state Senate, with the Medicaid expansion language included as a budget component. As a result, I voted “no” on HB 1500 due to this budget amendment (item 307 #20C), and voted with 12 other Senate Republicans in a “Document of Protest” to this budget amendment. Make no mistake, an expansion of the state’s Medicaid program carries with it a price tag, a very large price tag. Our country is slowly drowning in a sea of red ink. Expanding the Medicaid program in Virginia on a promise from the federal government to continually subsidize the program would certainly be foolhardy. We need to be realistic about committing to yet another high cost entitlement program before we jump into this quicksand of more unsustainable debt continuously incurred by the federal government. I am very aware of the struggles that too many Virginians in our area are experiencing when it comes to affordable healthcare. I also remain very concerned about the future cost impact that the proposed Medicaid expansion would mean to the taxpayers in the Commonwealth. While I firmly believe that it is necessary for those who are truly in need to have access to a safety net of quality healthcare, I also know that that such access cannot be either obtained or preserved without fiscal discipline and serious reform by our government in Washington D.C.. Further, many of our district citizens are employed by the healthcare industry. Certainly, the infusion of 9.9 billion dollars of federal money will result in more jobs as well as greater job security in the healthcare industry in our area, and many healthcare delivery professionals and facilities would directly benefit from such an expansion in Medicaid benefits. However, I remain very skeptical of the long term costs that would eventually become a major unsustainable spending issue our state government, and would be eventually forced upon Virginia tax payers in the near future. As it stands now, even without the Medicaid expansion, Virginia’s financial obligation for its part of Medicaid cost takes up over 21% of the total state budget. Simply put, the state’s budget for 2013 is 7.6 billion dollars in Medicaid payments, serving on average 870 thousand claimants each month. The lure of the Federal government’s offer to subsidize 100% a Medicaid expansion in Virginia for the next three years, followed by a 90% subsidy rate in the subsequent two years (for a total of nearly 10 billion dollars) is very enticing for the state to join in, but there are no guarantees that the Federal government will actually be able to provide this level of support beyond the first three years. It is the lure of “free money” that makes it so attractive on the surface; but, we know that there is no such thing as “free money” when it is both offered and supplied by the federal government. For this “free money” given, is first taken from the citizens of the United States. For example, if by 2017 the Federal government decides that the promised 90% subsidy is just too much to send to the Commonwealth and decides instead to reduce the reimbursement amount to a 50% level, the state stands to be on the hook for an additional 551 million dollars per year. This amount will balloon to a total burden of 7.9 billion dollars upon the Virginia tax payer for the five year period ending in 2022. This is totally unsustainable for the tax payers of Virginia to support. Without major cuts and/or tax increases elsewhere in the budget, this program would be bankrupt within five years. It’s time for us all to admit that we cannot just keep adding entitlement programs with huge price tags in the hope that somehow, someway and someday, these programs will be paid for by the tax payers and sustained for all time. Adding program after program only to have the tax payers face yet more unsustainable funding obligations created by the federal government is irresponsible and must stop. It is a clear threat to the future of our democracy. To be clear, the hook that the Federal government uses is its argument in strong-arming the states to comply with the voluntary Medicaid expansion is that it will extract the billions of dollars from our state through the burdensome tax system created in the Affordable Care Act (otherwise known as “Obamacare”), and will take that money and give it to other participating states if Virginia chooses not to participate. This is patently unfair, yet it is the reason why we see most states are giving in to the federal government on this issue. Legislation passed in the General Assembly this year proposes accepting the Medicaid expansion only if serious and comprehensive reforms are made to the Medicaid program prior to the expansion. While government reform is definitely and absolutely required, it still does not solve the underlying problem – a federal government that is in serious debt, and one that continually refuses to control its appetite for spending. The Federal government is borrowing on the order of 44 cents of every dollar it spends as we speak, and is 17 trillion dollars in debt, and growing every day. Virginia cannot cash the checks that the Federal government is writing, nor can Virginia count on the federal government to keep its promises to subsidize Medicaid when it can’t even keep its own fiscal house in order. It is also unwise from my viewpoint that the taxpayers of Virginia should rely on even a 50% subsidy rate from the Federal Government by 2017. I consider the Federal government’s proposed Medicaid expansion plan to be nothing more than a potential “bait and switch” that will leave both us and any other state that buys into this plan to eventually be left holding the bag, and one that Virginia cannot afford in the long term. I recognize that a plan to expand Medicaid is necessary, but not by just throwing tax payer dollars at it – instead, we need to re-visit the entire Medicaid system and make the necessary plan design changes and reforms before we commit to yet another unsustainable entitlement cost on Virginia taxpayers. A “quick-fix” from the General Assembly to relent to federal government pressure and expand Medicaid in the Commonwealth under certain conditions, while a noble effort, still does not cure the federal government’s spending and overall inefficiency problem. If this incredible financial burden is passed on by the government to you and me, after five years it could surely threaten Virginia’s ability to pay for our roads, schools, public safety and other essential core services of government in the future. As a result, I was compelled both on principle and in protection of the Virginia taxpayer, to vote against a bill that contains a Medicaid expansion budget amendment that will only result in an immeasurable financial burden for the Commonwealth.

###

Nearly Every Local Senator & Delegate Sells-Out Hampton Roads on McDonnell Tax Hike

ThomAyres — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 07:21:03 +0000

Republican Party to Blame for Virginia Tax Increase Fiasco

As most of you are probably aware, The Commonwealth of Virginia just passed the largest tax increase in its entire history in the form of transportation bill HB2313. I gave a general overview and some of the details of the bill in yesterday's blog post. You can read it here. I've continued to watch the news and for the last 48 hours Gov McDonnell has been taking a steady beating in both the press and social media... nearly non-stop. McDonnell has been working feverishly to put a positive spin on this legislative fiasco but no one is buying it. I cite as an example a post on Bob McDonnell's facebook page. At the time of this writing (9:20 pm) there were some 280 comments. And after reviewing the comments, nearly all (save a handful - literally) were opposed to the legislation, Gov McDonnell, and his attempt to spin it.

Republican Party to Blame

I wonder if Gov McDonnell and the GOP's 2016 ambitions got in the way of common sense. Seems like it did. The perception is that this bill was more about McDonnell and his RINO cadre trying to make a "landmark legislation" name for themselves rather than actually trying to improve transportation. Oh... They've made a name for themselves alright. Gov McDonnell has caught the brunt of public backlash and rightfully so. He was the captain of the HB2313 ship and he needs to go down with it. However, he needs to take his entire mutinous crew of RINOs with him as well. Everyone is forgetting one thing here. McDonnell wasn't alone. He had 43 accomplices. HE HAD A LOT OF HELP. This bill was conceived, pushed and lobbied for by the Republicans in both houses. This MASSIVE support from the GOP voting bloc was the key to getting their pet bill passed. Let's review the voting and see who stepped up to help Tax Hike Bob shall we:

House of Delegates

Republicans hold the majority in the House
YES 60 votes (35 Republicans and 25 Democrats)
NO 40 votes (36 Republicans and 4 Democrats)

Senate

Senate is split 50/50 (20 Democrats & 20 Republicans)
YES 25 votes (8 Republicans and 17 Democrats)
NO 15 votes (12 Republicans and 3 Democrats)

How Did Hampton Roads Vote?

Now many of you may know that I am from Hampton Roads (HR) and I take a particular interest in how local, state, and federal legislation impacts our community. So as a service to the Hampton Roads voters, below is a list of our local senators & delegates and how they voted:

Delegates
Name	Party	District	City	Vote
Ron Villanueva	R	21	Virginia Beach	Y
Rick Morris	R	64	Suffolk	Y
Chris Jones	R	76	Ches/Suffolk	Y
Lionell Spruill	D	77	Ches/Suffolk	Y
John Cosgrove	R	78	Chesapeake	Y
Johnny Joannou	D	79	Norf/Portsmouth	N
Matthew James	D	80	Ches/Norf/Ports/Suff	Y
Barry Knight	R	81	Ches/Va Beach	Y
Bob Purkey	R	82	Virginia Beach	Y
Chris Stolle	R	83	Norf/Va Beach	Y
Sal Iaquinto	R	84	Virginia Beach	Y
Bob Tata	R	85	Virginia Beach	N*
Daun Hester	D	89	Norfolk	Y
Algie Howell	D	90	Norf/Va Beach	N
Gordon Helsel	R	91	Hamp/Poquoson	Y
Jeion Ward	D	92	Hampton	N*
Mike Watson	R	93	Newprt N/Williamsburg	Y
David Yancey	R	94	Newport News	Y
Mamye BaCote	D	95	Hamp/Newprt N	Y
Lynwood Lewis	D	100	Norf/Va Beach	Y
* Both Delegates Tata & Ward were recorded as Nay's but intended to vote Yea

Senators
Name	Party	District	City	Vote
John Miller	D	1	Hamp/NN/Suff/Wilbrg	Y
Mamie Locke	D	2	Hamp/NN/Suff/Ports	Y
Tommy Norment	R	3	Hamp/Suff/Poquoson	Y
Kenny Alexander	D	5	Ches/Norf	Y
Ralph Northam	D	6	Norf/Va Beach	Y
Frank Wagner	R	7	Norf/Va Beach	Y
Jeff McWaters	R	8	Virginia Beach	Y
Harry Blevins	R	14	Ches/Ports/Suff/Va Bch	Y
Louise Lucas	D	18	Ches/Ports/Suff	Y

Every Hampton Roads Republican Voted for the Tax Hike!

Every Republican elected to state office from Hampton Roads is a RINO. Now I don't want the Democrats to feel left our here either. It needs to be pointed out that nearly every local senator & delegate (both D's & R's alike) voted to increase taxes, create a regional taxing authority, impose an internet sales tax if they can, and tax people extra for buying green vehicles. Something really interesting to note here... Of all of the Hampton Roads delegates & senators, the only two (2) who opposed the bill were both Democrats. (Johnny Joannou and Algie Howell) To both delegates I say THANK YOU for allowing common sense to prevail and for having the courage to break ranks and do the right thing. And to every Hampton Roads resident who reads this, I encourage you to do the same thing. Send a quick email and say thank you to both of these delegates. Algie Howell - DelAHowell@house.virginia.gov Johnny Joannou - DelJJoannou@house.virginia.gov And if you want to further show your opposition to this appalling piece of legislation you can go here: www.notaxincrease.com ...now let's see what we can do about cleaning up this mess. Copyright © 2013 Thom Ayres All rights reserved. Permission is granted to freely link, distribute, and copy this document (whole and unmodified). Any copy of the document must contain a link to the original source. Permission for any usual classroom use is granted.

Republicans Responsible for Largest Tax Increase in Virginia History

ThomAyres — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 01:51:44 +0000

Virginia Republicans Pass $6 Billion Tax Increase

So here we are and the Republican Party has blown it again! This time it's the State of Virginia. Establishment Republicans (8 Republican senators, and 34 Republican members of the House of Delegates) voted and passed the largest tax increase in the entire history of the Commonwealth. Gov McDonnell hasn't signed the bill into law just yet but he is expected to do so as he was one of the primary proponents of the legislation. Below is the list of establishment GOP'ers (gophers) who voted for this appalling piece of legislation: House of Delegates: Dave Albo (42), John Cosgrove (78), Kirk Cox (66), Mark Dudenhefer (2), Jim Edmunds (60), Tag Greason (32), Chris Head (17), Gordon Helsel (91), Keith Hodges (98), Sal Iaquinto (84)*, Riley Ingram (62), Chris Jones (76), Terry Kilgore (1), Barry Knight (81), Jim LeMunyon (67), Manny Loupassi (68), Joe May (33), Donald Merricks (16), Randy Minchew (10), Richard Morris (64), John O’Bannon (73), Bobby Orrock (54), Charles Poindexter (9), Bob Purkey (82), Lacey Putney (I, declared R if running for re-election – 19), Tom Rust (86), Ed Scott (30), Beverly Sherwood (29), Chris Stolle (83), Ron Villanueva (21), Michael Watson (93), David Yancey (94), Joseph Yost (12), Speaker Howell (28) State Senate: Harry Blevins (14), Bill Carrico (40), Jeff McWaters (8), Tommy Norment (3), Frank Ruff (15), Walter Stosch (12), Frank Wagner (7), John Watkins (10). Perhaps the GOP'ers should find a hole in the ground to hide their faces. Of course the GOP wasn't alone in passing this legislative "train wreck" as it was heavily supported by Virginia Democrats as well (no surprise there). Democratic candidate for Governor, Terry McAuliffe is also a big supporter of the bill. However... Apparently not every elected official lost all sense of rational thought when considering this bill. Senator Chap Peterson (a Democrat), in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, said that the $6 billion tax increase is “a grotesque combination of tax cuts, tax rebates, tax increases, new taxes, old taxes which are phased out (and then reappear elsewhere), regional alliances . . . special projects, and exceptions to all of the above.” So what are they planning on hitting Virginians with? Below is a brief rundown:

statewide sales tax will rise from 5 percent to 5.3 percent (except on food)
car-titling tax will rise from 3 percent to 4.3 percent
adding a 6 percent tax to diesel fuel
charging hybrid drivers an extra $100 per year
proposed sales tax on internet transactions (dependent on how Congress votes on the Marketplace Equity Act which would allow states to impose and internet sales tax) If that doesn't go through sales tax on fuel will increase another 1.7%
Regional taxing authorities are created for Northern Virginia (NoVA) and Hampton Roads (HR) regions to assess additional taxes to fund transportation projects in their regions. For both there will be an additional .7% increase in sales tax on top of the statewide .3%
NoVA will add a 3% hotel tax and .25% deed recording tax on the sale of homes
HR will add a 2.1% local tax on fuel. (all HR funds to be spent on roads - no mass transit)
for HR there is NO allocation of state funding for the Midtown/Downtown tunnel projects. Those will have to be funded through taxes raised by the new regional taxing authority according to the authors of the bill. (even as VDOT diverts $1.12 billion of state and federal funds to the unnecessary Route 460 over the objections of many in the region)
Additionally, the bill also opened the door to transportation projects having access to general-fund revenues, whereas they previously had been restricted to funds generated by the gasoline tax and other dedicated-purpose taxes.

For HR and NoVA, now that they have their own money, I doubt the state will never feel any obligation to provide assistance for capital projects, even though HR and NoVA pay the same taxes that the rest of the state pays towards the overall piggy bank. Republicrats? With legislation like this it is obvious that the Virginia GOP'ers have lost it... or maybe they just switched sides. They now seem to be FULLY complicit with the Democrats. Do we even have two parties anymore? To all of my Libertarian and conservative friends who were/are hoping to reinvigorate and revive the GOP... Wake UP! It ain't happenin! Don't waste your time reinforcing failure. GOP = Lost Cause When you put forward candidates who claim to be conservative yet are nearly identical to their Democrat/Progressive opponents, well… what do you expect. The GOP establishment continues to go to great lengths to raise taxes, beef up big government and alienate conservatives and liberty activists all across the state who have again and again worked and contributed to the Republican election efforts. With an ongoing track record like that I find it harder and harder to distinguish them from their Democrat opponents. It’s time to get off the Republican bandwagon NOW... this cycle. The GOP has truly lost touch with the voting public and with fiascoes like this they are quickly losing their relevance as well. Stand with us by liking this page, and add your name with everyone else! www.notaxincrease.com Copyright © 2013 Thom Ayres All rights reserved. Permission is granted to freely link, distribute, and copy this document (whole and unmodified). Any copy of the document must contain a link to the original source. Permission for any usual classroom use is granted.

Betrayed Again By The Republican Party

Kurt Feigel — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 20:54:21 +0000

From the office of so called Conservative Republican Governor Bob McDonnell. His office is pleased that Virginians have been sold out and will have the largest tax increases in almost 10 years. Pathetic!!!! Read for yourself the spin on how paying more in taxes is a good thing and not treason! Today, Republicans and Democrats joined together to pass the first new significant sustainable transportation funding and reform bill in Virginia in 27 years. Crafted and led by Republicans, the bill received the votes of over 60% of legislators in both houses. Virginians worked together across party and regional lines to find common ground to solve one of our Commonwealth’s most intractable problems. We got results. And the result is $3.5 billion in new transportation funding over the next 5 years, an estimated 35% reduction in the tax on gas at the pump, a shorter commute for you, and the strengthening of Virginia’s economic competitiveness. This bill is a compromise. It had to be. As you know the House of Delegates has a strong Republican majority. But the Senate is tied, 20-20, and the Lieutenant Governor cannot vote on a transportation funding bill. That means to get any major bill passed, everyone would have to find common ground. The nature of a compromise is no one gets every policy they want. There are things I like and don’t like in this bill, I’m sure it’s the same for you too, but it solves a longstanding problem after years and years of inaction. For 27 years you’ve sat in traffic as too many have waited for a “perfect” bill. That failure to act has cost you and the Commonwealth dearly. Every year that Richmond has failed to act has added up to a bigger and bigger hidden transportation tax that you are paying. The Texas Transportation Institute found that our failure to approve new transportation funding, and the resulting congestion, costs every motorist in Northern Virginia $1400 a year; every driver in Virginia Beach $877 a year; and every commuter in Richmond $581 a year. Your commute has gotten longer as political positions have gotten more divided. Every pothole you’ve hit, and bill for repairs you’ve received, is a result of the chronic failure of lawmakers to find a solution and pass it. Those are hidden taxes that you’ve been paying for years. Virginia’s economy depends upon our transportation system. Without good roads, rail, transit and bridges we cannot attract the new businesses that will create the good-paying jobs our citizens need and deserve. A continued failure to address transportation would leave the Commonwealth less competitive economically, shrink our tax base and endanger our well-earned reputation as the best state in the nation in which to do business. In fact, just last year CNBC dropped Virginia to 3rd in its annual ranking of “Best States for Business” in large part because of our repeated inability to agree on how to properly fund transportation. We plummeted from 10th to 33rd in the specific category of “Transportation and Infrastructure.” That is unacceptable. I ran and was blessed to be elected on a pledge to make Virginia a jobs-magnet and do everything I could to help our state attract more employers so our citizens could get the good jobs they need and deserve. This transportation plan helps us do that. Conservatives believe we must grow our economy by allowing the private sector to thrive and create. We believe in paying as you go and in not running up high levels of debt. That is how you create new revenue. But that can’t happen if we don’t provide private-sector job creators with the infrastructure they must have to be successful. As a result of this plan, thousands of construction and maintenance projects around the state will be funded, from widening I-64 between Newport News and Williamsburg, widening Route 28 in Northern Virginia, bringing down tolls on the Dulles Toll Road and advancing the Silver Line, bringing Amtrak service to Roanoke, and helping to build the Coalfields Expressway in Southwest Virginia. (You can see a full list of projects that will be funded by this bill here.) Thousands of new jobs will be created. Before this vote it was projected that by the year 2018 we would have been transferring $500 million meant for construction to just fund simple maintenance projects. There would have been virtually no new money available for new construction projects. Now, this problem has been solved for the foreseeable future. You elected me to come to Richmond and focus on growing our economy, creating jobs, and fixing the problems you face in your daily lives. This session we have dramatically reformed our K-12 system with more accountability, choice, and innovation. We reformed government, eliminated budget gimmicks and doubled the rainy day fund. The last few years we have made our unemployment rate the lowest in the Southeast, created $1.4 billion in surpluses, reformed our pension system to save $9 billion, dropped yearly average tuition increases to the lowest in a decade, toughened our criminal laws and cut the size and scope of state government. However, even with all that progress on a wide array of issues, without a modern and well-funded transportation system our future economic growth would remain in jeopardy. Private sector job-creators would have a harder time moving goods to market, expanding their enterprises, and hiring new workers. And your commute would just grow longer, the money you waste sitting in traffic would increase, and your quality of life would diminish. We could not afford to let that happen. Throughout this debate, when many said we couldn’t get a transportation bill passed, so many of you stood up and advocated for passage. You called your legislators, you talked to your neighbors, and you made a difference. Today we’ve shown that there is still a ‘Virginia Way.’ Richmond is not Washington. In Richmond, we cut out rhetoric and work together to fix problems and get results. I can’t thank you enough for your support of this bill and our Administration. Today’s vote will make our economy stronger, and Virginia an even better place to call home. Thank you, so much, for everything that you do for this great Commonwealth. Sincerely, Bob McDonnell

Obenshain – No Transportation Tax Hike

Kurt Feigel — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 18:27:39 +0000

Received via email: Later today, the Virginia Senate is likely to take up one of the most anticipated bills of the 2013 session, the much-discussed transportation plan. I intend to vote against it, and wanted to tell you why. Transportation is a vitally important issue. Building and maintaining our transportation infrastructure is a core governmental function, and there’s a clear need for devoting additional resources to transportation. Traffic congestion in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads is unacceptable, we’re not meeting our maintenance standards, and important improvement projects are on the cutting block. The problem is real. Unfortunately, the compromise plan coming before the Senate later today is not the solution. Earlier this session, I supported the adoption of Senator Steve Newman’s substitute to the transportation bill. That Newman plan wasn’t perfect, but its adoption would have changed the parameters of the debate and helped shift negotiations in a more conservative direction, giving conservatives in the Senate a better opportunity to shape the bill in conference. But we fell two votes short—and now here we are. Instead of negotiating from the Newman plan, the Senate is now considering a plan that relies a complex set of tax hikes—sales tax increase, higher car titling taxes, and maybe even real estate transfer and hotel taxes in some areas. Virginians understand that we need to pay for roads, but they expect some assurances. They want to know that we’re being prudent with the money we already have, which is one reason why I pushed so hard for the VDOT audit that ultimately revealed $1.4 billion in waste, forgotten funds, and unclaimed federal matches. Taxpayers also expect—and quite reasonably so—that behind any transportation funding scheme lies a well-developed, cost-effective plan for congestion mitigation, and that we’re not unduly burdening taxpayers or driving jobs out of the Commonwealth. I want to support a transportation deal, but I can’t back this one. The transportation compromise before the General Assembly is the worst kind of compromise: it is a massive tax increase that doesn’t address some of our fundamental problems. There’s also a serious question of fairness, since the plan includes regional tax authorities that will levy significantly higher taxes on those in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. The deal before us today does not fairly address the serious transportation issues faced by the Commonwealth, nor does it properly prioritize transportation within existing revenues. The failure to devote a more significant portion of revenue surpluses to transportation is particularly telling: if Virginia can’t even put its unanticipated windfalls into transportation, is it really fair to say we’re treating transportation as the priority it ought to be? While I commend my colleagues for their hard work in trying to come up with a transportation funding solution, I submit that we need to go back to the drawing board. Virginians deserve a plan that makes transportation, not tax hikes, the priority—one that devotes a greater portion of existing sales tax revenues to transportation, one that prioritizes transportation in surplus allocations, and one that “locks up” the Transportation Trust Fund against raids. Whatever happens today, transportation will continue to be a pressing issue, one that’s not going away. Today, the General Assembly votes on a tax hike. A lasting solution on transportation still lies somewhere in the future. Best Regards Mark Obenshain

Best regards, Mark Obenshain