Gov. Warner says bond rating decision expected by mid-June.
Warner vetoes bill that would have eliminated the requirement that home school teachers have college degree. But, according to home school advocates, that puts Virginia in a distinct minority.
“Homeschooling has been so successful nationwide that nine states have chosen the high school diploma as their standard to homeschool while 40 states use no educational qualification to allow parents to homeschool,” wrote Joe Guarina, director of government affairs with the [Home Educators Association of Virginia]. “By vetoing the bill, Warner leaves Virginia as the last state to use a college degree as a threshold to allow parents to homeschool.”
It looks like Jerry Kilgore isn’t going to give up. Because of the increase in state revenues, he’s already talking about another tax cut.
[Atty. Gen.] Jerry Kilgore said that the growing economy means the increases weren’t needed and that next year, the state must offer cuts.
“The rainy-day fund is an appropriate place for [the surplus], but at the end of the day, it’s the taxpayers’ money,” he said.
Other Republicans disagree.
House Appropriations Chairman Vincent F. Callahan Jr. … said the legislature will not repeal the tax increases.
Mr. Callahan warned that the fiscal growth should be put in perspective. The Fairfax County Republican said that the surplus is only 1 percent of the state’s general-fund budget and that much of the increase can be attributed to stock-market gains.
Mr. Callahan said the state should wait for the May and June reports to “see where we really stand on this thing.”
Meanwhile, Mr. No Tax Increase tacitly admitted there’s isn’t enough money for the obvious.
House Speaker Bill Howell said the state should consider using some of the surplus for transportation, which was left mostly unfunded in the two-year, $60 billion budget.
A Democrat who’s not afraid to stand for something…
Menefee said he supports raising taxes on those who make more than $500,000 a year and lowering them on those who make under $50,000 a year. He called for tougher fuel-efficiency standards for automobiles and federally sponsored research into alternative fuels. He said he supports a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion.
…While the Dems look for somebody to run against Tom Davis.
Democrats will choose a nominee next week after interviewing anyone who has applied by 8 p.m. on June 1 to the office of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee, 7245 Arlington Blvd., Suite 205, Falls Church.?
…Miller’s committee has to nominate a candidate because no one filed by an April 9 deadline for a Democratic primary, which would have been June 8 [and]… will interview potential candidates June 2 and decide on a nominee shortly after that…
Anyone wishing to apply to be the Democratic candidate can contact [Emilie Miller, chair of the 11th Congressional District Democratic Committee] at (703) 560-0291 or at emiliemiller@cs.com.
Will the Baptists leave public schools?
Bush is appointing former Lt. Gov. John Hager “for assistant secretary for special education and rehabilitative services.” But we have it on good authority that doesn’t mean he’s in charge of remedial schooling for Va. Republican lawmakers who voted for the tax increases.
Gang warfare is becoming an issue in Northern Va., while Gov. Warner evokes an unfortunate image: “I wish we could say there was going to be a single silver bullet to stop gang activity,” Warner said.