A radio call in show tonight about the budget will feature Sens. Emmett Hanger (R-Mount Salon) and Creigh Deed (D-Charlottesville) and Dels. Morgan Griffith (R-Salem) and Preston Bryant (R-Lynchburg). It’s on “Evening Edition” on WVTF from 7:30 to 8:30. You can listen online at www.wvtf.org and call in toll free 800.856.8900.
If you believe the noise about the budget going through the roof the last few years, take a stiff drink and read this.
Today
SOUTH BOSTON
Tuesday, March 30, at 7:00 p.m. at The Prizery, 700 Bruce St., South Boston
Organized by Del. Clarke Hogan (R-South Boston)
RICHMOND
Tuesday, March 30, 7:00 p.m. in Godwin High School.
Organized by Del. John Reid (R-Richmond) and Del. William Janis (R-Oilville)
COLONIAL HEIGHTS
Tuesday, March 30, at 6:30 p.m. at Lloyd C. Bird High School.
Organized by Senator Martin (R-Colonial Heights)
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY
Tuesday, March 30, 6:30 p.m., at L. C. Bird High School. The school is located at 10301 Courthouse Rd, in Chesterfield County.
Organized by Sen. Steve Martin (R-Chesterfield)
AMHERST
Tuesday, March 30, 5-7:00 p.m. at the Amherst County Courthouse, Amherst
Organized by Del. Ben Cline (R-Amherst)
Wednesday
MADISON HEIGHTS
Wednesday, March 31, 5-7:00 p.m. at the Madison Heights Library, Madison Heights
Organized by Del. Ben Cline (R-Amherst)
FAIRFAX
Wednesday, March 31, at 7:00 p.m. at the Sully Government Center on Stonecroft Blvd (immediately off Rt. 28 and Westfield Blvd) in Centreville.
Organized by Del. Gary Reese (R-Fairfax)
ARLINGTON
Wednesday, March 31, 7:30 p.m. at Arlington County Board Room, 2nd floor, 2100 Clarendon Blvd.
Organized by Sen. Whipple & Ticer and Dels. Brink, Eisenberg & Ebbin
Why can’t we get a straight answer on hard numbers? Newspapers around the state have been reporting conflicting revenue estimates regarding the House plan to eliminate the sales tax exemption on businesses. The House estimates the new tax, some if not most of which would be passed on to consumers, would raise $560 million, but an earlier report by the Richmond Times-Dispatch stated: “Questions remain over how much would be generated by the erasure, which in effect makes business pay more taxes: Hamilton contends it would raise $561 million, while a taxation department spokeswoman has put the figure at $150 million.”
Yet today, the same newspaper, in a report written by one of the same reporters who co-authored the story from which the above quote was lifted, we read, “In contrast, the House has countered with a budget proposal, primarily built on expected rises in current tax collections and about $560 million that would be raised by abolishing tax breaks for several major businesses, such as utilities, airlines and telecommunications.”
No mention of the lower estimate from the tax department. The Washington Post has consistently used the higher number. Why? Today I placed a second call to the taxation department. A spokeswoman, Dianne Deloach, acted as if the discrepancy was news to here and said if I put it in an e-mail, she’d get back to me.
It seems to me reporters need at the very least to mention the discrepancy in every story or explain to their readers why both figures, perhaps using different variables, are correct – or lies.
Another new figure, first voiced by Attorney General Jerry Kilgore (R), is that the “typical Virginia family” would see tax increases of $1,000 under the Senate’s plan. Here’s what the Senate estimates. No report that I’ve seen has explained how Kilgore came up with the higher number. To report it without question is irresponsible journalism.
The discrepancy was debated at a town hall meeting in Lexington. The story reports:
Del. Benjamin L. Cline, R-Rockbridge, opened a town-hall-style meeting yesterday at a local library with a barrage of economic numbers and statistics in support of the House of Delegates’ biennial budget proposal.
Despite Cline’s efforts, a show of hands during the meeting indicated that a large majority of the 100 people stuffed into the room support the state Senate’s more expensive budget plan.
That’s the first time I’ve read about or seen a show of hands at these public meetings. Many lawmakers don’t ask for that vote. It puzzle me why not. Is it because they want to be able to spin the argument to their side? Even if only a handful of folks support the lawmaker’s point of view, they can claim that citizens are “divided.” Yet legislators who support the Senate’s tax plan have spoken to audiences that clearly favor at least the Governor’s plan, but a show of hands was not requested.
Still, after a week of meetings, newspapers are beginning to characterize the meetings as demonstrations of support for at least the Governor’s plan, if not the Senate’s. Here’s a report of the meeting in Christiansburg. It includes:
Meetings in Hopewell, Charlottesville and Northern Virginia also revealed support for the Senate’s plan and frustration about a lack of funding for education and social services, according to newspaper reports across the state.
A story in Sunday’s Richmond Times-Dispatch quoted an unnamed Republican source saying GOP members expecting to return to Richmond with evidence to bolster their anti-tax stance have instead received “a rude awakening” at the meetings.
A Virginian Pilot editorial, which also criticizes state lawmakers representing the Hampton Roads area for not holding public forums, says:
The town meetings held around the state, thus far, have surprised anti-tax forces in the Assembly.
Most of the speakers have been more interested in sustaining Virginia’s services than in beating the anti-tax drum.
Meanwhile, another tuition hike is announced and the Feds say don’t expect much help from them
Finally, unless you want to be charged with a felony, do not try this at home or in your car.
Topping the news today, 25 pigs were killed in a truck accident in Smithfield Va.
The Virginian Pilot reported, “A hog truck bound for Smithfield Packing overturned on Va. 10 Monday, killing about two dozen pigs, snarling traffic and drawing representatives from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to the scene.”
Reportedly, it also drew representatives of the Bush administration, which said it immediately dispatched the FBI to investigate if it was a terrorist attack. Secret Service were guarding the remains and the remaining live pigs. Highway signs were posted near the accident that read, “Ignore the Pigs. There are no pigs here.”
The CIA had reported chatter in the CB airwaves earlier in the day that something like this might be in the works.
However, Commonwealth Commonsense has learned from sources that wished to remain anonymous because their ration of pork rinds might be curtailed if they talked to the press – even CC – that the pork was destined for various stops south and west of Smithfield.
I’d hate to be Del. John Welch (R-Va. Beach) if he’s stopped by a sheriff’s deputy. Read what he had to say about them here.
Margaret Edds of the Virginian-Pilot says the series of town hall meetings backfired on conservatives.
Bob Gibson details the budget troubles at Piedmont Virginia Community College.
Tonight
CHESTERFIELD
Monday, March 29, 7:30 p.m. at the Bermuda Hundred United Methodist Church, 2025 Florence Ave.
Organized by Del. Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights)
CHRISTIANBURG
Monday, March 29, 7:00 p.m. at the Montgomery County Government Center on Roanoke St. in Christiansburg.
Organized by Del. Jim Shuler (D-Blacksburg)
LEXINGTON
Monday, March 29, 6-8:00 p.m. at the Rockbridge Regional Library, Lexington
Organized by Del. Ben Cline
Tuesday
SOUTH BOSTON
Tuesday, March 30, at 7:00 p.m. at The Prizery, 700 Bruce St., South Boston
Organized by Del. Clarke Hogan (R-South Boston)
RICHMOND
Tuesday, March 30, 7:00 p.m. in Godwin High School.
Organized by Del. John Reid (R-Richmond) and Del. William Janis (R-Oilville)
COLONIAL HEIGHTS
Tuesday, March 30, at 6:30 p.m. at Lloyd C. Bird High School.
Organized by Senator Martin (R-Colonial Heights)
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY
Tuesday, March 30, 6:30 p.m., at L. C. Bird High School. The school is located at 10301 Courthouse Rd, in Chesterfield County.
Organized by Sen. Steve Martin (R-Chesterfield)
AMHERST
Tuesday, March 30, 5-7:00 p.m. at the Amherst County Courthouse, Amherst
Organized by Del. Ben Cline (R-Amherst)
I hold no grudge against Steve Luxenberg, editor of the Outlook section in Sunday’s Washington Post, even if he has never accepted a submission of mine (both of them) and today mischaracterized by insinuation the timing of Richard Clarke’s book, Against All Enemies. I actually liked most of what Luxenberg wrote in one of his rare columns.
But it’s in his role as Outlook editor that I have a major complaint. I’m losing valuable time on Sunday mornings.
Today (Friday, Mar. 26, 2004), The Washington Post devotes nearly an entire page inside the Metro section to the budget impasse. Four reporters report from four areas of the state. I’m not sure what the journalistic slang might be for this series of stories, but the sum of them amounts to little. In fact, they are a waste of newsprint.
Sen. Janet Howell (D-Reston) and Del. Ken Plum (D-Reston) will hold a public hearing on the budget Saturday, March 27, at 1:00 p.m. at the Reston Regional Library.