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Archives
2003
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December 15, 2003 -
The
65 Percent Solution. Gov.
Warner claims that 65 percent of Virginia taxpayers will
benefit from his tax plan. It all depends on how you
count the numbers. by James A. Bacon
Drip,
Drip, Drip. The
never-ending budget squeeze is water torture for Virginia's
environment. There's not enough money to
evaluate pollution permits, much less clean up the
Chesapeake Bay. by Doug Koelemay
Where's
the Analysis?
In
pushing a $500 million-a-year tax hike, Mark Warner
appears to assume that higher taxes will not slow
the state's economic growth. But it's hard to
know: He offers no numbers to go by. by Patrick
McSweeney
Pulling
a Fast One. The
best parts of Gov. Warner's tax plan are measures
that the Republican General Assembly have already
approved. Most of the rest is questionable. by
Patrick McSweeney
Warner
Goes to China.
Historians say only
Richard Nixon could have cut a deal with Mao. Is
this the political thinking behind Warner's gambit
to DROP the CAR TAX Budget CAP, something so
fiscally reckless, even "Deficit" Jim
Gilmore never tried it? by Paul Goldman
Summing
Up.
Ed
Risse boils down a year's worth of columns into
five pithy tenets about how human settlement
patterns shape the future of development in the
Washington-Baltimore New Urban Region. by E M
Risse
A
Christmas Letter to Jerry
Kilgore. Santa
Claus knows who's been naughty and nice. And, Jerry,
I'm betting that the eavesdropping thing will get
written down twice. by Barnie Day
Yes,
We Can Reform the
Tax System. Gov.
Warner and Republicans legislators don't agree on
everything, but we should be able to work out a
consensus on tax reform. by Sen. Emmett W. Hanger
The
Rail-to-Dulles Scam.
Taxpayers,
hang on to your wallets. Developers are lobbying
for an extravagantly expensive extension of the
Metro to Dulles Airport. Can you guess who stands
to profit? by Phillip Rodokanakis
Guns,
God and the American Flag. Howard
Dean and Yankee Democrats don't have a clue what it means to be a
Southerner. It's not about Confederate flags.
It's about honor, family, self reliance and
American patriotism. by James Atticus
Bowden
Sixty
New Jobs.
The
government purports to track the unemployment
rate. But scrutiny of the numbers reveals
arbitrary definitions and assumptions that obscure
as much as they reveal. by Mark Williamson
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
Readers
Respond
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December 1, 2003 -
Volatile
States, Volatile
Budgets. Yes,
Virginia, the Commonwealth can grow its way out of its
budget straightjacket. What the state needs, says GMU
prof Mark Crain, is not more taxes but more predictable
revenue. by James A. Bacon
Litmus
Test. Taxes
have been the key test for Republican candidates in
their rise to majority, but responsible governance
is the new challenge. by Douglas Koelemay
Out
of Hiding.
Now
we know why Governor Warner didn't want to talk
about taxes before the November elections: He's just
proposed one of the biggest tax hikes in Virginia
history. by Patrick McSweeney
Shoot
'em and Bury 'em.
Jerry
Kilgore and Paul Goldman have floated some bad ideas
regarding debt and taxes. Their proposals should be
quickly and expeditiously disposed of. by Patrick
McSweeney
White
Men Can't Jump...
But they can cook
-- books, that is. Goldman dissects Gov. Warner's
tax plan, showing how all the fun stuff is front-end
loaded, while the bad stuff comes after he's gone.
by Paul Goldman
The
Goshfather: An Offer He Can't Refuse. Here's how the tax
battle ends next year, in a smoke-filled room in the
General Assembly office building as the dons of
Virginia politics divvy up their ill-gotten spoils. by
Paul Goldman
A
Yard Where Johnny Can
Run and Play. American
families have been sold on the idea that kids need
big yards to play in. In reality, large-lot
development makes inaccessible many of the
amenities required for a healthy, happy childhood.
by E M Risse
Warner
Comes out Swinging. The
governor's bold tax-reform proposal faces long odds
in a legislature dominated by the GOP. But, if
passed, it would fund his pro-education platform and
bolster his national profile. by Barnie Day
Standards
vs. Rules. Applying
arbitrary zoning rules to the Vineyards Estates
project in Albemarle County may crush a
conservation-friendly development. Why not set the
standards and let the developer figure out how to
meet them? by Donald D. Kochan
Can
You Say "Taxes" in Swedish?
Mark
Warner has showed his hand as a welfare-state liberal. State spending in Virginia is running
unchecked, but he still wants to implement a $1 billion
biennial tax increase. by Peter Ferrara
A
New Compact.
It's
time to overhaul our system of funding higher
education in Virginia. Instead of supporting
universities directly, the Commonwealth should be
sending tuition-assistance checks to students. by
Robert
B. Archibald and David H. Feldman
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
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November 17, 2003 -
The
Housing Bubble.
If
you thought the dot.com bust was bad, wait
until the housing market crashes. According to John
Rubino, the next downturn could bring the nasty
recession we should have gotten in 2000. by
James A. Bacon
Dot.Gov
Bubble Bursting. General
Assembly money committees find out again this week
what the private sector learned the hard way three
years ago. by Doug Koelemay
Wait-and-See
Warner.
Gov.
Warner could have turned the 2004 election into a
referendum on his tax proposals. But he didn't want
to take the risk. Now he will pay the political
price of his caution. by Patrick McSweeney
Commanding
the High Ground.
Proponents
of higher taxes were too scared to take their case to the
voters this fall. House Speaker Howell, who has declared his opposition
forthrightly, occupies the high terrain. by
Patrick McSweeney
White
Men Can't Add. Move over Woody:
Goldman scores a slam-dunk as Gov. Warner projects a
$1.3 billion budget shortfall over the next two
years. by Paul Goldman
Slow
Growth Isn't
Smart.
Many
elected officials tout "slow growth" as
a remedy for the ills generated by dysfunctional
human settlement patterns. But it's a hopeless
mishmash of an ideology. by E M Risse
Warner
Hanging Tough.
Look
past the headlines about all the partisan wrangling
and you'll realize that Mark Warner has accomplished
a lot during his nearly three years in office. by
Barnie Day
Low
Taxes, High Growth. Virginia's
economy has outperformed Ohio's over the past 35
years. Why? Because the Buckeyes increased taxes
over that time and the Old Dominion kept its
levies low. by Richard Vedder
Courage
- or Commonsense? It's
time to increase the gas tax enough to catch up
with 17 years of inflation. The fee for using state
roads still would amount to only a penny per mile.
by Steve Haner
Rage
Against the Machine.
You
didn't read it in the Post, but anti-tax
Republicans in Northern Virginia made
progress in November's elections, capturing
Loudoun and putting the Fairfax political machine
on notice. by Peter Ferrara
Framing
the Issues.
A
CPA lays out the issues that the lawyers in the
General Assembly should take into account this
January as they undertake tax reform. by
Michael E. Mares
Virginia
Pundit Watch.
by Will Vehrs Nice
and Curious Questions: Whatever Happened
to Doug Wilder's Moustache -- and other Hairy
Tales. by Edwin S. Clay III
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November 3, 2003 -
Why
Not the Best? Lawmakers
are ignoring the accelerating health care crisis. With a
little imagination, Virginians could create the premier,
market-driven
health care system in the world. by James A. Bacon
Learning
from Mother Nature. Events
remind us again how powerful natural forces can
be. But can we avoid disasters of our own making?
by Doug Koelemay
Hard
Row to Hoe. Don't
expect much in the way of tax reform. The special
interests are in conflict and voters don't trust
legislators in Richmond to keep their promises. by
Patrick McSweeney
Avoiding
a Dem Disaster in 2005. Once
again, Henry Marsh's race-baiting politics threaten
a Democrat's chance to become governor. Democrats
need to speak out. by Paul Goldman
Fire
and Flood.
Much of the damage
from natural disasters like Isabel is entirely
preventable. Rather than subsidize
scattered habitation in exposed locations, public
policy should
cluster people in
areas that can be protected efficiently. by
E M Risse
Heads,
Warner Wins; Tails,
GOP Loses.
Gov. Warner is in a no-lose position in the
debate over tax reform. by Barnie Day
Ham-Handed
at Hampton. Hampton
University's president had no justification for
confiscating a recent edition of the school
newspaper. The sorry episode was a blatant
violation of the First Amendment. by Barnie Day
We
Need a Governator, Too. Virginians
are fooling themselves if they think they're much
better off than California. Our politicians have
jacked up spending even faster than Gray Davis and
a liberal legislature. by Stephen Moore
Shoot
MCI/Worldcom? Busting
up Virginia's largest telecom company
would overlook the guilty, punish the innocent and
hurt consumers. Only competitors would
benefit. by Richard Wagner
Bad
Company. When
Fairfax County Supervisor Gerry
Connolly did
consulting work for a Northern Virginia business, was
there
a quid
pro quo for
his later zoning vote on two luxury high
rises?
by Phil Rodokanakis
Blair’s
Reward?
Why
is the U.S. sending vessels in the James River
ghost fleet all the way to the U.K. for disposal?
Can't you Yanks find someone to clean up the
environmental wrecks yourselves? by Frank
McConnell
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
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October 20, 2003 -
Demand-Side
Economics.
The
government remedy for traffic congestion is to increase
supply by building more roads. Craig Franklin's solution
is to use real-time traffic data to manage demand. by
James A. Bacon
si-'kyur-et-e.
The
pronunciation guide in a dictionary shows just how
difficult security is to define and maintain.
But rest assured that
Virginians are on the case. by Doug Koelemay
Baliles
Gets It Wrong Again. Virginians
distrust government, the former governor says,
because agencies have been starved of funds -- in
other words because Virginians aren't taxed enough. by
Patrick McSweeney
Fraying
at the Edges.
Mark Warner’s
rural strategy helped get him elected governor, but "tax
reform" that favors rural communities may
alienate Northern Virginia. by Patrick McSweeney
Warner
vs. Allen... Earlier
this month I went fishing. Look what the boy landed!
by Paul Goldman
The
Myths that
Blind Us.
To
solve many the most pressing problems of
contemporary society, citizens must abandon
fallacious beliefs that guide their everyday
actions and perpetuate dysfunctional human
settlement patterns. by E M Risse
Gliding
on Ice. Jerry
Baliles makes the job of being an ex-governor look
easy. When's he's not running Hunton & Williams'
international legal practice, he's reshaping the airline
industry or transforming education in Patrick
County. by Barnie Day
Dress
Rehearsal. Think
of Hurricane Isabel as a trial run for a possible
terrorist attack. The storm exposed significant
flaws in Virginia’s disaster-response systems.
by Fred Williamson and Joanna Hanks
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
Nice
and Curious Questions. Where, exactly, is
the center of Virginia? by Edwin S. Clay III
Readers
Respond. Point-Counterpoint
on the Appalachian School of Law
--
October 6, 2003 -
Law
Schools and Baseball
Stadiums? Virginians
still don't get it: To compete in a globally integrated
economy, they must channel scarce resources into
institutions that promote regional productivity and
innovation. by James A. Bacon
Alabama-izing
Virginia. If
no-tax leaders in Virginia
want us to be more
like Alabama, they shouldn’t skip the rest of the story.
by Doug Koelemay
The
Scandal That Won't Die. It's
looking like Republican leadership made Ed
Matricardi the fall guy in the eavesdropping
scandal. The GOP still needs to come clean. by
Patrick McSweeney
Partisan
Blather. Blaming
Republicans for the run-up in state and local
indebtedness smacks of Democratic demagoguery.
There's plenty of blame to go around. by Patrick
McSweeney
Mark
Warner vs. George Allen. Professor
Larry Sabato will tell us in 2007 whether they ran,
who won and why. But for a look ahead, we asked Paul
Goldman, our fearless prognosticator, to handicap
the odds in 2003. by Paul Goldman
We’re
Not Broke,
Just Half-Assetted. Working
hard to build your estate? If you discount your
share of local, state and federal government debt,
you’re not worth as much as you think. by Barnie
Day
When
Disasters Have Names. Isabel
struck Poquoson a heavy blow, but the community
– neighbors, churches and public officials –
quickly organized in the spirit of mutual
assistance. by James Atticus Bowden
A
Vote for Howell...
Is a vote for
higher taxes. Reston's Janet Howell hates
"big government" when it curtails
abortions, but she doesn't mind raising taxes to
pay for spending programs. by Phillip Rodokanakis
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
Readers
Respond
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September 22 --
Ill
Wind. Virginians
acquitted themselves well after surviving the worst storm
in a generation. But the question lingers: Was some of
the damage and
disruption preventable?
by James A. Bacon
Power
to Choose. After
Isabel struck, electric consumers just wanted
their power restored. But the SCC, which recently
dissed deregulation, should take a longer view of
the future of the electric-power industry. by
Doug Koelemay
Bad
Moody’s. Some say Virginia’s budget outlook
is improving. But with the state on the Moody’s
watch list, Gov. Warner should be applauded for his
fiscal caution. by Patrick McSweeney
A
Blast from 'Bama. Alabama
voters just voted down a big tax increase. What is it
about "no tax hikes" that Virginia
politicians don't understand? by Patrick
McSweeney
Scatteration.
Virginia's
Countryside is dying the
death of a thousand small cuts. Scattered
urban land uses are eroding the foundation for a sustainable future.
by E M Risse
The
Moody's Blues.
The
Moody's decision to put Virginia on credit watch
could prove disastrous to the Democrats' reputation
for fiscal responsibility -- unless Gov. Warner
turns the tables on the Republicans. by Paul
Goldman
Finger-wagging
Partisan? Moi? Ross
McKenzie's recent jab at me is best seen as a
back-handed maneuver to distance himself, and the Times-Dispatch,
from Bob McDonnell and the far right wing of the
GOP. by Barnie Goldman
Phantom
Budget Cuts. Politicians
claim they've whacked $6 billion in state
expenditures. Bull twinky! The
only thing they've cut is the anticipated rates of
increase, while state spending grows unabated. by
Phil Rodokanakis
Hunting
Buffalo, Raising Cattle.
Far
Southwest Virginia needs to shift economic
development priorities from bagging out-of-state
investment to tending home-grown business. by
Chad Miller
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September 8 -
The
Silent Migration.
Taxpayers
have been leaving the inner cities for decades. Now
they're leaving the inner suburbs. The trend bodes
ill for the localities where a majority of
Virginians live. by James A. Bacon
AAA!
XXX!
Harry
Potter might ask Mad Eye Moody for a look at the
Budget Shortfall That Must Not Be Calculated, but
the investor service now says “Watchlist” for Virginia’s
bond rating right out loud. by Doug Koelemay
Who's
in Control Around Here? Some
say that the cost of the state budget is driven by
factors beyond the state's control, ergo, taxes must
be raised. Don't believe it. by Patrick McSweeney
Coming
to a Courthouse Near You... Enjoying
Alabama's flap over the Ten Commandments? Just wait
until someone tries to expunge God from Virginia's
Constitution. by Patrick McSweeney
Wild Abandonment.
A short-term focus causes
developers, consumers and municipal
governments to abandon places that could become
high-quality, well-located places to live, work
and seek services. by E M Risse
No
Car Tax for Life?
Gov.
Warner -- and our children -- may be in for a real
"Education for a Lifetime" if the Bush
jobless recession is really over as some predict.
Has the time come for the "Put K-12 First"
law? by Paul Goldman
Let
D.C.
Build the Ball
Park. Anthony
Williams wants to raise taxes in Washington, D.C.
to build
a $400 million, major league ball park. Taxation with representation may not be the answer after all.
by Ronald D. Utt
Our
Cup Runneth Over. The
state's revenue glass is more than half full and
soon may be overflowing. The
reported $55 million
surplus understates the real picture. So,
why are politicians ignoring the good news? by
Steve Haner
Reinvesting
in Rail.
Railroads
won't upgrade track for the purpose of getting
trucks off Virginia highways. That's why the
Commonwealth needs a Rail Transportation
Development Authority. by John C. Edwards
The
Rest of the Story.
Contrary
to the possible impression created by my last
column, the Warner administration is re-evaluating
the way it manages the state's real estate assets. by
James A. Bacon
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
Readers
Respond
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August 25 -
Anybody
Want a Used Prison? Before
raising taxes, could we please implement
recommendations of the Wilder Commission -- like
rationalizing the state's far-flung real estate
portfolio? by James A. Bacon
More
Cabinet Space. The
idea of creating a Secretary of Agriculture is
sprouting again, to the potential benefit of every
sector and region of Virginia.
by Doug Koelemay
The
Man with No Shame. John
Chichester ducked the tax issue during his
re-nomination fight, but his recent remarks will
make the "t" word a hot topic in the 2003 General Assembly
elections. by Patrick McSweeney
Ready,
Aim, Shoot Foot! What
gives with the Virginia business leadership's
support for higher taxes? Taxes kill jobs. And the
state hasn't begun to exhaust cost-cutting
measures. by Patrick McSweeney
Commuter
Tax? Yes!
A
commuter tax is a great idea -- but only if it
incentivizes commuters, employers and
municipalities to create communities with a
balance of jobs and housing. by E M Risse
Outsource
More, Govern Better. Florida
is saving millions of dollars annually by
out-sourcing H.R. functions to the private sector.
Why doesn't Virginia? by Geoffrey F. Segal
Bringing
VITA to Life.
By
streamlining state information-
technology
functions in a consolidated agency, tech secretary
George Newstrom aims to build the premier state IT
organization in the country. by Joyce Wise Dodd
Show
Me the Money.
Despite
extravagant claims, small business programs stimulate
little economy-wide job formation or wealth
creation. Mainly, they help lucky beneficiaries
at the expense of their competitors. by William
C. Wood
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
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August 11 -
Voting
with their Feet. Judging
by recently published "domestic
migration" numbers, Virginia's ability to
attract human capital deserves a polite but
restrained round of applause. by James A. Bacon
Let’s
Get Real. State
Senator John H. Chichester went straight to the
bottom line in his address to Virginia
FREE,
much to the relief of the business community. by
Doug Koelemay
Sen.
John Chichester's speech to Virginia FREE.
Showing
Cleavage.
To
maintain their electoral majority in the South,
Republicans must maintain clear differences with
Democrats on taxes, guns and traditional
values. by Patrick McSweeney
The
Quicksand of Tax Reform.
Finding
an appropriate tax mix for Virginia's localities is
no easy matter. Legislators should approach the
challenge of restructuring local government taxes
with caution. by Patrick McSweeney
Where
is Northern Virginia?
There
are multiple definitions of the subregion known as
Northern Virginia. Informed discussion is
difficult if you don't know which one you're using.
by E M Risse
Virginia
Pundit Watch by Will Vehrs
Readers
Respond
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July 28 -
Blundering
in the Dark.
How
competitive is Virginia at attracting the innovators
and wealth creators who drive the economy forward?
We don't know. And we don't even know how to find
out. by James A. Bacon
Contact
Sport.
Efforts
to recruit a major league baseball team to
Northern Virginia have run into resistance. But as
Yogi Berra might say, the game isn't over until
it's over. by Douglas Koelemay
Privatizing
Prisons. The
experience of other states shows that privatizing
prisons reduces correctional costs. Potentially,
Virginia could save $130 million by opening more
of its facilities to competition. by Geoffrey F. Segal
First
Principles. As
debate heats up over tax restructuring, Virginians
need to think about the underlying principles of
their tax system. by James Atticus Bowden
The
Growth Control Debate.
Virginia
localities have all the authority they need to
manage growth effectively. All they need is the
will to use their power wisely. by Douglas R. Fahl
A
Love-Hate Relationship.
Richmond
is a comfortable place to live, but college grads
say it lacks diversity and excitement. Without an attitude adjustment,
the region could lose its best and brightest. by
Alina Massey
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
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July 14 -
The
Uglification of Virginia.
Sprawl
is eroding the Commonwealth's exceptional rural
landscapes. Anyone concerned about Virginia's
quality of life and economic competitiveness should
be worried. by James A. Bacon
Comfortably
Numb. Until the pain emanating from
under-funded state programs exceeds the pain of
change, tax reform is doomed. by Douglas
Koelemay
The Housing Dilemma.
Most
people want affordable,
accessible housing for all Americans -- as long as
the poor don't live near them. The current
governance
structure is
incapable of solving the problem. by E M Risse
A
Workable Plan to Harm Minorities
and the Poor.
"Smart
Growth" attacks home ownership and
automobility, the indispensable tools of upward
mobility in American society. by Randal O'Toole
The
Artists Speak.
In
an open letter to the city of Richmond, four writer-musicians enumerate local public policies
that will foster artistic creativity and the
growth of the "creative class" in the
region. by Don Harrison, Scott Burger, Don and Ewa
Beaujon
Budget
Cuts? What Budget Cuts?
For
all the cries of fiscal distress, state and local
taxes are at record levels. In recent years, most
new revenues have gone to education and social
services -- only a fraction to transportation. by
Arthur Purves
It's
Even Worse than We Thought.
The
Center for Politics has
released some statistics regarding the upcoming
General Assembly contest that should prove
depressing for anyone who values vigorous,
two-party competition in Virginia. by Larry
Sabato
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June 30 -
Lean
Manufacturing. As
Virginia manufacturers confront the challenge of
overseas outsourcing, they aren't pleading for
subsidies or protection -- they're striving for
world-class productivity. by James A. Bacon
A
Feast for Futurists. Showcasing
the work of 25 scientific teams, the research summit of
Virginia's Institute for Defense and Homeland
Security created a model for promoting
R&D and economic development. by Doug
Koelemay
What
Happened to Tax Reform? If
his accomplishments so far this year are any indication,
Gov. Warner may go down in history as the
"sports" governor. by Patrick McSweeney
Put
an End to Open Primaries.
Mark
Warner helped defeat conservative General Assembly
candidates by encouraging cross-over voting by
Democrats -- reciprocating previous GOP tactics. The
practice needs to end. by Patrick McSweeney
Access
and Mobility.
There
will never be enough money or transport facilities
to ward off traffic congestion without fundamental
change in human settlement patterns. by E M
Risse
The
Incredible Shrinking Transportation Fund.
Adjusted
for inflation, the gasoline tax brings in less
than two-thirds the money per motorist it did in
1987. And people wonder why we have a
transportation crisis! by Steve Haner
A
Trust Betrayed. The
Commonwealth has stripped the James Monroe
Memorial Foundation of authority agreed to in
1947. Donors beware: The state may not always
honor its agreements. by G. William Thomas Jr.
IT
Train Wreck.
The
new Virginia Information Technology Agency looks
good on paper. But there's every sign that it will
become the same blundering, bureaucratic behemoth
that it replaced. by Eddie Capra
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June 16 -
Never
Give Up. The
$66 million Broad Street project is crucial to
downtown Richmond's redevelopment. Raising the funds
from private investors took guts, perseverance and
blind obstinacy. by James A. Bacon
What
Happened Tuesday?
Virginia’s
primary elections June 10 produced individual
triumphs and disappointments, but no real
surprises. by Doug Koelemay
Beaten
But Not Defeated.
Conservative
challengers to powerful GOP incumbents may have been
defeated in last week's primaries, but they aren't
going away. by Patrick McSweeney
Barter
Jump Starter.
Careful
development of the Barter Theatre's village green
in downtown Abingdon could promote tourism in the
quaint, historical town and, potentially, the rest
of Southwest Virginia. by Joyce Wise Dodd
-
June 9 -
Thrill
Ride. Driving
along I-81 can give you an adrenaline rush. So can
the cool, creative proposals for addressing traffic
congestion on
Virginia's longest Interstate highway. by James
A. Bacon
Radical
Pragmatism.
Will
Marshall, a
national Democratic reformer,
advocates a practical, problem-solving approach to
governance. His principles apply to Virginia as
well as the nation. by Doug Koelemay
A
Primary Test for Business Elites.
Virginia's
business leaders, advocates of big government in
Virginia, are pouring resources into protecting
their favorite incumbents against challenges by the
GOP rank and file. by Patrick McSweeney
Chichester's
Unreported Contribution. Is Larry Sabato worth 10 times more than Julia
Roberts? by Paul Goldman
Real
Racial Profiling.
Some
politicians want to confer tribal status upon
Virginia's eastern Indians. Such a designation
would create a race-classification system
reminiscent of Jim Crow. by James Atticus
Bowman
Bacon
Bytes:
Virginia
Is Slipping in
Broadband Deployment
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
June 2 -
What’s
It all About, Alfie?
There's
more to life -- even political life -- than low
taxes. People
want prosperity,
which includes higher incomes and a lower cost of living.
by James A. Bacon
Here
Comes the Sun. The
sun finally shined on Virginia this week, and lots
of new mothers may be naming their baby boys
Ray.
by Doug Koelemay
A
Losing Strategy.
Every
election year, political consultants counsel
politicians to play to the middle. But what wins
elections is voter turnout spurred by sharp,
issue-driven campaigns. by Patrick McSweeney
Fiscal
Straight Jacket.
Candidates
Wilder, Warner bought my strategy of honest talk on
fiscal issues. Terry, Beyer didn't. Now comes 2005.
VA's budget is not "balanced"; it
has a $4.5 billion structural deficit. by Paul
Goldman
Earth
Day Revisited.
Environmental
quality is getting better -- and will continue to
do so as long as we safeguard the institutions
that create wealth and support the advance of
science and technology. by William C. Dennis
Scuttling
the Ghost Fleet.
Seventy
aging warships at the mouth of the James River are
an environmental disaster waiting to happen. Bay
Bridge Enterprises is backing a proposal to convert
them to scrap. by Mike Thomas
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
Readers
Respond
-
May 26 -
The
Third Crossing. A
third bridge-tunnel in Hampton Roads is the most important
transportation project in Virginia. Tolls may make
it financially feasible. by James A. Bacon
160
Identical Twins in
Prison!
What
reads like a headline ripped from the Virginia
Enquirer really illustrates how far the
crime-fighting potential of the Commonwealth’s
DNA databank has come in 14 years. by Doug
Koelemay
The
Morning After.
Jerry
Kilgore is suffering repercussions from his fling
with pro-abortion forces. His ruling on the
"morning after" pill may jeopardize his
standing among pro-life Republicans. by Patrick
McSweeney
Beyond
The Clear Edge.
The
best way to preserve
Virginia farms, forestry and rural landscapes from
destruction is to change the tax policies
that encourage scattered development. by E M
Risse
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
May 19 -
Taxula
Rasa.
Virginia's
gasoline and real estate taxes don't just pinch our pocketbooks -- they drive up the
cost of government. It's time to wipe the slate
clean and start over. by James A. Bacon
Conscience
of the Commonwealth.
His
inauguration as president
of the Northern Virginia
Community College
gave Robert G. Templin, Jr. another
forum to champion both opportunity and pragmatic
action. by Doug Koelemay
Time
Bombs.
Political
subdivisions of the state are issuing debt with
informal assurances that, if needed, the state will
back them up with tax revenues. This reckless
fiscal practice could explode. by Patrick
McSweeney
Workforce Wobbles.
Employers are hiring immigrants to fill jobs that Americans don't
want -- not just digging ditches but middle-class,
technical occupations. Virginians need to get a
grip on the new workforce realities. by Fred
Williamson and Joanna Hanks
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by William Vehrs
-
May 12 -
Growing
the Pie.
The
way to solve Virginia's structural budget deficit is
not to raise taxes -- it's to expand the economic
base. That means taxing consumption instead of
wealth creation. by James A. Bacon
No
Knowledge, No
Knowledge Economy. The
brief from the governor: Achieve research
excellence in Virginia. But first, a higher
ed summit had to rekindle understanding of why
R&D matters.
by Doug Koelemay
Integrity Schmegrity.
Virginia
once nurtured its reputation for the integrity
of its finances and debt. No longer. Legislators
have reneged on solemn promises to voters and bond
holders. by Patrick McSweeney
Saving
Social Security.
It's
time to protect social security from the politicians
in Washington. It will take a constitutional amendment
to do the job. by Paul Goldman
Capitol
Quagmire.
Terrified of taxes,
political
leaders are ducking Virginia's big issues. No one
offers a vision for addressing education,
transportation and health care. by Clayton
Roberts
Virginia
FREE Legislator Rankings
Regime
Change.
Let’s
hope the Iraqis don’t model their
democracy
on Virginia’s General Assembly
or things could get really ugly. Indeed, Baghdad
on the James could
stand a little shock and awe itself. by Terry
Riley
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
May 5 -
A
19th Century Tax Code for
a 21st Century Economy. Virginia's
tax structure combines the inertia of century-old
institutions with the favoritism of special-interest
politics. We need to tear it down and start
over. by James A. Bacon
Hellfire
and Spamnation. Virginia
legislation making fraudulent, unsolicited,
bulk e-mail a felony represents a triumph of the
practical, problem-solving New Politics of the New
Economy. by Doug Koelemay
Government of the Elite, By the Elite.
A healthy electoral
system gives voters choices.
In Virginia,
gerrymandered districts stifle political competition
and engender electoral apathy. by Patrick
McSweeney
The
Great Dissenter.
Goldman
warns Virginia Democrats: Mark Warner is
gambling his future -- and that of the state party -- on
increasing state taxes under the code name of
"tax reform." by Paul Goldman
When Special Interests
Rule. The
city of Hampton
took land from the Ottofaro family then flipped it
to the developer of a shopping center. The
condemnation make a mockery of private property
rights.
by Donald J. Kochan
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
April 28 -
The
Five Instabilities. Companies
outsourcing manufacturing to China
may be in for a nasty surprise. Disorder in the People's
Republic soon could disrupt supply chains originating there.
by James A. Bacon
Mad
Hatter’s Tea Party.
Anti-tax zealots in
Fairfax County are protesting
property taxes,
but the logic of
their tea party invites comparisons to
Alice in Wonderland, not the remonstration in
Boston Harbor. by Doug Koelemay
A
Better Way to Finance Higher
Education.
It's
time to wean colleges from state subsidies and make
them more responsive to the marketplace. by
Patrick McSweeney
The
Twinky Strategy. Revealed
here: The GUV's secret plan to hand the GOP its
lunch on "tax reform." by Paul Goldman
School
Choice and Taxpayer
Relief. School
choice in Virginia would save taxpayers money,
allow more kids to afford private schools -- and provide
more
money per pupil for public schools. by Carlisle
E. Moody
Virginia
Pundit Watch. By Will Vehrs
-
April 21-
Too
Small to Govern? Highland
County, population 2,500, tests the limits of
Virginia's system of local government, which
presupposes a tax base large enough to support
mandated services. by James A. Bacon
The
Politics of Culture. The
furor over looters ransacking Iraqi antiquities
parallels the concern driving the
Commonwealth's own efforts to preserve its past
and extend it into a new future. by Doug
Koelemay
Fiscal
Nicotine.
Like
other states, Virginia is addicted to revenues from
the tobacco settlement. That gives the Commonwealth
a stake in the health of cigarette manufacturers. by
Patrick McSweeney
400
Years Later.
Money
alone won't fix up Capitol Square. Despite
four centuries of history, Virginians don't have a
single statue honoring a woman or African-American
on the Capitol grounds. by Paul Goldman
The
Green
Coast. Northampton
County
on the Eastern
Shore
is reinventing itself as an environmentally and economically
sustainable community.
by Daniel K. Slone
Charter
Non-Starter.
Charter
schools are creating educational options around
the country, but they face legal and institutional
resistance in Virginia. by Chris Braunlich
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
April 14-
Creative
Writing.
The
James River Writers Festival is more than a
celebration of Richmond's literary heritage. It's
cutting-edge economic development in the era of
the Creative Class. by James A. Bacon
Pull
Down Dillon's Rule. In
a dynamic economy, communities need greater
flexibility in spending public revenue to provide
citizens the public services they need. It's time
to scrap the Dillon Rule. By Douglas Koelemay
True
Progress for Minorities.
Obsession
with symbolic issues like cross burnings distract
African-Americans from focusing on issues, like K-12
education, that can really make a difference in
their lives. by Patrick McSweeney
Reading
Dickie Cranwell's Mind.
The
former Democratic Majority Leader is said to be
considering a run for state senate, and Gov. Warner
regards him as key to his 2003 strategy. But there's
more to this political chess game than meets the
eye. by Paul Goldman
Useful
Idiots.
The
naïve students who demonstrated recently for more
education funding are tools of an educational union
whose mission is not improving education but
padding its power. by John Toivonen
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
April 7-
Nurturing
Networks. Marianne
Vermeer is trying to figure out how to create
entrepreneurial networks -- the crucial, though
hidden, girders of the Knowledge
Economy. by James A. Bacon
Redirected
Aggression.
A
late-night partisan clash between two veteran
Northern Virginia
delegates last week revealed the bitterness
lingering from the Gilmore-Wilkins budget disaster
of 2001.
by Doug Koelemay
Another
Warner Flip-Flop.
The
governor is critical -- after the fact -- of
Virginia Tech's new, race-neutral admissions policy.
Why was he silent before, when decisions were being
made? by Patrick McSweeney
Wilder
Aide Questions Bush/Warner Accord. Education Secretary
under Wilder says: "Some of us absolutely
disagree" with a Bush/Warner Accord on the
presence of racial discrimination in Virginia. by
Paul Goldman
Nobelity
at GMU. With
a second Nobel Prize recipient, George
Mason's department of economics has established a
worldwide reputation as an advocate of free
markets. by Donald
J. Boudreaux
Virginia
Pundit Watch.
by Will Vehrs
-
March 31 -
Doing
More with Less.
Despite
budget cuts, the
Warner team has an ambitious plan to promote
Virginia
R&D. The key: snagging more
federal funds for Virginia's research universities. by
James A. Bacon
Unwired and Proud.
Rural Virginia’s move to wireless
communications shows how fast new technology is
driving economic development thinking forward.
by Doug Koelemay
The
Governor Needs a Compass. After
more than a year in office, Gov. Warner has left the
public guessing what his guiding principles are --
or if he even has any. by Patrick McSweeney
Who
Scared the VA Tech Board? Warner,
Kilgore blamed each other. But the NYTimes says
Virginian Linda Chavez put the hocus pocus on the
Hokies over racial preferences. by Paul Goldman
On
War. Americans
are historically uncomfortable when the President
exercises military power in the national interest
but that’s the way the system is intended to
work – and in today’s dangerous world, let’s
be grateful it does. by Fred Williamson and
Joanna Hanks
Virginia
Pundit Watch.
By Will Vehrs
Readers
Respond
-
March 24 -
Why
War, Why Now? How
can Virginians justify the U.S. invasion of Iraq? Try terrorism, weapons of mass destruction,
human rights and preservation of an open global
trading system. by James A. Bacon
Advise
and Dissent. Freedom
of speech and democratic discourse about world
events are most important precisely at times when
American troops are committed to war. by
Douglas Koelemay
The
Old Right's Quandary. "Old
Right" conservatives are suspicious of war,
which tends to expand government power. But there's
no way for America to isolate itself from terrorism
and weapons of mass destruction. by Patrick
McSweeney
Marquis
De Lafayette, Call Home. French
legal objections? Come on, they're just smarting
over Lance Armstrong owning the Tour de France. The
U.S. is enforcing the violation of cease-fire terms
of the 1991 Gulf War. by Paul Goldman
Three
Questions. Oblivious
to the decisive role of human settlement patterns,
the United
States
has made itself dependent upon foreign oil and
blunders through the reconstruction of Middle
Eastern nation states.
by E M Risse
May
the War Pass Quickly. The
war on terror is real, but the case for invading Iraq is
less than compelling. Bottom line: Support the
president, pray for our soldiers and wish for a speedy
end to the war. by Joshua Lief
What
Would Mr. Jefferson Do? Virginia's
favorite president did not shy from the use of force.
His campaign against the Barbary pirates freed a
young nation from paying tribute to the pasha of Tripoli. by
James A. Bacon
Virginia
Pundit Watch.
by Will Vehrs
-
March 17 -
Car
Tax Lotto. Car
tax relief returned $819 million to Virginia
taxpayers last year. But the payoff was arbitrary, depending on where you live and
how expensive a car you drive. by James A. Bacon
A.D.D.
on Security.
Virginia
has mapped out a comprehensive plan to promote
homeland security. But Federal
Attention Deficit Disorder is leaving Virginia to
get by on duct tape. by Doug Koelemay
A
GOP Opportunity. Democrats
want to use tax "restructuring" as a way
to raise revenue. Republicans should go to the
voters this fall promising to make it a way to reduce
the tax burden. by Patrick McSweeney
Warner
vs. Kilgore on
Racial Preferences. AG says Guv favors
giving blacks illegal preferences over whites. SB
863 presents AG with the proverbial "money vs.
mouth" test, especially after his VA Tech
bombshell. by Paul Goldman
Fiddling
Around. Nero
fiddled while Rome burned. Virginia's legislators
diddle while the state and its regions sink into
dysfunctional governance. Only informed citizens
can hold them accountable. by E M Risse
Reality
Check. The
politicians in Richmond
act as if it were a Herculean achievement to balance the budget this
year. They omit
just one fact: Biennial spending is still $4 billion
higher!
by Steve Haner
Who
Loves Ya, Baby? Hey,
Bloomberg, tax this! Kudos
to the Warner administration for
bringing Philip Morris USA
to Richmond.
by James A. Bacon
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
March 10 -
Do
the Math. Defenders
of Virginia’s death tax say
repeal would cost the state tens of millions of
dollars. But their revenue analysis ignores the
real-world behavior of rich people.
by James A. Bacon
Facts,
Figures or Fulmination?
Political
punditry can yield almost any conclusion regarding
Virginia's political future. It all depends on how
deeply you want to drill beneath the surface.
by Doug Koelemay
Tone
Down the Budget Debate.
It
would be a mistake for Gov. Warner to veto the
entire budget submitted by the General Assembly. He
could accomplish many of his
goals through the judicious use of the line-item
veto. by Patrick McSweeney
Playing
Hardball with the
Kilgore Brothers.
Del. Terry Kilgore's vote sets up political
crossfire over renovation of Capitol Square. Goldman
offers a way to avoid the trap -- and for Dems to
win big. by Paul Goldman
Fooling
None of the People.
The
General Assembly balanced the budget without a
"tax" increase. But Virginians will pay
$300 million in new or higher fees -- many of them
mandatory. by Steve Haner
Helping
Hand for the Uninsured. An
innovative program provides primary health care to
hundreds of uninsured patients in Danville --
saving lives and relieving the strain on the local
health care system. by Kay Crane
Virginia
Pundit Watch. By Will Vehrs
Readers
Respond
-
March 3 -
Safer
Cigarettes. "Safe
cigarettes" sounds
like an oxymoron but it reflects a worthy goal. And
it could provide the rallying
cry for building a
world-class tobacco cluster in Virginia.
by James A. Bacon
Broken
Faith. Last
week, Gov. Warner backtracked on a campaign pledge
not to raise taxes. Politicians, it seems, have lost
all respect for the voters. by Patrick
McSweeney
Governor
Warner's "Peculiar
Priorities"? A
Washington Post column, so entitled, calls Gov. Mark Warner a
"wealthy dilettante without a cohesive
political agenda." His campaign strategist
responds. by Paul Goldman
Silver
Lining. Smart
growth initiatives were toast in 2003. If it’s
any consolation, they wouldn’t have worked
anyway -- and legislative defeat may set the stage for
electoral victory
this fall. by E M Risse
Virginia
Pundit Watch
by Will Vehrs
Readers
Respond
-
February 24 -
Crank
up the Nukes. Nuclear
energy and electric vehicles are a one-two
combination for energy independence,
a cleaner environment and a stronger economy. by
James A. Bacon
Gods,
Generals and Governors.
Film
making and historical tourism came together last
week for a gala benefit for five historical
foundations. What was good for the generals might
be good for the governors. by Doug Koelemay
Stirring
Class Envy. Democrats
are demagoguing a proposed repeal of the Virginia
estate tax. It's a losing strategy: Virginians don't
have a problem with people passing along their
wealth. by Patrick McSweeney
Candidate Warner vs.
Governor Warner. With today's Washington Post pointing to Gov. Warner's use of the
fiscal gimmicks he denounced in 2001, a campaign
advisor reviews the record and offers a way out of
the dilemma his current advisors have created. by
Paul Goldman
Creativity
Is Where You Find It. Even
rural regions can pursue a "creative
class" economic development strategy. But
success will require attention to lifestyle
amenities and a new openness to newcomers and
cultural diversity. by Fred Williamson and
Joanna Hanks
Florida-Style
Development.
Richmond
has most of what it takes to become the kind of
"creative" center that author Richard
Florida touts as the wave of the future. Biotech
could lead the way. by Robert Skunda
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
February 17 -
Environmental
Colonialism.
"Smart
Growth" restrictions on development make
housing unaffordable to thousands of minority
families and perpetuates residential segregation. by
James A. Bacon
Research
Drives Development.
Virginia has
taken a big step toward one of the first research
goals articulated by Gov. Mark R. Warner. Will the
General Assembly follow? by Doug Koelemay
Dissing
the Voters. The state constitution
requires voter approval of state-backed bonds. Yet
every year legislators come back with some new
scheme to bypass the public. by Patrick
McSweeney
Teaching
the Facts of Life.
First graders
get punished for not doing their homework. But the
governor, his advisors and editorialists get to beat
their breasts and praise themselves despite costing
the state millions. by Paul Goldman
Affordable,
But No Bargain.
"Affordable"
housing is often a code word for opening up cheap
land for development. But home owners pay a price
for the perpetuation of dysfunctional human
settlement patterns. by E M Risse
Virginia
Pundit Watch. By Will Vehrs
-
February 10 -
Building
a Better Place.
2900 Clarendon in
Arlington County is a model for tax-efficient,
environmentally friendly development that
contributes to neighborhood vitality. by
James A. Bacon
Secretary
of Foreign Affairs.
With a population of
more than seven million and a General Assembly
wrestling with international matters, why
shouldn't Virginia get its own foreign policy? by
Doug Koelemay
The
Democrats' Dilemma. With General Assembly
elections looming this fall, Virginia Democrats
find themselves with few strong issues to campaign
on. by Patrick McSweeney
The
Moment of Truth. Governor
Warner, the state Democratic Party and 10
Democratic senators face a defining moment once
the facts get out about the GOP plan to repeal
Virginia's estate tax. by Paul Goldman
Putting
Patients First.
Virginia's Medicaid
program needs reform. But restricting the growth
of effective, new prescription drugs just
displaces costs to elsewhere in the health care
system. by Michael Thompson
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
February 3 -
Florida
Hurricane.
Richard
Florida, the boldest thinker in economic development
today, blew through Richmond last week. The Holy
City may never be the same. by James A. Bacon
Con-Vergence.
Virginia
lawmakers propose a variety of responses to the
growing crime of identity theft, but controls on
public records threaten public access.
by Doug Koelemay
The
Wrath of the Brahmins. The
ruling caste in the General Assembly put upstart
Senator Ken Cuccinelli in his place. But their
arrogance does not play well with the public. by
Patrick McSweeney
Boucher
or Scott in 2005? Backers of the Two-Term Governor
law, including Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, need to
remember the Chinese proverb: Don't wish for
something, you might get it. by Paul
Goldman
Rethinking
Education. If
Richmond, or any other region, wants to build a
"creative class," one place to start is
with the K-12 schools. by Fred Williamson and
Joanna Hanks
A
Home for Homeland Security. The
search for a Homeland Security HQ sheds new light
on the ideal locations for airports, transit and
public facilities within the Washington
New Urban Region.
by E M Risse
Show
Us the Money.
The Virginia
Tourism Cooperative Advertising Program stimulates
significant tourism for a modest state investment.
The General Assembly should preserve it. by
Joshua Lief
Fewer
Resolutions, More Resolve. A deluge
of silly bills is costing taxpayers money and making
the General Assembly less effective. by Cynthia
Bailey
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
Readers
Respond
-
January 27 -
Bury
the Death Tax. Virginia
needs to repeal its inheritance tax. Otherwise,
the Commonwealth risks driving off the
entrepreneurs who build businesses, create jobs
and generate lots of taxes. by James A. Bacon
New
Lines, New Future. A new CIT report
outlines a number of strategies for rural
communities to wire their citizens and businesses
to the broadband future. by Doug Koelemay
The
Trust Deficit.
Some of
Virginia's elected officials didn't get the
message in November: Voters don't trust
tax-and-borrow schemes hatched behind the scenes. by
Patrick McSweeney
Have
They No Shame? In the name of decency, the
Dead Heads in the General Assembly should apologize
for using the manicured lawns of the State Capitol
as if it were an overflow parking lot for a Grateful
Dead concert. by Paul Goldman
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
January 20 -
Rethinking
Richmond. Greg Wingfield wants to shift Richmond’s
economic development focus from
corporate investment to human capital. The strategy
will require
a drastic shift in regional
priorities. by James A. Bacon
Conservative
and In Charge. The
economy may be growing again, but chronic budget
stress is forecast for years to come.
Republicans are discovering that winning elections
is not the same as governing.
by Doug Koelemay
Defining
Core Functions. There's a simple criteria
for deciding if a government program is essential:
What adverse consequences would occur if the state
shut it down? by Patrick McSweeney
Crisis
Equals Opportunity. Given
the rare sense of urgency created by the budget crunch, Virginia
has a chance to enact fiscal reforms that will
serve taxpayers for years to come. by Michael
Thompson
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
January 13 -
Save
the Wahoos! Erratic
state funding is hindering the University of
Virginia from building a world-class institution.
It may be time to privatize Mr. Jefferson's
creation. by James A. Bacon
Robbing
Peter to Pay Paul
. The
reluctance to deal with comprehensive tax and
revenue reform continues to trap the Commonwealth
in budget games. by Doug Koelemay
Fine-Tuning
the Constitution. Virginians should
re-think the way they elect lieutenant governors
-- but the one-term limit on electing governors
works just fine. by Patrick McSweeney
The
Car Tax Scam. Most
Virginians should be paying no car tax in 2003.
But Gov. Jim Gilmore pulled a bait and switch that
leaves average families paying more than promised
in his campaign five years ago. by Paul Goldman
Smoke
and Shadows. Rather than edify the public
about the dynamics behind Northern Virginia's
transportation congestion, The Washington Post
obscured the causes and touted harmful solutions. by
E M Risse
Conundrum
or Comedy? Virginia
is subsidizing rural economic development in a big
way. But until rural inhabitants change
fundamental values and priorities, the investment
may be a waste of money.
by Fred Williamson and Joanna Hanks
What's
Wrong With This Picture? If
the budget-chastened state is supposed to focus on
"core" services, why are economic
development programs, which generate new tax
revenue, getting whacked? by Joshua Lief
Public
Ivys in Jeopardy. If
legislators aren't careful, UVa and William &
Mary may go private -- spurning state funding,
hiking tuitions and recruiting students
nationally. Virginians will be the losers. by
Jack White
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will
Vehrs
-
January 6 -
Shake
'em Up! Investing
in K-12 may be the state's No. 1 priority, but that
shouldn't exempt public schools from budget cuts and
structural reform. by
James A. Bacon
Virginians
of the Year. Fifteen
women and men used the challenges of 2002 to show
Virginians what resilience, commitment and
leadership are all about. by Doug Koelemay
Where's
the GOP Agenda? Republicans
are likely to get inundated with legislative trivia
if they don't define their priorities. Then Gov.
Warner and the Democrats will set the tone for the
General Assembly. by Patrick McSweeney
Putting
K-12 Education First. Stop
the paralysis in Richmond. Here's a plan that tests whether
the Governor and General Assembly really believe in
putting our children first. by Paul Goldman
Enemies
of Excellence.
Republicans
preach about school "choice" but
impending legislation would undermine Virginia's
governor's schools where enrollment is voluntary
and excellence is a passion. by Floyd Farcus
Why
Johnny Can't Read. Professional
educators' organizations have long suppressed the
teaching of phonics in Virginia. That will change
with recent revisions to the Standards of
Learning. by Chris Braunlich
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
Readers
Respond
2002
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