2004
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December 13, 2004 -
Driving
Around in Circles. Virginia's
transportation system is bad and getting worse. Clueless
on how to fix it,
Virginia's political leadership is like the guy who's
totally lost and refuses to ask for directions. by
James A. Bacon
No
Waiting for Huang. Virginia's
new Secretary of Technology has lost little time
putting his imprint on Virginia's high-tech
policy. Eugene Huang's priorities include life
sciences, nanotechnology, broadband and IT. by
Douglas Koelemay
Capitalist
Commune. DuPont
operates one of the leanest manufacturing facilities
of its globe-straddling
empire in Richmond, Va. The secret: a
high-performance work system that obliterates
management-worker distinctions and treats everyone
as equals. Sponsored content.
Followship
or Leadership? Virginia
has plenty of risk-averse leaders willing to peddle
more-of-the-same solutions, but very few courageous
enough to
articulate the hard truths or push for innovative solutions.
by Patrick McSweeney
A
Bad Idea that Just Won't Die. Once
again we're hearing that Virginia needs two-term
governors to carry out long-term reforms. But sound
ideas don't require a cult of personality to be put
into effect. by Patrick McSweeney
A
Summing Up. No
one disputes the facts regarding the debilitating
impact of dysfunctional human settlement patterns
-- but Virginia opinion leaders ignore them all
the same. Ever optimistic, we suggest some light
holiday reading. by E M Risse
Weighing
the Pig. The
idea of launching a "Marshall Plan for
Transportation" has its limitations, but you
have to give Steve Baril credit for taking the lead
on transportation funding when no one else will. by
Barnie Day
What's
the Rush? Granting
Virginia's "Big Three" universities
charter status would make them less accountable to
the public. Such an irrevocable step needs to
be thoroughly debated. by Barnie Day
Governing
by Network. A
quiet revolution is transforming the way
government delivers public services. Instead of
doing everything itself, governments are out-source
more work to the private sector. by Michael
Thompson
Warner
and the Wild One. Doug
Wilder won the mayoral election in Richmond with
80 percent of the vote. You'd think that would
make him a hero in the Democratic Party. by
Steven Sisson
Warner's
White House Adventure. The
Warner-for-President movement is gaining momentum
as Virginia's governor positions himself as the
blue-state candidate with red-state appeal. Hang
on to your wallet! by Steven Sisson
The
Taxpayers' Nemesis. Delegate Jim Dillard, a
Democrat in Republican clothing, has consistently
supported higher taxes. Fortunately, Michael
Golden will oppose him next year. by Phillip
Rodokanakis
More
of the "Same Old, Same Old".
Last
week's conclave in Richmond dedicated to
generating "creative" discussion on
transportation solutions served up the same half
truths, mistruths and stale ideas. by Skip
Stiles
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
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November 29, 2004 -
Triumph
of the Political Class. Despite gushing
state revenues from economic
growth and tax hikes, the special interests still want
more. Don't believe their spin on the budget. Here's the
straight story. by James A. Bacon
The
Right Message. A great weekend for Virginia
collegiate football started with handshakes on the
50 and the defense of final exams.
by Doug Koelemay
Kaine
Shapes His Campaign. Virginia
may be a red state in presidential politics but
Democrats are still competitive at the state level.
Tim Kaine is getting out front on visible issues of
concern to Virginians. by Patrick McSweeney
The
Bill Is Coming Due. Government
policy over the decades has fostered an
auto-dependent transportation system. Virginia can't
afford to pump more money into that system without
fundamental reform. by Patrick McSweeney
From
Myth to Law. The
Private Vehicle Mobility Myth and Myth of the Big
Yard induce citizens to make millions of
small decisions that lead to dysfunctional
settlement patterns. Only by spreading the obverse
of those myths--natural laws--can we reverse the
trend.
by
E M Risse
Faith
and Values. Barnie
Day offers some friendly advice to the Rev. Jerry
Falwell on how to staff his Faith and Values
Coalition. by Barnie Day
Gawwwn
But Not Forgotten. They
don't make 'em like Hardaway Marks anymore. by
Barnie Day
Mother,
May I? Public
universities squander untold millions running
routine proposals through administrators in
Richmond. A chartered university law would spare
them much of the red tape. by Chris Braunlich
Dead
End. Philip
Shucet and Trip Pollard approach transportation
policy from different viewpoints. But they agree
on this: Virginia will never address traffic
congestion until it also reforms land use. by
Steve Sisson
Our
Valley, Our Road. The
special interests want to run a concrete
monstrosity the length of the Shenandoah Valley to
expedite truck traffic -- and stick us locals with
much of the bill. Thanks but no thanks. by
Steve Sisson
The
Warrenton Miracle. George
Fitch, mayor of Warrenton, proved he can cut
spending and lower taxes. Jerry Kilgore, who's
seeking the Republican gubernatorial nomination as
a status quo candidate, better watch out.
by Phil Rodokanakis
Put
the "Trust" Back in Trust Fund. The
General Assembly is giving serious thought to
protecting the Transportation Trust Fund from
fiscal raids during hard times. by Steve Haner
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November 15, 2004 -
Teaching
Old Dogs New Tricks. Mark
Warner isn't just shoveling money into Virginia's public
schools -- he's raising standards and holding
administrators accountable for results. by James A.
Bacon
The
Bio Rush Is On. Staking
its claim in the biotech turf, California will issue $3
billion in bonds to invest in stem cell research. The
initiative leaves Virginia -- and
everyone else -- flat footed. by Doug Koelemay
In
Defense of A
Strange Notion. Every
four years we hear the cry to abolish the electoral
college. It's worth remembering why Virginia's founding
fathers adopted it in the first place. by Patrick
McSweeney
Oops.
Instead
of the "structural budget deficit" cited
to justify $750 million in higher taxes, the state
is running a massive budget surplus.
The failure of Virginia's political class is
complete. by Patrick McSweeney
The
Skycar Myth. Small
airplanes have their uses, but the idea of
subsidizing their development as personal mobility
vehicles is unsound. There is no substitute for
functional human settlement patterns. by E M
Risse
He's
Baaack! Coming
out of political retirement, Doug Wilder is back in the
public spotlight as Richmond's new mayor -- with a
mandate to kick butt and take names. by Barnie Day
Taking
PART. If
Virginia wants to promote efficiency in state
government, it should adopt the Performance
Assessment Rating Tool that President Bush is
using to tame the federal bureaucracy. by
Geoffrey Segal
The
Roadman's Hammer, Part I. The
Blue Dog has a bone to pick with VDOT efforts to
engage the press and the public in its public
hearings. But he will credit Commissioner Philip
Shucet with being open to criticism. by Steven
Sisson
The
Roadman's Hammer, Part II. VDOT's
"citizen meetings" amount to little more
than showcases for road construction
projects. Citizens are mostly
powerless to derail projects they don't like. by
Steven Sisson
Surplus?
What Surplus? You'd think tax advocates
would be embarrassed by the state's impending $1
billion budget surplus. Not so. Won't last, says
Mark Warner. Still need to raise taxes, says John
Chichester. by Phillip Rodokanakis.
Hoo-ah!
A
solid majority of Virginians voted for George
Bush, with the Peninsula leading the way.
Celebration is justified, but Republicans need to
learn the right lessons from their victory. by
James Atticus Bowman
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
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November 1, 2004 -
Saving
the Mill Town. Globalization
is undermining the economies of small factory towns
across the South. Some say they’re doomed. If so, Danville hasn’t gotten the message.
by James A. Bacon
Self
Inflicted Bio-Terror.
Former
Gov. Jerry Baliles has a $12 billion plan to clean
up the Chesapeake Bay. That's a lot of money, but
we'd spend it if al Qaeda had done the damage
instead. by Douglas Koelemay
Getting
a Grip on State Spending. Gov.
Warner has yet to fulfill his promise to streamline
wasteful spending in state government. He could
start with his own office. by Patrick McSweeney
Teach
that Man Some Economics!
Congressman
Bobby Scott trashes President Bush's economic
policies, but he shows no understanding of the
factors driving economic growth and budget deficits.
by Patrick McSweeney
Dying
Young in Traffic. Why
are so many teenagers dying in auto accidents?
Because the lack of walkable, balanced communities
means young people have to drive a car to go
anywhere or do anything. by E M Risse
Fig
Leaf Bait and Switch. Culpeper
supervisors offered a novel justification for
closing a meeting to the public: They wanted to get
their stories straight. Incredibly, a judge bought
it. by Barnie Day
A
Cheap Lesson, As Lessons Go.
Score
one for the Republicans: Gov. Warner deserved to get
his hand slapped for the way he accounted for staff
expenses. Now, get over it -- it's not a big deal. by
Barnie Day
Keep
the Ball Rolling. Gov.
Warner has initiated important reforms to improve
efficiency in state government. It's imperative
that the next governor and General Assembly pick
up where he left off. by Michael Thompson
That's
"Jeffrey" -- With an "J".
The
Valley Democratic Party apparatus didn't see fit
to nominate a candidate to run against Bob
Goodlatte. But that's not stopping Martin Jeffrey
from running as a write-in candidate. by Steven
Sisson
Adventures
in Warnerland. Have
all the rules of common sense been suspended? The
Blue Dog reels from the illogic surrounding Demos'
positions on getting out the vote, state
accounting tricks and SOLs. by Steven Sisson
Misinformation
Campaign.
It's
bad enough that Fairfax County wants to issue $325
million in bonds to cover past fiscal
recklessness. But the county is spending tax
dollars to dupe taxpayers to go along. by
Phillip Rodokanakis
Not
Your Father’s Old Home Town. The Richmond
region has seen a sweeping turnover in
its business and civic leadership. Far
from being a haven of bluebloods, the city is wide open
to newcomers.
by James A. Bacon
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October 18, 2004 -
The
Small Aircraft Revolution.
Fasten
your seatbelts, folks, the commercial aviation system
built around big planes and big airports is in for a
bumpy ride. In the aviation of the future: Small is
beautiful. by James A. Bacon
Risky
Business. Virginia
has a promising base of biotech enterprises and
research institutions that could make it a player
in the life sciences -- if government and business
leaders can learn to live with the risk. by
Doug Koelemay
Hush
Little GOP, Don't You Cry.
Demos gonna sing you a lullaby... The "leak" that the Kerry campaign has
written off Virginia may be meant to put Republicans
to sleep. by Patrick McSweeney
Vote
or
Die... Or Maybe Catch Some Extra ZZZs.
High
voter turn-out doesn't help democracy if it's
greased by fraud or reflects the ill-informed
passions of the mob. by Patrick McSweeney
Rethinking
Metro.
Investing
in the METRO is the single best bet for improving
mobility and access in the National Capital
Subregion -- but only if it serves the interests
of citizens, not Business As
Usual. by E M Risse
Right
Wingers Get One Right.
Agreeing
to pay Michael Moore $35,000 was an atrocious
idea. The man can say whatever he wants -- but not
on the state's dime. by Barnie Day
Ham-Handed
in
Lynchburg.
Lynchburg College
has confiscated all copies of the student-run
newspaper. The 1st Amendment doesn't cover private
colleges, but I've got a plan... by Barnie Day
Regulation
Rollback.
Del.
Chris Saxman is promoting a flexibility-in-regulation
law that should curtail the spread of useless,
job-killing regulations. by Geoffrey
Segal
Baseball Been
Very
Good to Me.
But
not to Gov. Mollycoddle, who
just struck out in his bid to bring a major league stadium in Northern
Virginia. by Steven Sisson
Sucker
Punch.
The
Kerry campaign has baled out of Virginia, leaving
only a token presence. So much for Gov.
Mollycoddle's vow to make Virginia competitive in
the presidential race. by Steven Sisson
Readers
Respond
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October 4, 2004 -
Das
Humankapital. Karl
Marx would never recognize the 21st century
world in which human capital trumps financial capital.
This historic shift changes all the rules – including
those of economic development. by James A. Bacon
Let
the Camera Roll. George
Mason may or may not have agreed with film-maker
Michael Moore, but he would have been outraged by
the move to run him off from the university that
bears his name.
by Doug Koelemay
How
Conservatives Win and Lose.
Conservatives
are right to push an anti-tax agenda for Virginia. But
it's a mistake to appear negative and vindictive. by
Patrick McSweeney
High
on the Hog.
Flush
with higher taxes and a growing economy, the Warner
administration is expanding state government again.
Does Virginia really need a secretary and a
commissioner of agriculture? by Patrick McSweeney
Chasing
out the Mouse.
Fending
off the Disney's America project 10 years ago was
a victory -- but only a temporary one -- against
the relentless spread of dysfunctional human
settlement patterns. by E M Risse
Letter
to Jim Gilmore.
Frankly,
Virginia Republicans have been a mess since you
left. Who else but you can put the pieces back
together again? by Barnie Day
Huntah.
Hunter
Andrews was vain and quick-tempered, but also principled,
brilliant and a undisputed master of the Virginia
state budget. His legend will live long after he's gone.
by Barnie Day
The
Looming Teacher Shortage. Virginia's recruitment
and compensation practices are aggravating the
shortfall of math, science and special ed
teachers. Schools could learn
some lessons from the private sector. by Chris
Braunlich
Richmond
Road Warrior.
When
talking to environmentalists last month, Tim Kaine
came across as an advocate of smart growth. But in
2002, he backed regional tax increases for
building more roads. by Steven Sisson
Dirt Road to Hell.
It's
tough pinning down Jerry Kilgore on where he
stands on transportation and taxes, and for good
reason: The Republican Party is split, and he
needs a unified party to win in '05. by Steven
Sisson
The
Mom Who Beat the
Mob. Whether
she's defying the Russian mafia or battling to
preserve her beloved Virginia piedmont, Cate Magennis
Wyatt is a force to be reckoned with. by James A.
Bacon
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
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September 20, 2004 -
Silicon
for Asphalt. It's
no surprise that the state highway commissioner thinks
Virginia needs more money to build more roads. But
Philip Shucet also entertains heretical thoughts on how
the state can use technology to improve mobility. by
James A. Bacon
Posses
and Vigilantes. Virginians
may have to ride hard to keep their politics
local. by Doug Koelemay
Setting
the Standard. Virginia First's proposed public-private
partnership would deliver world-class IT services
to state government -- saving money,
improving security and promoting economic development in
Southwest Virginia. Sponsored content.
The Gay Agenda.
There is a gay agenda, and the tactics used to
advance it have become as hateful as the attitudes
of the alleged bigots that gay activists oppose. by
Patrick McSweeney
Asleep
at the Switch?
The
GOP may not think that Virginia is in play in this
year's presidential election, but a big push for Kerry
could help Mark Warner if (when) he challenges
George Allen in 2006. by Patrick McSweeney
Spinning
Data, Spinning Wheels. Traffic
congestion is actually worse than stated in the
widely touted 2004 Urban Mobility Study. And the
only real solution -- fundamental land use reform
-- is downplayed for reasons of self interest. by
E M Risse
Limiting
Out on Opening Day. Me
and Ol' Dawg Are Done. by Barnie Day
Fix
VDOT First. Don't
entrust VDOT with more money until the state
highway department can demonstrate it can deliver
projects on budget and on time. by Michael
Thompson
Virginia's
Least Wanted. The
Virginia Club for Growth has pledged
to campaign against the 34
Republican members of the General
Assembly who voted in favor of the
biggest tax hike in Virginia
history. by Peter Ferrara
Working
Papers, Shirking Papers. Public
officials shouldn't be distracted by citizen
requests to view their working papers. But once
documents are archived, they should be available
to the public. by Becky Dale
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September 7, 2004 -
The
Shucet Shake Up. Highway
commissioner Philip Shucet has transformed VDOT with his
financial and managerial reforms -- but there's still a lot
of roadwork ahead. by James A. Bacon
COVITS.
ko'-vits.
(21c) n. Commonwealth of Virginia Technology
Symposium. v. to acquire knowledge about
technology. By Doug Koelemay
Holding
the Ugly Baby. Debbie
Kurtz launched a business doing what her economic
development clients didn’t want to do: Work
the phones to develop leads. Now her
growing company is providing
turn-key marketing services. Sponsored content
1/30th
of a Loaf... is
better than none. Gov. Warner's one-time, $28
million tax give-back is welcome, even though it's
increasingly evident that his $1.5 billion-per
biennium increase was never called for. by
Patrick McSweeney
Stepping
Over the Line.
The
gay activist who "outed" Congressman Ed
Schrock engages in political extortion. Is there no
limit to the politics of personal destruction? by
Patrick McSweeney
Looking
for Mr. Goodgrowth.
The
time is ripe for a gubernatorial candidate to defy
the Business As Usual special interests and take
the case for Fundamental Change to the
voters. by E M Risse
The
Spectra Spectacle. Military
and industrial demand for Spectra is, well, spectacular.
There are so many applications
for the
high-performance fiber
that Honeywell
is running flat-out to keep up. Sponsored content
Tuesday
Morning Coming Down.
Ruminations
on Ed Schrock, Virginia's torrential rains and the
Republican Party convention in New York. by
Barnie Day
Beyond
SOLs.
Standards
of Learning represented the first step in holding
public schools accountable. The next step is "value added assessment" that tracks
performance of individual students and teachers. by
Chris Braunlich
Reality
Check.
Pick your own state budget surplus figure:
$677 million, $324 million or $0.
All three can be valid depending on what
you are trying to prove -- or obfuscate. by
Steve Haner
Lessons
in Leadership.
A
handful of Republican delegates defied the
tax-cutting zealots running the House of Delegates
to do the right thing: raise taxes to pay for
fundamental state services. by Jesse Ferguson
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
Readers
Respond
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August 23, 2004 -
Shockoe
Jocks.
Baseball
players in Richmond's Shockoe Bottom? A proposed
downtown stadium is the right project in the right place
-- if developers can pull it off without putting
taxpayers at risk. by James A. Bacon
Internet
Jobs, Not Taxes.
Virginia
shouldn’t
relinquish competitive
advantages in Internet retailing for unproven
theories of tax policy. by Douglas Koelemay
How
Far We've Fallen.
Americans
are losing their self reliance. Just compare the
life of hardworking, 102-year-old "Granny"
Grubb with Medicaid's latest: free stomach stapling
for the obese. by Patrick McSweeney
Trust
the People. Here's
a novel idea: Maybe politicians should tell people
what they really believe and let voters
choose the candidates whose views most reflect their
own. by Patrick McSweeney
The
Trap of Great Examples.
Good examples, even great examples,
of
development have failed to influence the descent
toward dysfunctional human settlement patterns and
chaos. by E M Risse
A
Second Letter to Kilgore.
It's
been a tough summer, hasn't it? That squabble with
your mama... Electronic eavesdropping...
The BIG money... Where do I begin? by
Barnie Day
A
Memo
to Kaine and Kilgore.
I'm
sorry, gentlemen, but when it comes to addressing
Virginia's transportation needs, your platitudes
just won't cut it. by Barnie Day
No
More Snake Oil!
The
truth isn't popular, but here it is: We cannot
improve our transportation system without raising
taxes. Anyone who says otherwise is peddling
poppycock. by Steve Haner
Make
Government Compete.
Corporations
don't do everything in-house, why should
government? Virginia could improve its process for evaluating outsourcing
opportunities by looking closely at Florida's. by
Geoffrey Segal
Sons
of a Laboring God.
Getting
Down and Dumb at Burt's Tavern. by Joe Bageant
Nice
& Curious Questions: The Fat of
the Land or: How Many Carbs in a Country Ham?
by Edwin
S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
August 9, 2004 -
Just
The
Tip of the Dipstick. Higher
gasoline prices hurt, but the big problem isn't OPEC --
it's the total cost of car ownership, made onerous by
the fact that Virginians drive 40 percent more than they did a
generation ago. by James A. Bacon
Broad
Horizons
in Nano Tech.
Could Virginia
be where the metal rubber meets the polymer road?
by Douglas Koelemay
The
VEA Shows its Hand.
The
teachers union wants it all: $1.5 million per
biennium from tax hikes plus the $1 billion a
year Gov. Warner claims he can save through greater
government efficiency. by Patrick McSweeney
Media
Myopia.
Articles
and editorials in Virginia's newspapers
consistently obscure the origins of traffic
congestion and legitimize the special interests
that benefit from raising taxes/building more
roads. by E M Risse
What
We're Up Against. Virginia
faces a $100 billion - with a "b" -
shortfall in transportation funding over the next 20
years. What do our presumptive gubernatorial
candidates have to offer? by Barnie Day
Paging
Paul Harris.
The
Democrats unveiled a new African-American superstar,
Barack Obama, at the national convention. A Virginia
Republican, Paul Harris, could be his match. by
Barnie Day
Keep
Regulators' Mitts off
Telecom.
Everyone
wants to stimulate investment in
telecommunications technology and broadband
infrastructure. Free markets will do it best. by
Michael Thompson
Copyrighting
Public Records.
Can
state and local governments copyright their own public records? The
idea may sound crazy, but a General Assembly
committee is studying that very issue. by Becky
Dale
Just
the Facts, Ma'am.
Ever
wonder about the claims made by environmental
groups? TSAugust, staffed by volunteers, sets the
record straight. by Donn Dears
Virginia
Pundit Watch
Readers
Respond
-
July 26, 2004 -
Alms
for the Arts.
Brad
Armstrong wants to raise $163 million in public and
private funds to support Richmond's performing arts and
downtown revitalization. The causes are worthy. But is
he asking too much?
by James A. Bacon
Getting
From Point T to
Point D. In
a testament
to a rare bipartisan effort, Virginia has finally
started moving on the Tysons-to-Dulles Metro rail
project. by Douglas Koelemay
Where's
the Watchdog? Republicans
have failed to wield their budgetary powers to
control the size of state government. It's time for
the General Assembly to exercise more
oversight. by Patrick McSweeney
Out
of Chaos.
There
is only one solution to intensifying traffic congestion --
Fundamental Change in human settlement patterns.
Other touted remedies only tinker at the edges. by E M Risse
The
Marriage Thing. Marriage
is a religious rite, not an institution that should
be regulated by government. The traditional American
family is in free-fall, and denying equal rights to
gays won't change that. by Barnie Day
1957.
It
was simpler then. It was a time for heroes, a time
of optimism, a time when vital truths were uttered.
Pay heed, Mr. President. by
Barnie Day
Goals?
Measures? Accountability? Public
education advocates characterize the $330 million
in new SOQ spending mandates as an
"investment." What return on
investment can taxpayers expect? No one can say
because no one is even asking the question.
by John Taylor
Results-Based
Government.
Taxpayers
should insist that government programs accomplish
what they're set up to do. Measuring results is a
powerful tool for holding agencies accountable.
by Geoffrey Segal
From
Competence to
Creativity. Leading Richmond
companies need a lot
more than technical competence these days. They’re
looking for employees who can thrive in
high-performance, high-creativity work environments.
by James A. Bacon
Nice
and Curious Questions: She’s Got
a Ticket to Ride, or: The Stock Car Ballet &
Other Virginia Art. by Edwin
S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
-
July 12, 2004 -
The
Network of Space. Technology
is transforming the relationship between people and
where they work. To fulfill the promise of telework, the
Commonwealth needs to invest less in asphalt, more in
bandwidth. by James A. Bacon
More
than Money. If the Commonwealth isn't
prepared to pony
up an extra $400 million a year to support higher
education, it must give universities more financial
flexibility and regulatory freedom. by Douglas
Koelemay
Republicans
Need a Bold Agenda. The
next House election will likely be a referendum on
taxes. Gov. Warner and the Democrats will speak with
a unified voice. Will the Republicans? by
Patrick McSweeney
Gays Discriminate, Too.
Gays
want the same marriage rights as heterosexuals. But you
don't hear them arguing to sanctify polygamy, incest or
pedophilia. by Patrick McSweeney
The
Perfect Storm.
Virginia has
the ideal combination of a strong state
transportation agency, uninformed municipal
control over land use and a clueless public
officialdom to ensure a dysfunctional road and
rail system get worse with each passing day. by
E M Risse
"Sweet
Spot" Government.
Virginians
don't want too much government or too little. The
challenge of governing is doing a good job of
providing basic services -- but no more. by
Barnie Day
Murmuring
Margraves of Conservatism. The Democratic don of dialectical
discourse tips his
hat to the Richmond Times-Dispatch for its
characterization of Del. Steve Landes. by Barnie
Day
Medicaid
Realities, Tort
Absurdities.
Malpractice
insurance and Medicaid reimbursements are pushing
Virginia to the brink of a medical crisis. by
Barnie Day
Warner
for VEEP? Virginia
pundits and Warner advisors said the governor would
be the hot VEEP candidate once his taxes passed.
But the bubble burst. Why? by Paul Goldman
Reform
a Priority at Last. House
Republicans are exploring a host of ideas for
reforming state government. Judging by Gov.
Warner's actions and Sen. Chichester's recent
statements, they may have allies. by Michael
Thompson
We
Didn't Mean to Do That.
The
press scorched the
House for
passing a bill exempting itself from the
Freedom of Information Act. But delegates had good
reason for the legislation even if they got hung
up in the details. by Becky Dale
Give
It a Rest.
Concern
about the "day of rest" snafu is a bit
overwrought, but the legislation still needs fixing. The
law discriminates against religions that don't honor the
Sabbath on Sunday. by Claire Guthrie Gastanaga
Virginia
Pundit Watch
-
June 21, 2004 -
One
More Time... Free
trade, even out-sourcing, is good for Virginia's
economy. The losers from open markets may be highly
visible but the winners are far more numerous. by
James A. Bacon
Connected
Development. Southside
and the Tobacco Commission are patting each other
on the backbone for their just announced regional
fiber-optic initiative.
by Doug Koelemay
Tripwire
Trailblazer. The Wildlife
Center of Virginia doesn't just patch up birds and
turtles. It's developing a system to track
wildlife-borne diseases - and protect humans from the
threat of bioterrorism. Sponsored content.
The
Phony Car Tax "Cap". Moody's
may have been impressed when lawmakers capped car tax
reimbursements at $950 million forever, but there's
nothing to stop a future legislature from changing
its mind. by Patrick McSweeney
Death
and Taxes.
Your
tax dollars at work: More Americans have died in traffic
accidents than in all wars in U.S. history. Rather than
subsidizing our automobile dependency, we should be
taxing it. by E M Risse
A
Letter to the Speaker.
With
all due respect, sir, how does the Republican Party
propose to run on an anti-tax platform? Only eight
House Republicans steadfastly held the line against
taxes this past session. by Barnie Day
Hope
Against Hope.
Jim
Gilmore sounds like a man who wants to run for office
again. If you're a Democrat, cross your fingers and pray
that he does. by Barnie Day
Biting
the Hand.
Their
criticism of Virginia FREE puts William
Howell and Morgan Griffith neck-and-neck in the
running
for the Dimwit Hall of Fame. VA FREE donates to Republicans two to one over
Democrats. by Barnie Day
Privatize...
for the Kids, of Course. Privatizing
non-core services like transportation, food
service and cleaning/maintenance could save
Virginia schools millions of dollars a year. by
Geoffrey Segal
Can
We Start Reforming State Government Now? Virginia's
pro-tax forces got their pound of flesh, $650 more per
year from the average family of four. If we
don't get serious about streamlining state
government, they'll be back. by Michael
Thompson
Back
in Play.
Why
on earth is John Kerry running campaign ads in Virginia?
Perhaps because the rapid growth of the state's
metro areas has changed Virginia's reliably Republican complexion.
by John Quintero
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
June 7, 2004 -
The
Death of "Live
and Let Live". The
Affirmation of Marriage Act shattered a
workable philosophy in Virginia that left gays in peace
but deferred to mainstream values. The legislation will
hurt our economy and do nothing to strengthen marriage. by
James A. Bacon
Promise
into Profit. ODU’s
wrestling match with maglev illustrates the
difficulty of engineering scientific principle
into a working product … and the necessity of
doing so.
by Doug Koelemay
Cleaning
Up With Clean Rooms. AdvanceTEC
is thriving in the business of designing
contamination-free work places. Its competitive
advantages: creativity
and a willingness to take risk. Sponsored Content.
Peoples
Republic of Virginia. In
passing the $1.4 billion tax hike, Virginia's
lawmakers started the long march down the road toward socialism
and serfdom. by Patrick McSweeney
Hijacking
the Language.
The
path to higher taxes and socialism begins by
co-opting the meaning of words. Look how politicians
today equate the word "invest" with higher
government spending. by Patrick McSweeney
Self
Delusion and Fraud.
Megaprojects
like the Springfield
interchange and Woodrow Wilson Bridge are
monuments to futility. They cannot improve
mobility in the face of dysfunctional human
settlement patterns. by E M Risse
Does
Moran Hate Jews? Of
course not. But the Washington Post surely
despises Moran and is using a tabloid journalism to
crush him with an unsubstantiated anti-Semitism
charge. by Paul Goldman
Plain,
Heathen Mischief.
Looking
for a good summer read? Pick up Martin Clark's novel
about the escapades of renegade Roanoke minister
Joel King. by Barnie Day
Dream
Team.
Fresh
after their recent legislative victory, state
Democrats are savoring the next election. A wealth
of talent could mean a strong ticket in '05. by
Barnie Day
Let
Me Spell it Out for You. Politicians,
like Dr. Watson, see but do not observe. Here's why
higher taxes in Virginia hurt economic growth and
job creation. by Gary Wolfram
In
Defense of Free Trade.
Critics
of free trade harp on the jobs that Virginians
lose to foreigners. They don't talk about the jobs
and business opportunities created by open access to the
world's markets. by Gerald L. Baliles
Two
out of Four Ain't Bad.
The
Budget Accord of 2004 funds
K-12 education and shores up Virginia's AAA bond
rating. But it provides no new money for
transportation and doesn't come close to reforming
the tax code. by Clayton Roberts
Nice
& Curious Questions: All
Shook
Up -- Virginia
Rumbles. by Edwin
S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
May 24, 2004 -
We
Are What We Build. The
United States is the richest country in the world. Why
aren't we enjoying our wealth more? Because, says New
Urbanism guru Andres Duany, we've made such a hash of our
man-made environment. by James A. Bacon
Open
and Shut. The
files on Virginia
campaign contributions are open, but the tax
records should stay shut. by Doug Koelemay
A
Crucible for Creativity. VCU's
expansion into the proposed Monroe Campus means more
than a bigger, better School of Engineering. It
represents the Richmond region's commitment to building
an economy based upon technological prowess and
entrepreneurial innovation. Sponsored content.
Built
to Last.
A
notable aspect of the Monroe Campus is the thinking
behind its architectural guidelines. The buildings will
be built for the ages and the streetscapes designed for
people, not automobiles. Sponsored content.
Constitution?
What Constitution?
Yes,
Virginia does have a state constitution, though you
wouldn't know it from the actions of the General
Assembly. by Patrick McSweeney
Budget
Wars: Phase 2.
With
tax revenues gushing -- even before tax hikes kick
in -- the pressure to cut state spending will
relent. The House of Delegates must keep the heat on
the Warner administration. by Patrick McSweeney
Where
the Jobs Are.
Despite
attention given to fast-growing counties on the
edge of the National Capital New Urban Region, 94
percent of new office space built in the Virginia
portion is within 20 miles of the urban core. by
E M Risse
We
Were Liberated.
What
Brown vs. the Board of Education meant to a
small-town North Carolina school 37 years ago. by
Barnie Day
Kilgore's
Turn.
Did
the politicians in Richmond redo the Gregorian
Calendar? If not, then the tax bill violates the
VA Constitution and the budget is not in balance. by
Paul Goldman
Shades
of 6th
Street Marketplace.
Building
a baseball stadium in Richmond’s Shockoe Bottom sounds like a lovely idea – except for the fact that
no one has done a lick of market research. by
Steve Toler
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
Readers
Respond
-
May 10, 2004 -
Step
up to Flex. One
"flex" car takes a half dozen other autos off
the roads. That's why Arlington County supports car
sharing as part of its strategy for dealing with traffic
congestion. by Jim Bacon
Education
Wins! The Commonwealth's new
budget puts the priority right where Virginians say it
should be. by Doug Koelemay
Workforce
Wizardry. Chmura Economics & Analytics has developed a
Virginia labor-market database with extraordinary
powers. Subscribers can conjure sophisticated analysis
with a few clicks of a mouse. Sponsored Content.
Can
the Republicans Regroup?
Ridden
with dissension after the 2004 budget debate,
Republican legislators may be licking their
self-inflicted wounds for a long time. by Patrick
McSweeney
They're
Baaaackk! Now
they want higher taxes for roads -- subsidies
for an inefficient transportation system that has
become too expensive to support. by Patrick
McSweeney
Were
they Listening?
Or Was it Just Luck? Nah,
they weren't listening. Still, the inability of
the General Assembly to raise taxes for
transportation gives Virginia one more chance to
get things right. by E M Risse
Double
Take. Excuse
me, what just happened? The Republican
legislature finally passed a budget but I'm getting
cross-eyed trying to figure out what they did and
why. by Barnie Day
Common
Sense. The
best thing coming out the 2004 General Assembly was
the cap on car tax relief -- a subsidy for
inefficient local government and a running sore on
state finances. by Barnie Day
Embracing
Technology.
Virginia
has moved to the forefront of implementing
information technology to cut costs and
increase effectiveness of state government. by
Jason Sajko
Well,
Bless Their Hearts. Today's
Methodists have lost their way. Jim Bowden's
mother, if she were around, would set them
straight. by James Atticus Bowden
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
April 26, 2004 -
The
Vision Thing.
Gov.
Warner and his pro-tax allies are winning the tax debate
because they’ve stayed on message with a coherent set
of principles. Their foes in the House have never
proffered an alternative vision. by James A. Bacon
Late
Fees
Explode at Video Stores!
The
millions of dollars Virginians pay for late
charges could spur a lot of competition, from
video on demand to high-definition television on
PBS. by Doug Koelemay
Sheep
to the Shearing.
The
muttonheads in the House of Dele-
gates, bleating in
protest every step of the way, are getting fleeced
on the tax issue. by Patrick McSweeney
Unfair
and Unbalanced.
While
covering the dueling press releases in the battle
over the budget, the state press corps has
totally missed some big stories. by Patrick
McSweeney
Liar's
Poker.
Let's
be honest: The culture of Wall Street, as chronicled in
the best selling book Liar's Poker, now dominates
politics in Virginia. by Paul Goldman
Yes,
but... That
sums up the response to my recent arguments for
Fundamental Change. Trouble is, any compromise with
"Business As Usual" condemns Virginia to
entropy and decay. by E M Risse
Tsunami
Coming! The
warring tribes that call themselves the Virginia
Republican Party had better settle their differences
over taxes or else there could be a big shake-up at
the polls. by Barnie Day
Last
Chance for Gooberville.
Virginia's
mill-town economy is dying, along with a way of
life. Rural inhabitants need to get over it -- and
either learn the skills required to
prosper in the 21st century, or pack it in. by
Joanna Hanks and Fred Williamson
Growth
in All the Wrong Places.
The
costs are adding up. New census data indicate that
Virginia should examine the costs of its
sprawling, land-gobbling pattern of development. by
Chris Miller and Stewart Schwartz
For the
Want of a Pizza.
Even
seemingly small tax hikes can have a big impact on
the people at the bottom of the economic ladder.
Some Republicans understand this, making them the
true populists. by James Atticus Bowden
Swallowed
by the Serbonian Bog.
Republicans
have ceded the environmental movement to
Democrats. Yet from the time of Teddy Roosevelt,
the conservation movement has reflected core
Republican principles. by Todd Benson
Nice
& Curious Questions: Happy Trailer
Homes to You
. by Edwin
S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
April 12, 2004 -
Straws
in the Wind.
Does
Virginia face untold billions of dollars in "unmet
transportation needs"? Only
if you ignore innovative experiments in traffic demand management
bubbling out of Northern
Virginia. by James A. Bacon
The
Numbers Are In! Here
are the official statistics -- straight from the Warner
administration -- documenting how the state budget has
increased in the face of a "$6 billion budget
shortfall." by James A. Bacon
r= A < BCD.
How
does this old formula help explain budget gridlock,
budget hopes and the difficulty of change in Virginia?
Read on... by Douglas Koelemay
Defining
The Debate.
Tax
advocates framed the budget debate as about funding
schools and roads -- issues that people care about.
Anti-tax forces never offered an alternative. by
Patrick McSweeney
IT
Savings Are Coming. Savings
from Gov. Warner's IT reforms will add up to $50 million by fiscal
year 2006. The sum
would have been larger if Republicans in the
General Assembly hadn't slowed the process down. by
Eugene Huang
McSweeney
Defends Column, Scolds
Warner administration. By Patrick McSweeney
Callahan,
Howell Save the GOP. The House leadership
has gotten the GOP a deal no thinking member of
the party can complain about -- especially when
they get to blame us Democrats for breaking out
promise not to raise taxes. by Paul Goldman
Remember
this Name.
Will
Inman. You'll see him on the cover of Sports
Illustrated one day. But you read about this
Danville pitching prodigy in this column first. by
Barnie Day
Why
IT Has Not Paid Off As
Hoped (Yet). Information
technology has not changed classroom teaching at
UVa, but it is streamlining administrative tasks
and opening up new ways for scholars to interact. by
Edward l. Ayers and Charles M. Grisham
Nice
& Curious Questions. Is Virginia All
Wet, or What Exactly is a "Run"? by
Edwin S. Clay III and Patricia Bangs.
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
March 29, 2004 -
What’s
a “Budget Shortfall? Gov.
Warner has cited the existence of a “$6 Billion Budget
Shortfall” as justification for higher taxes. Just
what is a “budget shortfall"? Your intrepid
correspondent digs for answers.
by James A. Bacon
A
Secret $11 Billion Surplus? Stories
are circulating of a massive stash of surplus state
funds in Virginia. Trust me on this one: If it sounds
too good to be true, it's too good to be true. by
James A. Bacon
One
Year Later... One
year ago, I wrote a column defending the U.S.
invasion of Iraq. We still haven't found any weapons
of mass destruction. How do I squirm out of this
one? by James A. Bacon
Down
and Dirty. Virginia
is a nice place, but don't drink the water. More
than half of our rivers and streams are polluted. by
Douglas Koelemay
Time
to Come Clean.
Mark
Warner wants to take credit for streamlining state
government -- he just doesn't want to share the
savings with taxpayers. by Patrick McSweeney
An
Open Letter.
While
caterwauling about the budget and tax
"reform", the General Assembly has
avoided addressing the fundamental issues. To initiate real change, here's where
we need to start. by E M Risse
The
Wall. The
General Assembly could use a little help with its conflict resolution skills.
by Barnie Day
Letter
to County Committee Members
and Friends. by Sen. Walter A. Stosch,
R-Henrico
Taxman.
"They
tell me you're a fat man -- you always take and
never give."
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
March 15, 2004 -
Free
the Virginia Three. A
tight-fisted General Assembly is crushing Virginia's university system. The answer isn't
higher taxes and state support -- it's more freedom. by
James A. Bacon
Bacon
Chided but Unrepentant. by James A. Bacon
Taking
Liberties. The
erosion of Virginia’s conservative values by new moral
dictators is proceeding at an alarming rate. by
Douglas Koelemay
Lean,
Green Carpet Machine.
Lees
Carpets in Glasgow is showing that economic
productivity and environmental stewardship go hand
in hand. Sponsored content.
Broken
Pledges.
Warner,
Chichester and other elected officials need to be
held accountable for breaking their promises not to
raise taxes. by Patrick McSweeney
Tax
Deform.
So-called
reform that "expands the tax base"
sounds like a nice way to pay for public services.
But growth in Virginia today is so dysfunctional that
it also drives up the cost of government. by E
M Risse
Stop
Holding Virginia Hostage.
The
General Assembly need not leave town without a
budget. The Rebel hereby offers a plan that will
keep government operating. Kaine and Kilgore, pay
attention. by Paul Goldman
I
Demand a Refund!
You
bunglers, you incompetents, you wattle-headed
hens! Your empty, anti-tax ideology has embarrassed
Virginia, made a
mockery of the General Assembly and made you look
the fool. by Barnie Day
One
Man's Gouging is Another Man's Salvation. Legislation
to cap prices after natural disasters is a bad
idea. Price controls disrupt market signals that
allocate scarce resources to those who need help
the most. by Donald J. Boudreaux
No
Plan, No Chance.
The
House of Delegates is Virginia's only bastion
against higher taxes. Unfortunately, its leaders
have yet to articulate a coherent defense of their
actions. by Phillip Rodokanakis
A
Victory for Verizon -- or VoIP?
Virginia's
dominant telecom provider won a court battle to
strike down an order forcing it to sell discounted
services to competitors. But that ruling may only
accelerate the rush to Internet-based technology. by
Robert H. Jackson
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
-
March 1, 2004 -
Paper
Cuts. The
politicians in Richmond still cite the "$6 billion
shortfall" in the last budget to justify raising
taxes for the next. But their spending "cuts"
barely went skin deep. by James A. Bacon
Got
to Pick a Pocket or Two. Central
characters from the musical adaptation of a
Dickens novel may have the best advice for budget
conferees in Richmond. by
Douglas Koelemay
Rampant
Redundancy. Like
many large organizations, state
government in Virginia is laced with waste. The problem
isn’t too many programs -- it’s the inefficient
and duplicative processes supporting those
programs. by Jeff Goins (sponsored
content)
GOP
Gotterdammerung.
Republican
leaders have forgotten the principles of limited
government that propelled them to power in the
General Assembly. We may be witnessing the twilight
of their rule. by Patrick McSweeney
Delusional
Thinking.
Politicians
in Richmond are peddling the fantasy that raising
taxes and building more roads will ameliorate
traffic congestion. Wrong. Higher taxes will just
perpetuate the Business As Usual practices that
got us in the mess we're in. By E M Risse
If
imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then
the WPost columnist who wrote "Virginia
Bends to the Will of Wall Street" Sunday was
praising Goldman's Feb. 16
column. Now our rebel asks... Has
the
High-Tax Lobby Cost Virginia its AAA Rating?
by Paul Goldman
Outside
the Hothouse and
Looking In. Political
junkies, it's time to lighten up: The fate of the
world does not revolve around the tax reform debate
in Richmond. by Barnie Day
A
Change Long Overdue.
It's
time to end the throwback to the doctrine of "separate but
equal," the perpetuation of one small-business
program for women and minorities and one for everyone
else. by Joshua Lief
All
This for 0.4 Percent?
The
proposed House budget spends almost as much money
as the "pro-tax" Warner plan but resorts
to a jumbled mix of new "fees",
closed "loopholes" and accounting
gimmicks. by Steve Haner
Sauce
for the Gander.
Big
Businesses are leading the cry for higher taxes in
Virginia. The Hamilton-Louderback bill would raise
funds by curtailing corporate exemptions from the
sales tax that everyone else pays. by Allen
Louderback
Tax Scam.
Virginia
could end up with "compromise" tax
reform amounting to $1 billion in tax increases.
But 12 pro-tax GOP senators should beware come
election time: Elephants never forget. by James
Atticus Bowden
Heading
for Divorce?
Abandoning
their grassroots GOP constituents, Republican
leaders in the Virginia Senate favor the
"needs" of Big Government and Big
Business over those of the people they want to
tax. by Peter Ferrara
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
Nice
and Curious Questions. Still Waters Run
Deep. by Edwin S. Clay III
Correction.
by William Kittredge
-
February 16, 2004
Questions
for the Governor. Gov.
Warner knows how to please a crowd when talking tax
reform, but he still hasn't made the case for a $1.2
billion tax hike. Here are five questions he still needs
to answer. by James A. Bacon
VoIP
and BPL Break Loose. While
Virginia
legislators contend with tax issues, two new technologies are
taking a wrecking ball to the regulatory system
for Virginia telecom.
by Doug Koelemay
Whose
Side is That Guy On? U.S.
Sen. John Warner undercut the Republican Party --
again -- with remarks last week that Gov. Mark
Warner construed as endorsing his tax-hike plans. by
Patrick McSweeney
Still
Going Strong.
Invented
more than 30 years ago, Kevlar
is the grandfather of the super fibers. But
innovations at DuPont’s Spruance plant in Richmond
keep
the high-strength material looking forever young.
The
Shape of Richmond's Future.
Without
fundamental change, the long-term outlook for the
Richmond New Urban Region is grim: traffic
gridlock, "sub"urban decay, escalating cost of
government services, and more. by E M Risse
The
Billion-Dollar Scare Tactic.
Gov.
Warner and his allies defend their tax plan by
saying "Moodys Made Me Do It." Are
Wall Street bond brokers running Virginia now? No, a
billion times no. The governor knows the truth. by
Paul Goldman
Thus
Begins the Republican Descent.
In
an act of unparalleled arrogance, Republicans in the
House of Delegates voted to exempt the legislature
from the Freedom of Information Act. by Barnie
Day
How
to Lose a AAA Bong Rating. Virginia
isn't on "credit watch" because its
taxes are too low -- it's because there's too much
state and municipal debt and default rates are
rising. by William Kittredge
Fog
Alert.
Flash
your high beams when lawmakers invoke
patriotism and parenthood. There's a good chance
they're trying to slip something by you. by
Steve Haner
Newspeak
in Richmond.
The
rhetoric emanating from the governor's office is
downright Orwellian: "Spending is Cuts,"
"Taxes are Prosperity." by Phillip
Rodokanakis
Truth
Squad.
In his State of the Commonwealth address in January,
Gov. Mark R. Warner made numerous misleading
statements to promote his billion-dollar tax hike.
Here are some examples. by Arthur Purves
Virginia
Pundit Watch. By Will Vehrs
-
February 2, 2004
The
Horror! The Horror! The
Commonwealth is slipping into a budgetary heart of
darkness. To save Virginians from themselves, Sen. John
Chichester is willing to enchain them with massive tax
increases. by James A. Bacon
Why
HOT is Cool.
Given
Virginia's fiscal realities, High
Occupancy Vehicle lanes with toll options may be
only the realistic model for improving Northern
Virginia's transportation system in the foreseeable
future. by Doug Koelemay
Let's
Try Spending Reform.
Tax
hike zealots argue that the state has exhausted
budget-cutting opportunities. That's just plain
wrong. Virginia could save hundreds of millions of
dollars with little pain. by Patrick McSweeney
Boosting
Biotech in Bavaria. A
recent life sciences seminar in Erlangen
put Richmond
's
life sciences sector on the global map -- and laid
the foundation for closer ties to the "
Medical
Valley
of
Germany."
No
Context.
The Washington Post could reforest the Amazon
with the paper it's wasted on transportation
issues. Without illuminating the underlying causes
of gridlock, the stories are worse than useless.
by
E M Risse
Flat-Earth Society Rides Again.
The
fiscal geniuses who brought us the VDOT retirement
fiasco and the state's largest budget shortfall are
lining up to attack Gov. Warner's tax reform. by
Barnie Day
Been
There, Done That. Watch
out, Virginia! Other states have increased taxes
to pay for government services -- and paid the
price in the form of slower economic growth. by
Richard Vedder
The
"Somewhere
Else" Tax.
The
governor's proposal to close the alleged
"nowhere income" loophole will likely
move the income -- and jobs of many Virginians --
somewhere else. by Steve Haner
Boats
Against the Current.
Richmond
doesn't need expensive, government-funded
programs to stimulate its music scene, nightlife
and creative class -- it just needs to loosen up. by Andrew
Beaujon, Ewa Beaujon, and Don
Harrison
Taxpayer
Bill of Rights.
The
tax and spenders in the General Assembly are out
of control. Virginia needs a Taxpayer Bill of
Rights like Colorado's to enforce spending
discipline and clamp a lid on taxes. by Phillip
Rodokanakis
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
Nice
& Curious Questions: Geography As
Destiny. By Edwin S. Clay
III
Readers
Respond
Posted
Online: Building
the House Budget. Remarks
made on the floor of the Virginia House of
Delegates, February 6, 2004. by House Appropriations
Chairman Vincent F. Callahan
-
January 18 -
Inflection
Point. The
mega trends are turning in favor of central cities like
Richmond and against the aging inner suburbs. Virginia
may be entering an age of urban renaissance and suburban
decay. by James A. Bacon
Man
Cannot Live on Tax
Policy Alone. Or
can he? Our fearless commentator gives it a try. by
Douglas Koelemay
Spending Commitments?
The
General Assembly is not obligated to sustain
programs funded by previous legislatures, much less increase
spending. Lawmakers need to ask tough questions
before passing a budget. by Patrick McSweeney
My
Cousin Vinny. The
high-tax lobby is treating "Maximum
John" Chichester
like a co-governor. But the
Republican to watch is low-tax Vince Callahan,
the Rodney Dangerfield of Virginia. by
Paul Goldman
Clueless.
Far
from illuminating the causes of traffic
congestion, the Washington Post editorial
page last year perpetuated the myths that sustain
Business As Usual. by E M Risse
Only
One Side Will Prevail.
In
Warner versus Howell, bet on Warner. The governor has two big advantages: the veto
and John Chichester. by Barnie Day
Spending
Reform, Not Tax Reform. A
Taxpayers' Bill of Rights capping state spending
would force the politicians in Richmond to set
priorities without increasing taxes. by Ken
Cuccinelli
Evaluate,
Consolidate, Divest. Virginia
state government could save millions of dollars by
managing its real estate assets and liabilities as
a private company would: minimizing cost and
maximizing return on assets. by Geoffrey Siegal
The
Simpler the Better. Here's a novel idea
for reforming Virginia's ta code: Make it simpler!
Allen Louderback proposes bigger income tax
exemptions and an overhaul of the sales tax. by
Allen Louderback.
NoVa
Gets Whacked -- Again.
Northern
Virginia already sends twice as much in taxes to
Richmond as it gets back from the state. The
disparity will only get worse under Gov. Warner's
tax plan. by Peter Ferrara
What’s
Right About Warner's
Tax Plan.
Mark
Warner's tax plan preserves Virginia's fiscal
integrity, eases the burden on lower-income citizens
and supports core state programs. by Ronald E.
Carrier
The
Human Capital Connection.
Buttressing
Mark
Warner's tax plan is the conviction that educating
the future workforce is the only way Virginia can
remain competitive in the global economy. by
James R. Socas
The
Sprawl Lobby. Suburban
sprawl doesn’t happen because most people like it. It
happens because construction-finance-real
estate interests dominate
state and local government. by Joel S.
Hirschhorn
Dueling
Gurus. Jeremy
Siegel recommends investing in stocks for the long run.
Robert Shiller warns of major risks in the economy. Who
to believe? It largely depends on your investment time
horizon. by James A. Bacon
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
Posted
Online:
Major Principles to Guide Our Tax and Budget
Deliberations by House Speaker William
Howell and House Appropriations Chairman Vincent
F. Callahan.
-
January 4 -
It’s
a Start. Mark Warner
has set a goal of generating $1 billion in
university R&D by 2010. His
proposed budget makes a down payment on
what Virginia's research institutions need to achieve
it.
by James A. Bacon
Aesop
or Buffett? Will
Virginia lawmakers, like the teller of fables,
demand immediate gratification in 2004? Or will they,
like the billionaire investor, calculate the
benefit of investing for the
future? by Doug Koelemay
Governing
on Impulse. Gov. Warner's rash
ploy of submitting a budget with tax-hike
assumptions built in threatens to undermine the
tried-and-tested balance of power between Virginia's
governor and legislature. by Patrick McSweeney
Save
VA Dems from Moby Tax. Melville
could have spun a whale of a tale out of Warner's
tax plan. Unlike the Pequod crew, DEMS cannot
let a fish story steal our soul, erode
state finances and pin us with the High Tax label. by
Paul Goldman
Rail-to-Dulles
Realities.
Running
a rail line to Dulles Airport could be a great idea
-- if planners cluster the right kind of
development around the rail stations. Otherwise,
it's just business as usual. by E M Risse
Got
Milk? Virginia
will always have milk in grocery stores, but
it may not be long before we lose our dairy farms.
The regulatory system supporting milk producers
seems broken beyond repair. by Barnie Day
One
Easy Step.
All
it takes to get Virginia's budget under control is
passing a Taxpayer Bill of Rights that limits
increases in state tax revenue to population
growth plus inflation. by Peter Ferrara
"Not
Much To Remember, Not
Much To Forget". The
2003 General Assembly elections were so
uncompetitive that politicians actually spent less
money this time around, says Larry Sabato.
A
Question of Fairness.
Gov.
Warner's reform of Virginia's regressive tax code
would shift the burden from poor and working-class
families to those who can most afford to pay more.
by David Grigg
Virginia
Pundit Watch. by Will Vehrs
Nice
& Curious Questions: The Dirt on Virginia's
Roads. by Edwin S. Clay III
Posted
Online:
Del.
William H. Howell memo on the Mandatory
Assessment Program
Del.
Richard H. Black memo in response to
Howell memo
Del.
Robert G. Marshall memo in response to
Howell memo
Goldman-gram.
Bill
Howell and Morgan Griffith Try
to Shake Down Republicans for $1,000,000. by Paul Goldman
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