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Just
an observation, but Virginia Attorney General Jerry
Kilgore has the ability to command a room with his
George Hamilton-like swagger - his salon-enhanced
tan and those intensely bright white teeth only add
to that latent-Hollywood stereotypical image.
His
tall and lean physical presence is distinctive and
noticeable until he opens his mouth and talks with
that annoying high-pitched Southern twang.
Eeeeeks!
Cover them ears and head for the hills! Kilgore's
voice reminds me of a horrible screechy chalk across
the classroom blackboard.
Back
to matters of importance ... where does Kilgore
stand on growth and transportation issues?
That's
a big concern for advocates of the environment.
In
Kilgore's home base of rural Scott County, the term
smart growth is nothing more that having a good
annual crop in the field.
As
for good transportation policies, that's called
asphalt paving of rural dirt
roads.
That's
audacious thinking, I must admit.
But
come on, folks, I'm not making light of those facts
for nothing.
The
Blue Dog resides in rural Virginia - with 60 acres
of corn in his backyard along with three chicken
houses. I also served on the local planning
commission for four years.
The
Blue Dog knows the dirt reality of rural planning in Virginia.
The
probable GOP candidate for the residency in the
governor's mansion in 2005 was nowhere to be found
at the recently held Virginia Environmental
Assembly, and that event was open to the public.
In
fact, the Blue Dog has never seen Kilgore at any
function dealing with the environment.
As
Virginia's attorney general, Kilgore has had the
time and opportunity to investigate project cost
overruns, potential construction graft and the
wasteful spending practices of the Virginia
Department of Transportation and road construction contractors.
Enough
is enough ...
Folks,
exactly how many dollars must be thrown in the
transportation bottomless pit before our public
officials admit there could be a problem?
Look
at the cost overruns on the Springfield Mixing Bowl
project and tell me I am wrong.
Don't
tell me it's not a huge and potential special
interest time bomb with the public.
But
Kilgore did start quite a ruckus last year and
angered a few moderate GOP members with his press
releases and anti-tax stands during the General
Assembly session.
In
last session, Kilgore did not support that tax
increase.
During
the 2004 tax debate, Kilgore told The Roanoke
Times that the tax increase represented "a
sad day for the hard-working men and women of
Virginia and their families."
But
of late, Kilgore is acting rather cautiously -
because candidate Kilgore needs the support of
pro-tax Republicans in Northern Virginia to win the
gubernatorial seat.
The
Daily Press reported
that Grover Norquist, president of the Americans for
Tax Reform, warned, "Politicians who would like
to think of themselves as upwardly mobile need to
understand that voting for more government and
higher taxes stunts one's political growth."
Grover
was talking about the ATR's "Least Wanted
GOP" poster, which features 17 Republican
General Assembly members, including the Valley's
pro-tax Republican senator, Emmett Hanger.
The
Times-Dispatch reported
that Ken Hutcheson, Kilgore's gubernatorial campaign
manager, said: "Grover Norquist is entitled to
his opinion, but what he is doing is not going to
help the Republican Party of Virginia move ahead on
its agenda, like coming up with innovative ideas to
solve our transportation problems."
Hey
folks! These statements have nothing to do with a
transportation problem. Remember, Ronald Reagan's
11th commandment, "Thou shall not speak ill of
another Republican?"
That
logic shouldn't apply here.
In
fact, politicians should learn to speak the truth
when it comes to their support of higher taxes and
other issues, and stop mincing words, like
"innovative ideas."
Last
week, Norquist told The Augusta Free Press,
"Tax increases aren't Republican. When
Republicans vote for tax increases, they lose. When
they oppose tax increases, they win, and all
taxpayers do, too."
As
a fiscally conservative Mountain Valley Democrat,
I'll be the first to confess, Gov. Mark R. Warner
broke his campaign promise not to raise Virginia's
taxes. That's a fact.
But
state Republicans apparently cannot be that bold or
courageous.
Hutcheson
basically told Norquist to bug out of Virginia
Republican politics - because he knows the risk
behind a political battle that between Virginia’s
Republican Party moderates and conservatives.
During
an election year, that's some deep water to tread
for the potential Republican candidate for governor.
Future
Republican transportation taxes are a divider, not a
uniter.
Taxing
solution
Are
Virginia Democrats advocating higher taxes for
transportation?
Not
at this time - according to a leading state
Democrat, Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple.
Sen.
Whipple told the AFP, "No decisions have
been made" concerning future transportation
taxes, but she said she expects upcoming General
Assembly committee discussions to center on possible
sources and transportation funding mechanisms.
Whipple
noted that Republicans from the Northern Virginia
legislators have floated the use of bonds to fund
transportation needs. Whipple does not approve of
that course of action.
Sen.
Whipple said the Republican solution is "let's
just borrow the money" and overlook our
economic future and prospects concerning state
finances.
Northern
Virginia's pro-tax Republican General Assembly
members announced a plan last week to borrow
billions to finance roads.
That
transportation-bond talk is just a smokescreen from
pro-tax members of the GOP.
A
state government bond is like a hot-air filled
balloon - it's eventually going to come down,
sometimes crashing. Bonds, like balloons, are not
predictable, that's mainly due to our fluctuating
economy.
Sen.
John Chichester, the Senate Finance Committee
chairman, and other pro-tax Republicans who sit on
that committee do not support bonds - but have
hinted they favor a tax increase tailored for
transportation.
As
reported by The Washington Post, Chichester
said, "I think their (Northern Virginia
Republicans) plan is shortsighted, not well thought
out and will guarantee financial chaos and turmoil
in the not-too-distant future."
There
are rumors that pro-tax Republican legislators will
support, advocate and legislate one-time
transportation impact fees for vehicles
(essentially, an additional sales tax) along with
additional toll roads in Virginia and a substantial
hike in the state gasoline tax.
There
was discussion last year about doubling
17.5-cents-per-gallon gas tax - and apparently,
that's on the table again.
That's
outrageous! Considering most Virginians have been
paying extra for inflated and ever-escalating
gasoline prices at the pump.
That's
Richmond-styled political highway robbery!
The
Blue Dog says pro-tax Republican user fees for
Virginia roads are nothing more than living under a
medieval aristocratic society where serfs and
servants paid tolls to cross bridges and walk
footpaths.
The
Virginia corporate-political party welfare system
and gravy train needs to stop.
When
it comes to transportation issues, it's a no-brainer
that government's wasteful habits, potential
political graft and the pork-barrel projects across
the state need to be addressed before increasing
state taxes.
The
Blue Dog believes state taxes are high enough to
support transportation needs - and the buck needs to
stop there.
Expect
higher transportation taxes, but don't blame the
minority party, Virginia Democrats.
--
October 4, 2004
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