by Phillip Rodokanakis Jerry Kilgore hasn’t come out in favor of higher taxes, but he refuses to sign an anti-tax pledge. A circumstantial case can be made that he’s cut a deal with the pro-tax wing of the GOP.State Sen. John Chichester, R-Fredericksburg, the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, is on the warpath for…

by Steven SissonChoir boy Tim Kaine is a political moderate informed by his Catholic beliefs. But look for the Kilgore team to paint him as a liberal for his record on tax hikes and the death penalty. The Blue Dog personally views Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine as a moderate-to-conservative politician. Kaine has never been an…

by Chris BraunlichThe House of Delegates has passed a bill that could provide school choice for up to 5,000 poor kids. Foes are desperate to stop it in the state Senate. Stung by House passage of a bill providing new educational opportunities for poor kids, the Virginia Education Association (VEA), People for the American Way…

by Barnie DayWe talk, we write, we revel in the power of words. Even as a small boy I never could get past a hornet’s nest without throwing something at it. Most anything would do—sticks, rocks, pop bottles, shoes—but my projectile of choice was a brick. More

by Barnie DayWith a budget surplus looming, Virginia legislators are abandoning all fiscal restraint. Big winners could include beekeepers and Japanese snails.Remember the “surplus?” That extra $1.2 billion—give or take a hundred million or so—that a robust economy might be kicking into the state’s coffers? Don’t get any ideas about laying hands on any of…

by E M RisseA failing education system puts Americans at risk in a globally competitive economy and undermines our democracy. Most readers of this column, some grudgingly, have come to agree that there is a direct connection between the pattern and density of land use and transportation (aka, mobility and access). Some were surprised to…

by Patrick McSweeneyVirginia tried funding transportation projects through “public-private partnerships” in the 19th century. Advocates of that approach today might think twice if they knew their history. There is at least one good reason for requiring the teaching of Virginia history. It might allow Virginians to learn from the painful lessons of the past instead…

by Patrick McSweeneyIf you’re used to thinking of our northern neighbor as a land of liberalism, you might want to reconsider. While Virginians talk of raising taxes– again–guess who’s been cutting them? Who would have thought? Even the Democrats in the Maryland General Assembly seem to be more opposed to tax increases than leading Republicans…

by Douglas KoelemayNow more than ever, Virginia’s General Assembly needs to tread lightly on matters of liberty, opportunity and the Constitution. The ugly gorge cut into Capitol Hill facing Franklin Street in Richmond is a most dramatic indication that the rehabilitation of Virginia ’s Capitol is well underway. The draping of the western walls of…

by James A. BaconAs Americans sort themselves out geographically by lifestyle affinity, the culture wars can only get worse. I got a chuckle after the 2004 presidential elections when droves of distraught Demos started applying for Canadian visas rather than live four more years under the oppressive rule of George W. Bush and the yahoos…

Republican Attorney General candidate Steve Baril has called for a series of debates with his opponent, Del. Robert McDonnell. Most observers see this as the desperate act of a floundering campaign; the candidate who’s behind always wants more debates. The Daily Press editorial page sees it a slap at their region: First thought: It’s a…

As if we needed further proof of Barnie’s motto, “No good deed goes unpunished,” Habitat for Humanity homeowners in NVA are being overwhelmed by property tax increases. As noted in this Washington Post piece, the homeowners couldn’t benefit from the increases in their home’s value even if they wanted to, due to restrictions placed by…

I enjoyed this Roanoke Times story on General Assembly pages. It’s a little disconcerting that so many of these great learning experiences go to students from politically connected families, but I suppose that’s to be expected. The article mentioned a few pages who went on to teaching or legal positions–I wonder if any former pages…

The Washington Post has done it again. They wasted front page, above the fold positioning and two full inside pages in Section A on another counter productive story on commuting. All the color, graphics, an expensive poll and lots of data wasted. The two experts quoted told it as it is: “… transportation systems are…

…discrimination against any class of people for any reason in the Constitution of Virginia? I hope not.