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Wednesday, September 9, 2009
And you thought health insurance was expensive
Yesterday the Massachusetts state Auditor estimated the cost of the upcoming special election to fill the seat of the late Senator Ted Kennedy at up to $12.6 million dollars. Further (to the great relief of municipal officials from the Berkshires to the Cape) he determined that the cost constitutes an unfunded mandate on cities and towns, and so the entire tab must be picked up by the Commonwealth. That would be the same Commonwealth whose budget chief yesterday announced another pending round of budget cuts.
Five years ago, the Massachusetts legislative Democrats saw a potential political disaster looming on the horizon. If John Forbes Kerry were elected President, he would have to give up his Senate seat. Under the law as it stood then, and as it had been since time immemorial, then-Governor Mitt Romney would have appointed a replacement Senator to fill out Kerry's term. A Republican Senator from Massachusetts! Imagine the horror.
So against this potential political disaster, the Democrats took out some political insurance. Exercising the prerogative of a supermajority to do pretty much whatever it pleases, they changed the law, stripping Romney (and his successors) of the appointment power and establishing a special election process to fill any future Senate vacancy.
The disaster of a Kerry presidency never came to pass, of course - one small part of this mess for which we can all be thankful. But that does not mean we do not have to pay for the Democrats' pricey insurance policy. And oh, what a balloon payment! Nearly $13 million dollars, sucked out of a budget that, we have been told time and again, cannot possibly sustain any further reductions. $13 million would pay for a lot of teachers. Or police. Or firefighters. Or infrastructure repairs. Or a little tax relief.
Instead, it will pay for a four month political spectacle the likes of which the Commonwealth has not seen in decades. How's that for a lousy return on a partisan political investment?
In related news, there is a hearing today on Beacon Hill concerning the bill that would re-change the law, sort of, to give Governor Patrick (D-political toilet) the power to appoint a placeholder Senator to warm the seat until the special election (for which we'd still have to pay) and, more to the point, to cast a 'yea' vote for the President's health care boondoggle. No dummies, the Democrats in charge of the schedule have set a 1:00pm start time for this hearing, pretty well guaranteeing that the hearing will be dominated from start to finish by testimony offered by Democratic legislators, who will exercise their prerogative to jump the line and pontificate at their leisure. The highlight of the day will be Senator John Kerry (D-foie gras), who will take the mic to explain why he was for stripping Governor Romney of the appointment power, but has since decided the Governor needs appointment power.
2 comments:
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2009 at 12:26 AM
"The disaster of the Kerry Presidency"ReplyDelete
.How do you describe the Bush fiasco? Good work?This party has gone to hell.it's time you idealogues shut up and let the people speak, hell lead. Because you and your heros have screwed the pooch, overstayed your welcome and left the Republican party in this state in tatters.
Thank you for the comment, Anonymous Disgruntled Person.ReplyDelete
Fully aware that virtually no one save the most ideological ideologue describes himself as an "ideologue," I'll venture to opine that I am not in fact one. But no matter. If, as seems apparent from your note, you do not share the opinion that John Kerry would have been a disaster of a President, I'd guess you probably aren't too torn up about the sorry condition of the Republican party in this state right now.
Anyhow, thanks for taking the time to comment, and do visit again.
No spamming, flaming, cursing, or other such nonsense tolerated. Thanks for engaging on those terms - Greg


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Tony Zilincik orchestrates big ideas for a big instrument: the tuba.
Last month, the Capital University professor scattered tuba players and other instrumentalists throughout a woods in Bexley for a performance. Today, on a visit to California, he will play his instrument on a spiral staircase in an open-air tower.
"I want to present new music in a different way that might be less intimidating than in a standard concert hall," the 45-year-old said.
Along with about 75 other central Ohio musicians, Zilincik performed his Forest Murmurs (which he describes as a "contemplative soundscape") on the afternoon of Sept. 9 at Jeffrey Park in Bexley.
More than 200 musicians will join Zilincik today to perform Tower Thunder, a work he created for six tubas and percussion. They will play in an 80-foot-tall, 25-foot-diameter concrete tower at the Oliver Ranch in Geyserville, Calif., about 70 miles north of San Francisco. The work had its premiere there yesterday.
The tower, designed by Ohio State University art professor and international artist Ann Hamilton to encourage creative performances, has no top and a pool of water at the bottom. Its double-helix-style staircases spiral 128 steps up the walls.
"You put the musicians on one staircase and the audience at the other, sitting on the steps," Zilincik said.
Meredith Monk and the Kronos Quartet are among those who have performed in the tower.
"A lot of artists grow by being given these opportunities to think outside of the forms that have become familiar to them," Hamilton said. "Tony seems incredibly generous and really enthusiastic."
"It's funny that we're both from Columbus. Sometimes, it takes something out of town to connect people," Hamilton said.
Zilincik, a Michigan native who moved to central Ohio in 1995, has taught at Capital for 13 years in the Conservatory of Music. An associate professor of music, tuba, composition and theory, he also coordinates Capital's New Music Festival, an annual celebration of contemporary composers. It will take place Feb. 12-15 on campus.
"Tony is one of the more exciting young performers and musicians on our faculty," said Lynn Roseberry, assistant dean of the Capital University Conservatory of Music and School of Communications.
Sarah Cooper, a senior and one of Zilincik's students at Capital, played the French horn in the Jeffrey Park performance.
"If we don't experiment with music, it won't go anywhere," the 21-year-old said.
Growing up in Chesaning, Mich., Zilincik started playing the trumpet in sixth grade. After a few months, he switched instruments when the band director said he needed one of the "bigger guys" for the tuba.
"I looked at myself and thought I was one of the bigger guys," Zilincik said.
"Part of the attraction was the sheer size of it. The tuba takes up so much sonic space. . . . The music plays big and loud."
He realized that music might be more than a hobby while marching and playing tuba in his junior high-school band and his high school's competitive drum corps.
"As I look back," he said, "the big thing was that I liked being onstage."
Love of music runs in his family.
Zilincik lives in Bexley with his wife, Paige, a French-horn player, and their daughters Rachael, 13, and Sophia, 7. Rachael plays the flute in the Bexley Middle School band and Sophia is taking piano lessons from her grandmother.
Since joining Capital in 1999, Zilincik has played in the faculty brass ensemble and conducted the brass choir, but his most visible community role is organizing and performing in Merry TubaChristmas. The 30th anniversary concerts Dec. 17 are expected to attract between 200 and 300 tuba players — including players of euphoniums, which are baby tubas pitched an octave higher — from around Ohio, Indiana and Tennessee.
"It's an annual reunion and one of the most exciting concerts because of the massive sound," Zilincik said.
"Tuba players, in my experience, are always the happiest and easiest to get along with because we like having a good time and making music together."

subset: commoncrawl


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Arizona secession petition falls short on signatures
WASHINGTON — It appears there will not be an Independent Republic of Arizona after all, at least not for now.
A post-election petition calling on the federal government to let Arizona secede from the union was pulled from the White House website Monday, after it failed to get the 25,000 signatures needed to guarantee an administration response.
Few appeared to take the petition seriously. More than 40 secession petitions from various states went up after the election on the White House site, which includes petitions calling for the development of a Death Star by 2016 and demanding legalization of mescaline and magic mushrooms.
But if the secession petition had been serious, it would have been a serious mistake, said Gregg Cawley, a University of Wyoming professor, who has written on the relationship between Western states and the federal government.
"Suppose they do get permission to secede. Now what?" Cawley asked when the petition was posted in November.
He said states typically get a "tremendous amount of federal funds" and secession could have meant higher state taxes for newly independent Arizonans or fewer services to make up for lost federal money.
"Do they really want to give up all that money?" Cawley asked.
And Arizona did get more than it gave the feds over a 25-year period, according to one Washington policy group.
The Tax Foundation analyzed federal spending in each state against federal taxes paid by state residents from 1981 to 2005. Its analysis showed that Arizona got back no less than $1.08 for every $1 it sent Washington, and as much as $1.29 per dollar.
Joe Henchman, the foundation's vice president for state projects, said that while the organization has not done the report since 2005, he would be surprised if federal funding has gone down since then.
As the federal deficit has grown, he said, states have received more money from Washington and they are, in general, relying on federal money more now than before.
"States are very dependent on federal dollars and the trend has become for them to be more dependent, not less dependent," Henchman said.
But while the money would stop flowing from Washington, so would the restrictions and stipulations that come with it, Henchman noted.
"A big thing that would be different is that it (an independent Arizona) would have the freedom to design its programs however it wanted," Henchman said.
Even though states get a great deal of money from Washington, there are "certainly a lot of costs that come with the federal money," he said. States have to abide by federally mandated seat belt and drinking-age regulations, for example, before they can get federal money.
That's part of the problem, said Jeff Sadighi, membership director of the Texas Nationalist Movement. He said Congress tells states how to run their schools, for example, even though the Constitution does not give it that authority.
"They're acting like they have exclusive jurisdiction in the 50 states," Sadighi said, which is one reason he supports secession.
"The number-one reason is to have the return of the rule of law and the republican form of government," he said. "Right now, we don't live under the rule of law."
Even without the federal strings attached, Henchman doubts that a loss of federal funding would be worth it for states like Arizona.
"I think the money from the federal government still exceeds whatever additional costs it may have," he said.
But Sadighi said Arizona should be particularly amenable to secession because the "federal government allows the border to remain porous, folks are being killed."
"The very sovereignty of the state of Arizona is being violated because the federal government is refusing to do their duty to protect the state from invasion," he said.
Besides Sadighi, however, secession supporters were hard to find. The petition's author was identified only as Nicholas M. of Gilbert by the White House, which just publishes first name, last initial and hometown of petition signers on its site. Public policy groups that normally promote states' rights were reluctant to comment on the petition.
While Arizona got off to a strong start, getting more than half the necessary signatures in the first four days, enthusiasm waned. The White House said the final tally for Arizona secession was 24,111 signatures.
Eight other states, most in the South, were able to get the necessary 25,000 signatures to trigger an official administration response. The most popular petition was Texas', which collected more than 100,000 signatures.
Brandon Lepow, a White House spokesman, said the Justice Department would be the agency to draft a response to the successful petitions, but it had not done so as of Tuesday. Lepow did not know what the responses might say, or when they might be issued.
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Tax revenues to get boost from $60M plant expansion in PTC
The new oil refinery that's under construction at Universal Environmental Services in the Peachtree City industrial park represents a $60 million investment on behalf of the company.
In addition to being a very "green" operation, the refinery will cause a significant increase in property value, which in turn will result in additional property taxes being collected by the city and county governments.
"This is a unique time, when you see a large investment like this for a project," said Matt Forshee, the president and CEO of the Fayette County Development Authority.
Once operational, the new plant will take used motor oil and convert it into a product that can be used in new motor oil, replacing a significant need for new crude oil, said Dr. Juan Fritschy, the president and CEO of Universal Environmental Services.
The process also will produce clean fuel to power the refinery plant and a compound for use by asphalt plants. All contaminants will be trucked off-site for disposal.
What's even better news is that this could be the tip of the iceberg, as other companies in Fayette County are looking at expansion plans also, Forshee said.
Over the last two to three years, companies have been working to "do more with less," Forshee said. That meant improving production techniques and employee training among other things, he noted.
But now, companies are having to take a hard look at expansion as a way to handle the continuing demand for products, Forshee said.
UES projects to have plenty of demand for its refined oil product. Already the company re-refines some 30 million gallons of used motor oil each year.
There are some seven trucks covering the metro Atlanta area, visiting quick oil change centers to claim the "dirty" motor oil. And there are four other off-site storage facilities in nearby southeastern states that are fed by other trucks in the UES network.
In addition to receiving used motor oil by the truckload, UES transports it to Peachtree City by rail.
Once the new refinery is operational next spring, it will employ about 22 people on a round-the-clock schedule, seven days a week.
The $60 million project, which is being built by Tiernan and Patrylo construction company from Peachtree City, represents a big investment from UES' parent company, Avista, Fritschy said.


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Main Forums > Positive Women
I'm here, I'm here
(1/2) > >>
Hi ladies,I'm sorry so the long delay, my dad came to visit this week and really have not had time to read nor post anything. The other thread was getting to long so I decided to start a new one.Cindy, Thanks for all the concern, things have gotten better with the neck pain, now that I'm finally at a desk and not standing all day, I've been so busy I've not had to chance to try the heat thing yet, but I will this Sunday. I need to work this Saturday, but it's overtime so it's all good.About the DN&C, I was offered one after I had a bad miscarrage when I was 18, but I refused to have it because I was told the risks was possible scar tissue resulting which could inhibit pregnancy later on. Please talk with your doc about all the side effects of the procedure. Is it absolutely neccesary? Is there any other way of getting info? maybe a biopsy?.... God I hope there is another solution, that seems so harsh. Please let us know. As far as work, it's okay, nothing new so far, I don't have a computer of my own yet, untill monday, even so they monitor all online activity, so I cant read or post on the forum during work hours.... :( :-[....which means my activity on this forum is going to be slowed up.....Sorry folks, but if anyone wants to email me with any questions, feel free, u might get a faster response that way, My email is firstname.lastname@example.com you all for alll the support and love you have sent my way, with out honestly i would be lost. I really look forward to reading the posts every time i"m online, u women out there are trully inspirational.......Much love,Nicole
;) You take care of you first..ok..don't worry about posting ..post when u can.. I wouldhate it if u lost your job due to posting or making calls from your job..When u have time, call me ok..Glad u posted so i know whats going on with you..If you dont call me, i can always check in our forum and find your monkeyass somewhereamong the forums...luv n stuff Beth... :-*
Love you too, Beth....you always make me smile.... ;D ;D ;DNicole
Glad you're alright, zachy'smom. Please take care of yourself. :-*
Thanks ladies,I must be getting tired cause i've been missing spelling all of my post....lol' ;)
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Do you want to make Ohio.com your homepage?
By Joel Greenberg
McClatchy Newspapers
A Palestinian looks at the damage to a house following an overnight Israeli missile strike in Gaza City, Tuesday. Egypt presented a cease-fire plan Monday to end a week of heavy fighting between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip that has left at least 185 people dead, and both sides said they were seriously considering the proposal. The late-night offer by Egypt marked the first sign of a breakthrough in international efforts to end the conflict. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
Palestinian Suma Abu Mahsen, 7, stands by a damaged wall of a house following an overnight Israeli missile strike to a nearby transition center for newly released convicts, that was not yet operational, in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, Tuesday. An Egyptian truce proposal for the conflict in Gaza quickly unraveled Tuesday, after the Islamic militant group Hamas rejected the plan. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
Israeli soldier sleep beside a military vehicle near the Israel Gaza Border, early Tuesday. The Israeli Cabinet has accepted an Egyptian proposal for a cease-fire to end a week of conflict with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip that has killed 185 Palestinians and exposed millions of Israelis to Hamas rocket fire. No Israelis have been killed as a result of Hamas rocket launches. A senior Hamas official says the Palestinian militant group rejects an Egyptian proposal for a cease-fire with Israel. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
A Palestinian man rides past a transition center for newly released convicts that was empty and not yet operational, that was hit by an overnight Israeli missile strike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, Tuesday. Israel and Hamas exchanged fire on Tuesday, throwing into disarray an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire meant to end eight days of fighting. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
A Palestinian youth inspects the rubble of a destroyed building after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip, Tuesday. The Israeli military says it has resumed airstrikes on Gaza after Hamas militants violated a de-escalation brokered by Egypt. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)
Click here to read or leave a comment(s) on this story.
With no smoke detectors in the North Hill rental house, a deadly fire spread quietly.


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Amerika Samoa All Stars ready for Football World Cup
The Amerika Samoa All Star team is in big need of your support Tutuila and Manu'a — for their long stay in Texas in the upcoming IFAF Under 19 Football World Cup, where on the first day of the event they will be facing the USA All Star team.
Over a period of two days, beginning tomorrow, Friday morning and again the following day, Saturday morning, the team is holding their last major fundraiser — the ROAD 2 TEXAS-WHEELBARROW DRIVE.
On Friday morning, the wheelbarrow and the All Star team and officials will begin their fundraising tour at 6:00 A.M., from the eastern side of the island, and will include all the eastern villages of Tutuila; then on Saturday, the team will again begin at 6:00 A.M., only this time from Amanave, as they will make their way towards the central part of the island, covering all the villages of the western district.
Amerika Samoa All Star Head Coach Sua'ese Pooch Ta'ase told Samoa News, "The help of the Governor and his staff and also the Legislative Branch has given us great hope that we will achieve our [financial] goal for our trip. However, we are still asking the public to please support our BIG Fundraiser… and [then] to complete our fundraising… a general WAVE on June 20th and then Wednesday a church service before departing the island on June 21st, 2012 for Austin, Texas. We would like to thank all the principals and the DOE for supporting our concert last month (May 19) as we enjoyed the magnificent display by all the high schools especially the Seminary from the Kanana Fou."
Samoa News interviewed All Star Team's Head Coach Sua'ese Pooch Ta'ase on their upcoming trip.
"We have been preparing for the last couple of months for this monumental event which is new to the island. The territory is new to it because we qualified as a member of the Oceania (New Zealand, Australia, American Samoa)… in February… we just finished playing and defeating Australia — and now we are representing the Oceania League, so the preparation has been long but the dedication of the coaches and players has made it worthwhile. It is a good challenge for our local athletes, as we are preparing to play against some of the best teams in the world."
According to Ta'ase, their trip to Texas will include over 50 members from American Samoa. "We are looking at 45 players and 8 coaches and parents who will make this memorable football trip."
He noted that there are some returning football players from American Samoa who graduated high school last year, but are still eligible to play as they are in good condition and at the perfect age limit for the competition. "…Mr. Manu Sualevai has helped us and is a very mature player from a year ago, and Ben Langford gives us the football high IQ, which will help the entire team. Their experience at the college level is very evident in our preparation for Austin, Texas."
Aside for their main goal of winning the round up competition in Texas, Ta'ase said they are focusing "on exposing our underclassmen to possible recruiters from the colleges who will attend the games or at least have valid film. It is a golden opportunity that these players have to display their talent to the world to judge."
Ta'ase noted that they "are humbled and honored to be playing not only against the best team [USA], but other countries as well, and we know it is going to be treasured by our young athletes representing American Samoa."
During the preparation stages of the All Star team, the team lost some of their key players who will not be making the trip. Ta'ase explained, "we did not see it as losing players, because they were opting for greater opportunities, so we are happy and we wish them the best of luck."
He said that players like Destiny Vaeao and Robert Barber are attending Washington State University and they have to report in early for summer school. Also departing for military school is Ricardo Gonzales who was the 2011-2012 ASHSAA Football Season MVP and the Samoa Bowl MVP. "So these are the few players that unfortunately are not able to make it, but they have set high standards for the young players to aim at for their football dreams. The group we have put together has worked tremendously hard, and we are confident, but not over confident as we will be representing Amerika Samoa with your prayers and Tapuaiga."
"E gau le sila i le fa'i" O se 'au fo'i e tapua'ia e a'e manuia foi le latou taumafaiga. Samoa to mai la otou fa'amanuiaga ae maise la otou tatalo malosi mo le 'au a Amerika Samoa Football Team, fa'afetai le alofa tula'i," said Ta'ase — quoting a Samoan proverb.
The head coach of the All Star team wanted to shout out thanks to the many that have donated and supported them throughout their fundraising efforts.
"First, we would like to thank all the Churches especially the Reverends and Pastors and Congregations from Onenoa all away to the western side of the island. We would like to thank the Governor and President of the Senate & Speaker of the House and all Representatives and Senators. Also, to all the businesses and especially the parents and all the high school principals and Amerika Samoa IFAF President-Mel Purcell and the Samoa Bowl Committee for their assisting to this great event.
"Thank you to the First Lady Taitai Tama program for youth in action program for your donation. The Candidates running for governor and LT for their kind donations. (Faoa & Taufetee, Lolo & Mauga, Salu & Savusa, Afoa & Le'i, Save & Sandra) for the great support.
"We would like to thank all the Directors and all Departments for your support. Mr. Bill Kalasa and the stadium for the early morning and late practices at the Veteran Stadium. DOE- Dr. Jacinta Galea'i and Russel Aab and all the Deputies-School Lunch Program and the Bus Division (Levaula Lavania).
"Mrs. Katrina Elisara (Donation for Chairs) Godinet Rentals. The Skyview Store in Aua and also the ANZ Bank for their donations. All of our print workshops — Pacific Printing, Local Grafix, Tutuila Store and J-Len T's.
"The custom Design Paint shop for painting our helmets.
"We would like thank Steven & Sons and the KS Mart, TMO. We would like to thank Starkist & Panamex and Forsgren (Sports Domain) Shoe Tree (Mr. George Reid) for the donations, TMO Company and ACE and CBT for helping our the team, including ASCO Motors, Samoa Motors and Bank of Hawaii.
"We would like to say thank you to Samoana and Tafuna High School as these have been our main centers for all of our activities."
He concluded, "last but not the least, I would like to give a big thanks to the wives of all the coaches for being patient and for their big support of our team. Also a big thanks to all the media outlets for promoting out trip and our preparations."


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An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Kentucky's Public Agenda for postsecondary education recognizes the importance of workforce education and transfer from two-year to four-year postsecondary institutions to the economic well-being of its citizens. Specifically, it calls for better preparation of graduates to meet workforce needs through partnerships with business and industry, expanded capacity for student transfer to increase degree production, and increases in student financial aid to support transfer.
The Kentucky Community and Technical College System's Campus Action Plan supports the Public Agenda, focusing on new and improved transfer opportunities through career pathways, ensuring employability skills are incorporated into KCTCS programs, and determining and meeting workforce needs through partnerships with local, regional, and statewide business, industry, and economic development agencies.
The Workforce Development/Transfer Program (WDTP) supports public postsecondary workforce education and transfer initiatives to create a workforce that stimulates business development, creates better jobs and a higher standard of living, and facilitates Kentucky's transition to a knowledge-based economy. The program provides funding for faculty/staff positions, student scholarships, and infrastructure to support workforce education and transfer. State funds for the program are appropriated to the Postsecondary Workforce Development Trust Fund for the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.


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Investigators say a King County sheriff's deputy was impaired by multiple prescription drugs when he was found slumped over the steering wheel of his patrol car on New Year's Eve in a Newcastle parking lot.
The three-month investigation was conducted by Bellevue police who had a blood sample tested at a lab in Pennsylvania. It found the presence of multiple prescription drugs that are dispensed with warnings against operating machinery or vehicles.
The King County prosecutor's office will decide whether to charge the deputy.
The 46-year-old is a 15-year veteran who also faces an internal investigation.


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McDonnell transportation plan: Mortgage future, build roads
Governor McDonnell released a transportation plan for Virginia yesterday, which essentially boils down to: take away money from future generations, and use it to build only roads today.
Most of McDonnell's plan involves borrowing money. He wants to issue $1.8 billion in bonds backed by the state, and then another $1.1 billion in GARVEE bonds, which borrow against future federal transportation aid.
And what does he want to spend it on? The only thing he mentioned in his speech was: roads, roads and roads. "This is the best opportunity in modern Virginia history to build roads," he said.
What about transit, pedestrian and bike facilities, and more? Transportation Secretary Sean Connaughton promised to devise a list of specific projects, and perhaps McDonnell was oversimplifying in his speech, but it'd be a big surprise if his final list includes more than token transit and bike-ped projects.
Virginia is not sure how to pay for the second phase of the Silver Line, but it's a good bet that widening freeways will come far before that or any other rail projects.
Borrowing in this way, of course, essentially means spending future decades' transportation money. From McDonnell's point of view, why not? He won't be governor. The easiest way to get credit for starting a lot of projects when he has no money is to spend future governors' money.
Maryland got itself into a real pickle with very aggressive use of GARVEE bonds for the Intercounty Connector. They dedicated federal money to that project, but then the economy tanked and local tax receipts dropped. Since they'd bonded for the ICC, they couldn't stop that project, and instead had to cut maintenance on most existing local roads.
And like the District, Virginia is getting into risky territory already with its level of debt. McDonnell argues that low interest rates and the cost of construction make now a particularly good time to borrow, but his priorities are remarkably narrow.
The McDonnell administration also released a ""Multimodal Strategic Plan" for transportation. The plan does lay out a vision including transit, biking, walking and more, but has no specifics on how to achieve that goal.
Meanwhile, McDonnell wants to take control of Metro to bring in "accountability." If he gets it, how soon will it be until he suddenly discovers some ways for Virginia to cut its contributions to Metro so it can build even more roads?
Added: Borrowing money per se is not necessarily bad. However, that borrowing needs to be tied to some economic development goal that will increase the tax base enough to pay for it, or other revenue increases need to be found to pay for it. McDonnell is simultaneously arguing that Virginia should borrow money, but opposing any means of raising revenue to pay for it. He's just kicking the problem down the road.
And while creating sprawl will generate some economic activity to grow the tax base, those roads will have to be maintained, forcing revenue increases later as well. And it's the wrong land use pattern for Virginia, which is the bigger issue.
by Eric Fidler on Dec 10, 2010 12:08 pm • link • report
You love bonds. If they're from Arlington to pay for streetcars or upgrading Metro's infrastructure.
You hate roads. And Republicans. We get that.
But don't hate on bonds to reiterate your points.
If you want to be intellectually honest,you have to admit that not all Virginia can sustain mass transit. Sometimes building roads is just way more cost effective.
by Bryant Turnage on Dec 10, 2010 12:30 pm • link • report
by David Alpert on Dec 10, 2010 12:30 pm • link • report
The GARVEE bonds are just a terrible idea. Creative -- states issuing bonds based on federal money coming in -- but still bad. Issuing more debt to maintain roads is also not a good idea.
But the reality is VDOT has been bled dry. Despite "finding" a billion dollars in VDOT funds, there is a lot of deferred work on Virginia roads that needs to be done.
Last time I checked, Alpert was saying Virginia doesn't pay much to WMATA, so they couldn't' get a seat. If that is true, how much can the Governor cut?
Look, I can't stand McDonnell. HE is a typical yankee bred Northern virginia transplant. His creepy ads involving his family still scare me. But he's been pretty good on transit issues, and the reality is roads are far more important to the state than transit. In nova, I think he understands the mix.
Virginia's actually an interesting case for mass transportation. Although it's true that you'd never be able to cover most of the state's land mass, it would be actually quite easy to cover the people, given that the vast vast majority of the state's population live in 3-4 dense population centers. (DC, Richmond, and Norfolk/VA Beach)
As an aside, you may or may not realize that a portion of these bonds were authorized in the GA's transportation package in 2007 under Tim Kaine. A veto was pointless. So it's not entirely all the fault of the Governor of the moment, but more the actions of the GA, ie the will of their constituents.
And I say that as one of those "yankee bred Northern virginia transplants"...:o)
He is asking for 600 million more a year. I think the gas tax in Virginia brings in about a billion a year.
get maybe 250 million more in gas tax, and bring back the car tax (yeah, right!) to bring in about 250 million more.
Or build out some bonds based on future gas tax revenue?
So if you wanted new revenue from the car tax, you'd have to take it from the county or city, or increase the rate and charge the owner.
Increasing the gas tax is not going to fly considering the number of members of the House GOP that have signed Mr. Norquist's pledge.
And the bonds based on future tax revenue is essentially what the proposal is.
by Michael Perkins on Dec 10, 2010 1:48 pm • link • report
And, yes, all future bonds are based on tax revenue. I'm suggesting, however, more of a specific asset class: gasoline tax bonds, issued for the purposes of road construction. Not sure if that instrument has any use in the worldwide financial markets.
I wouldn't say that's a fair assessment. The maps made Virginia look like a huge sea of red in 2008, despite the fact that the state voted for Obama.
Virginians are a whole lot more liberal than they want to admit they are. They just don't like the label.
In PA - their Gov is proposing them as well. Erlich didn't win in MD, but if he had won, billions in contracts would have been written to HOT-up the MD beltway and I-270.
This corporate welfare funding mechanism known as HOT Lanes is spreading like a cancer around the country.
If the public were more willing to accept more traditional publicly-set up toll authorities, this would have nver started happening - the case of "no taxes!" taken way too far I am afraid.
The second issue is that state-funded roads are what leads to the need for state-funded transit. We haven't founded a major city in the country in 50 years because the taxpayer subsidizes sprawl. Why the hell is Manassas (or Dumphries) part of the DC metro area? Because we build these big interstates out there, then they get overcrowded, then they need a train and a bigger road. It's an absurd cycle that we have to break. The solution isn't to build trains out there. The solution is to end sprawl by curtailing the government's ability to build roads. Before they had to compete with state-funded roads, private companies ably provided the best trains and transit service in the world in the U.S.
The third issue that we have allowed transit to become a left-right issue and this is a center-right country. It's the wrong way for the flag to be planted. We need to change the discussion to (1) How much transportation money do we have (2) what percentage do we want to spend on transit. As long as transit=tax increases, we're never going to get things straightened out.
Unfortunately, this article even emphasizes that dynamic. When can we stop linking transit with tax hikes in the voters' minds? Saying we need new taxes for transit means it's less important then everything the government is already funding, otherwise we'd be reallocating existing resources there.
I find your comments pretty ignorant across the board.
We haven't founded a city because we have all of the cities we need. This is a global phenomenon, not an American one.
Nevertheless, people have to live somewhere. We are witnessing a gradual migration back to the cities (made possible largely because cities are safer now than they have been in decades) but it takes time. Now that the baby-boomers are approaching retirement, there is less demand for the suburban lifestyle. However, there needs to be much more migration before mass-transit becomes truly viable. If you need a car at your destination, mass-transit is not usually very helpful.
If you look at VA's six year plan (http://syip.virginiadot.org/Pages/allProjects.aspx) most of the individual projects do make a lot of sense. Most fall into two categories, 1) major improvements to completely inadequate highways like I95 between Fredericksburg and Occoquan and 2) incremental improvements to improve traffic flow in neighborhoods. These are the kinds of investments that will keep VA viable as a place to live and work in the future.
By the way, you can't just reallocate funds - those funds are allocated based on laws that have already been passed - things that constituents are depending on. It can be done, but not by snapping your fingers. That's what politics is all about.
I didn't vote for McDonnell, but I am pleased with the pragmatism he is showing.
Not sure why you are so against the concept of HOT lanes. What makes them a poor design solution in your opinion? Have you described your POV outside of this thread?
Think of it this way: If you go to the airport only 3 hours before a flight leaves, do you expect to be able to purchase a ticket for the same price as someone who bought the ticket 3 months ago?
The more people who use HOT lanes (well, roads in general actually), the lower the level of service. So, in order to keep the HOT lanes moving, you raise the price of entry as more people do it.
I assume by your handle, that you've taken Amtrak. They use the same basic principle. Seats are allocated to 4 or 5 buckets. Once all the seats in the cheapest bucket are sold, the price increases.
It's simply supply and demand. The old model, where the price of the road (typically toll-free altogether) doesn't really work all that well, because there's no incentive (other than time lost) to shift your trip to a less busy time or less busy roadway.
Plane tickets and train tickets aren't "one price all the time;" neither should freeway driving be.
by Matt Johnson on Feb 9, 2011 9:43 am • link • report
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