June E-Zine – Special Nomination Edition
By JR Hoeft | Tuesday, May 18th, 2010 | MultimediaCheck out the latest E-Zine with articles about the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 8th, 9th, and 11th District nomination contests. Plus, a special guest article from Rep. Pete Sessions, Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Also, original artwork from Wade Brumett and Ward Smythe. And, an article on “Violence in Politics” by Shaun Kenney.
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JR Hoeft
Conservative to the core; liberal with his opinion! J.R. has been involved in politics for over a decade and has worked on several campaigns in Hampton Roads. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Chesapeake and the Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia. He is also the director of “Blogs United” in Virginia. E-mail J.R.. Follow J.R. on Twitter.
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42 Responses to "June E-Zine – Special Nomination Edition"
A fairly even article – but it failed to point out Scott Rigell’s $10,000 funding of the YES Campaign – a business lobby power play that was soundly rejected in 2002 by a 2 to 1 margin from our region’s voters. The 2002 YES Campaign was a $2.5M lobby effort to push a “package” of 6 BIG TICKET transportation projects. The bill for this regional tax and spend and $5.99B borrow and spend port-centric highway plan (along with a $200M sluch fund for HRT to fritter away) was SB 668. The 6 “Regional Projects” were selected by a corrupt and citizen-hotile backroom process. Art Collins and the MPO were acting as agents in league with the YES Campaign.
The “son of SB 668″ was the 2007 bill called HB 2007. This bill was another attempt by the business lobby to usurp to power of the voters and to stand up an all-appointed regional taxing authority.
It passed the VA GOP House and Senate and was signed into law by Gov. Kaine. It was a horrific example of what is WRONG with government. They type of political behavior the TEA Party conservatives have wisely come to reject.
Thanks to the efforts of a small number of citizens (including myself) and the fine work of ex-GOP Chari Pat McSweeney, a Richmond lawyer – this UNCONSTITUTIONAL BILL AND THE ALL-APPOINTED REGIONAL TAXING AUTHORITY IT CREATED WAS ABOLOISHED. We had to take it to the Supreme Court of Virginia – and won a 7-0 ruling in our favor!
I’m sure those of us that pay attention to what goes on here in our region recall this fiasco well – it is a politcal bell weather event that exposed countless RINOs and lead to the politcal demise of a 12 year GOP vet, ex-Senator Marty Williams. Bearing Drift’s own Brian Kirwin (and my good friend) was ex-Senator Williams campaign manager as I recall. The fall out from this mess continues – because many of us have been paying attention. Close attention.
Scott Rigell seems to me to be a decent individual – and a successful business person. He seems to me to have a strong desire to go to Washington D.C. and to his best to help steer our Congress back unto a path of less spending, lower debt, and smaller government – except – The YES Campaign stands for the opposite of those goals. And Mr. Rigell supported the YES Campaign. A difficult fact to over look.
To me … that is an important factor in this Primary.
As a member of the HR TEA Party and our local 912 study groups, I know that the Conservatives I have met in the 2nd District are seeking real change in Congress – and they are not seeking someone that will place the goals of the GOP ahead of the best interests of the people of the 2nd District.
Clearly the YES Campaign, and its many RINO supporters, were soundly rejected by the good people of the 2nd District living on the Southside.
The failure of the article to discuss Mr. Rigell’s role in the YES Campaign seems to me to be to be a fairly important oversight that is very relevent in this upcoming primary.
The feedback I get from people who do not post on Bearing Drift is that their main concern is not the contribution to the YES campaign, many of them are not aware what the YES campaign was about, it’s Rigell’s contribution to Obama and other Democrats. That is a deal breaker for many conservative Republicans. Rigell may have quite a lot of support but he has lost some long time hard core Republican votes because of his “other side of the fence” contributions.
It was explained to me by one of his staff who I consider a personal friend he did this before he even thought he would ever run for office. To me, if Rigell was running as a moderate Republican, it would be easier to sweep under the rug, however, he is running on a conservative Republican platform.
I don’t give thought of running for office. However, I would never give Obama a penny of my money, personal or business. I have never given any money, help or support to anyone I did not want to win. Never have, never will. Period.
Greenmun is a real stitch. The reason he wasted so many defensive lines above is that if the Yes Campaign had passed, we would not have the congestion, deterioration, nor decay that we all decry today. The projects would have been constructed by now. So Ridgell did exactly the right thing in supporting the Yes Campaign and it showed true leadership on his part. The fact that it failed is the reason Bob McDonnell is in such a pickle today. He promised action, but for a decade, his party has shown true intrasigence, and the problem has just gotten worse. So much for leadership.
“if the Yes Campaign had passed, we would not have the congestion, deterioration, nor decay that we all decry today”
Not true. Not an inch of new roads would’ve been completed by now, Mike.
Brian is correct. The TRUTH is had the YES campaign gone forward only the 3rd Crossing for the Port would be under construction – and the HRPDC build scedule was for that $4.4B PORT project to take 14 years to complete.
The Southeastern Parkway and greenbelt has been rejected by the ACOE for wetlands issues. The otyher projects, to include “The road to nowhere” – the new RT 460 to Zuni/Wakefield could not have been constructed because SB 668 only allowed 5.99B in bonds – (MORE DEBT) to be issued. And of course, SB 668 included a $200M blank check for Mike Townes and HRT to fritter away to hide his cost overruns for Norfolk’s 7.4 mile $300M redevelopment project called “light rail”.
Of course Mr. Barrett knows all these things – and of course HE supported HB 3202 and the unconstitution regional taxation without representation all-appointed regional taxing authority.
Mr. Barrett should know that the HRPDC’s traffic congestion projections revealed that even after the 27 to 35 years that were planned to complete as much highways that could be constructed with the limited $5.99B of increased DEBT the impact on reducing traffic congestion was tiny, the plan resulting in our region’s of highway lane miles having severe congestion being roughly the same as it was in 2001.
And … here is another fact Mike and his friends don’t like to discuss – increases in our region’s traffic congestion have slowed and leveled off – for the past 4 years.
But … the truth and how it relates to Scott Rigell his support of the YES Campaihn – and how that should be a significant factor of concern for any local taxpayer and citizen that is opposed to government corruption and who do not want to keep sending people to Congress that are in bed with special interests that advance a political agenda that is NOT what the majority of citizens in our region want.
You see, when the YES campaign was placed on the ballot – our region’s voters REJECTED the busienss lobby scheme – by a 2-to-1 margin OPPOSED.
Scott Rigell was clearly on the wrong side of that vote. And here we discover that not only has he used his money to try to buy the GOP nomination, he has pandered to the local powers that be that made up the YES Campaign in hopes of garnering their politcal support.
Friends, those of us living in the 2nd Congressional District are blessed with so many good choices for our Congressional representative – isn’t it time we send someone to Congress that isn’t in bed with guys like Mike Barrett?
William Bailey No Gravatar
Posted May 17, 2010 at 3:47 PM
“Since I can’t bring myself to vote for Nye, I’m going to cast my vote for Rigell. Since he supported President Obama and the “cash for clunkers” program, I guess he is the best choice for this primary.
Who would ever have thought I’d vote for a car dealer? Not me for sure…”
Mike has stated clearly Rigell is his guy. I guess the donating for the Democrats and Democratic causes has payed off for Rigell now. He will be getting Democratic votes with those unhappy with Nye. He’s a pretty smart cookie for sure!!
Rigell will probably win this primary because of his support and money. He will gain votes from Democrats unhappy with Nye for voting against the health care bill. Maybe all of his giving to Democrats and Democratic causes will pay off for him in the end.
Kathy, nice spin to try to trun a concern about Scott Rigell into a postive. But any true principled conservative should think twice about supporting a candidate that is being openly supported by Democratic Party operatives like Mike Barrett and ex-government union lobbyists like Mr. Bailey.
I may not have communicated clearly but in my own way I did agree with you, albeit tongue-in-cheekily.
Correction: This month’s edition of Bearing Drift E-Zine incorrectly stated that Republican Congressional Candidate Scott Rigell had donated to Democrat Mark Warner’s senatorial campaign. Rigell did not donate to the senate campaign, but did donate to Warner’s gubernatorial campaign and subsequent inauguration. Thank you to Rigell Campaign Manager Jason Miyares for bringing this to our attention.
Oh, sorry Kathy – I missed the humor in your comments. My bad (Doh!).
Reid, Kathy, and Brian – I’m sure you’re aware that Bob McDonnell voted for SB 668 at the time. So are you saying that Bob McDonnell isn’t a conservative because he voted for SB 668? Or is it possible for someone to be a good conservative and also have supported the YES campaign/SB 668? Hmm.
Reid is very familiar with SB 668, he can answer that and I think did answer that. My concern is the donations to Mark Warner, Obama, and Louise Lucas that Rigell gave. Do good conservatives give money to liberal Democrats? I don’t think so. That really does bother me.
I have no problem, and Reid I have little doubt will have no problem, with putting the referendum on the ballot.
Equating that with donating/campaigning for a YES vote on that referendum is something completely different.
- Reid Greenmum
Thanks for the informative post. I was not engaged in 2002 and, after doing research on this issue, which is still very much alive today, am much obliged to you, Pat, and the citizen group that fought this legislation.
I would also encourage anyone not familiar to follow the research ~ and the money trail. Links below will get you started; google “Hampton Roads Transportation Authority” and/or “Northern Virginia Transportation Authority for more.
If I have wrong info, I trust BD posters will correct. (If you’re not into bill-reading, the impact statements + news reports will give you good general overview.)
2002 bill: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?021+sum+SB668
2007 bill: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?071+sum+HB3202
News reports:
http://hamptonroads.com/2008/02/regional-transportation-authorities-ruled-unconstitutional?cid=srch
http://hamptonroads.com/2008/02/hampton-roads-transportation-authority-dodges-downsizing?cid=srch
http://www.ntu.org/in-your-state/virginia/ntu-testifies-northern-virginia-transportation.html
Donor list to “Yes Campaign”:
http://www.vpap.org/committees/profile/money_in_donors/864
Will post comments/opinion separately… and yes, I think it’s worth discussing why Scott Rigell gave $10,000 (a significant sum) to help pass this legislation.
PART II THE MONEY – Who supported the legislation with significant donations to the “Yes Campaign”? It was not concerned citizen groups for better roads and public transport. It was: 1) Lobbyist and alliance groups for longshoremen, transportation, construction, and real estate 2) Transportation, construction, engineering, marine, and real estate firms 3) Banks 4) Debt financing and land/real estate development law firms. The donor list is a Who’s Who of unions, trades, and companies positioned to garner very large contracts from the projects, feed off the first tier (i.e. construction/real estate loans) or win big when new tracks of land are opened up or more accessible for development.
In addition to the above feeders … we have our automotive friends: Ford Motor Company ($25,000), plus $10,000 EACH from: Automotive Resource Development Group, Bay Chev, Casey Auto, Charles Barker, Checkered Flag, Colonial Chev, Freedom Ford, Greenbrier Chrys, Hall, Pomoko, Phillips, and Williams PLUS … $6000 from Tysinger … $5000 from Priority Auto… $2500 from Denbeigh Toyota…$2000 from UAW…and $1250 from Williamsburg Chrys.
Anyone else find it odd Hampton Roads auto dealers pumped almost $450,000 – approximately 1/4 of the TOTAL “Yes” fund – into this legislation? Why? Find the reason for this both-sides-of-the-aisle lobbying effort, you find Rigell’s reason – and likely one that had nothing to do with fixing Hampton Roads transportation issues.
Of note:
-The 7 new taxes imposed include a 5% tax on car repairs; NO tax on new/used car sales. The hotel industry, however, got hit with a whopping additional 2% room tax, bringing the total tax paid for hotel stay to about 20%. And the new grantors tax (tax paid when you sell your home) in this legislation was 5 times the old tax. That’s in addition to the recordation tax you paid when you purchased your home. http://www.hb3202.virginia.gov/ http://activerain.com/blogsview/132707/increase-in-virginia-grantor-s-tax-and-the-rest-of-the-northern-virginia-transportation-plan
-The legislation included a pittance for mass transport, with the bulk of that small amount consumed by the rail project. (Section 2 §5 of the bill)
Scott Rigell told the VB Taxpayer Alliance he supported the YES CAMPAIGN because, “It was the only option at the time”.
Jay D,
Well researched, except that last quote. Where was another option to the transportation issue at the time? For that quote to be untrue, there’d have to be an alternative.
I’m might be missing something, but where’s the correlation between missing a tax on car sales and having one on hotels? That just means the auto lobbyist in Richmond did a great job keeping that out of the bill. A higher tax on car sales wouldn’t impact the car industry, cars breakdown and people have to buy them regardless. It wouldn’t lead to higher or lower car sales.
I looked at it as the corporations providing the vehicles used on the roads lobbying for it’s passage
I opposed the YES campaign, even if it was the “only option at the time.”
Congested lane miles after the projects were pretty much the same after they built the billions in roads as they were before. HRPDC gave us the studies that said so.
Somehow, I found a way to oppose raising taxes for a plan that didn’t reduce traffic congestion.
I amaze myself sometimes.
DJ – Scott’s answer was Scott’s answer and folks can decide for themselves its veracity.
On the correlation question: This bill was wrong on many levels, not the least of which was asking a few (7 tax groups) – car repair consumers, hotel guests, home sellers, car renters, auto registrations, auto inspections – to foot the bill for what we all use – the roads.
Also, at the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theory nutcase (which I’m not!), a study of the Great American Streetcar Scandal illustrates the auto industry will aggressively protect its market share, even at the expense of the public good. I am not charging this was in play on this legislation, however with so few $$’s from the billions budgeted directed at mass transit alternatives (to autos), one could reasonably wonder if the 1/4 budget of the YES fund might have had some influence on the choice (and funding distribution) of the projects?
It gets more interesting when you compare contribution amounts from each of the auto dealer donors), with a typical or previous contributions. For a significant number, the YES campaign donation was 5 – 10 times above their average donation amount. Why was this bill SO important to the HR auto dealerships, and to Ford Motor Company?
Just to be clear to BD readers … I am NOT making charges or accusations. Just asking questions that seem pretty basic and logical to me.
DJ – Theories and questions aside, I believe every Delegate or Senator who voted for this bill should be held to task, regardless of party affiliation. The U.S. Constitution grants to Congress the sole authority to levy federal taxes. At the state level, the authority rests solely with the General Assembly. And no; one community cannot (legally) impose taxes on another. This is U.S. and Virginia history 101; middle school curriculum. How can any legislator (or candidate running for state/federal office) NOT understand the awesome power to tax is held exclusively in the hands of elected officials … because they are accountable and responsible to the citizens through the power of the ballot box.
This law attempted an Obama runaround (it’s not a tax, it’s a “fee”) and blatantly tried to pass the buck, the heat, and the power to a non-elected, non-accountable 3rd party. What makes it really stink is the number of Republican supporters willing to ignore their duty and sign on to this slop.
http://www.taxfoundation.org/blog/show/22972.html
Scott Rigell’s Commitments # 3 & #4 look pretty shallow next to his $10,000 support of a non-constitutional bill that attempted to obfuscate and shift accountability for 9 Billion dollars in regional taxes/debt from the General Assembly to the HRTA & NVTA:
3. I WILL BRING ACCOUNTABILITY TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
4. AMERICA’S FOUNDING DOCUMENTS WILL GUIDE MY DECISIONS.
[...] that I’ve found other outlets for my work. I’m doing the design and layout for Bearing Drift Magazine, an effort that I thoroughly love. As for the rest of my political snarkiness, I can easily [...]
Brian,
I understand that you amaze yourself but you do not amaze me. Anyone who has traveled on our highways where recent lanes have been added both before and after will admit the lane additions have improved things. That is until you get to that unimproved bottleneck at the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. Traffic backs up for miles there.
Why is it that some metropolitan areas as large in scope as Tidewater can keep traffic moving while Tidewater traffic grinds to a halt? Is it because they do not have boo birds like Brian Kirwin and Reid Greenum stopping progress?
I think Brian Kirwin and Reid Greenum should get out more. Go visit some other areas where intelligent expansion of the transportation system relieved/prevented gridlock. It is pretty obvious to all that their leadership has not given us any improvement. Think about that next time you try to get through the tunnel during rush hour.
I’m on the roads every day, punk.
Polling has shown 2/3rds opposition to tax increases for the 10 years I’ve been reading polls. Don’t blame me for the lack of public support for your solutions.
Little David, we are surrounded by water. To live here is very expensive. I first came here when I was 8 and the tunnel was brand new. My family came to visit my uncle in the Navy. What are your solutions to the gridlock without raising taxes on people already hurting? I am 51 and this has been the worst economic times I can ever remember.
Part of the problem is a lack of incentives to find work that does not require crossing the bridge, another is a lack of people living where the employers are. Lets face it, VB is a better place to live.. if the better work is in Newport News then the delimma is resolved by commuting as wasteful as it is.
Another bigger issue is that we have too much pavement as it is and way underutilized rail as it exists and a lack of large scale rail crossing to NN. If we were smart we would demand our leaders stop supporting urban sprawl highway development and insist on evolving rail transport that A does not need much oil (nuke electricity is domestically produced) and B could take 50-80% of heavy truck traffic off the roads.
I used to work for Siemens which is headquartered in Regensburg Germany. They make a LOT of commuter trains for markets worldwide. I traveled many places using small and large scale rail and the smart cities with good transportation used both. Small scale runs in urban areas and large scale goes regionally. Paris to Marseilles is such a short haul by high speed rail (shares freight) that flying is just not desireable anymore. During commute hours the large scale hauls human butt and in between it hauls freight so the rails stay busy. Same for Tokyo.
They are smart, We are slow, not stupid.. slow figuratively politically and literally. I met with an asian client that I took out for lunch here in Va and he was shocked at how slow and patient we are with transportation.. this guy was no dummy, even he knew we have a political problem, not a technical one..
Brian,
Punk huh? Guess I struck a nerve, grin.
You are on the road every day? My gosh, how many miles do you cover every day? How often do you travel outside of Virginia? Every time you do venture outside the state we get to hear from you how strange and different things are out there – grin.
I cover over 120,000 miles a year. I have over 1.5 million miles covered in the last decade with the miles covered being throughout the lower 48. I get to see where, when it comes to traffic, things flow and where they do not. I know what the fuel taxes are in each state I travel through and know where when I am traveling I am being ripped off and where I am getting my money’s worth.
Katy Mateer,
My solution does not come without a tax increase. Virginia’s fuel taxes are lower then every surrounding state with the exception of Tennessee. Progress does not come without revenue and the revenue is most efficiently and fairly raised with a fuel tax increase. If we resort to tolls, nationally one third of the toll revenue collected goes towards paying for the costs of collecting the tolls.
More specifically, to answer the problem of the tunnel bottleneck I personally am in favor of the “Third Crossing”. This new tunnel would siphon some of the HRBT (Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel) traffic off to the underutilized MMBT (Monitor Merrimac Bridge Tunnel). Others favor expansion of the existing HRBT which I agree might even be more effective, however it would be much more costly. It seems we would get best value from the Third Crossing proposal.
I wish to point out I am a self employed truck driver who pays tens of thousands of dollars every year in fuel taxes. Last year I bought a new truck and paid over $11,000 in FET (Federal Excise Tax) on the purchase with the money going towards funding transportation. I also wish to point out I am not a lone wolf in the trucking industry. The ATA (American Trucking Association), the OOIDA (Owner Operator Independent Driver Association) and the VTA (Virginia Trucking Association) all favor increased fuel taxes over tolls as being the most fair and efficient way to raise revenue for our transportation needs. It is interesting that those who would end up paying the most would volunteer to pay more as long as it was fair (it would not be fair to raise fuel taxes on the trucking industry alone – we are not the only ones who would benefit from the Third Crossing).
So, this country bumpkin who lives on a horse farm and rarely crosses the hrbt should pay more fuel taxes so people who choose to make that commute 20 years from now will have to spend the same amount of time they spend now because our planners failed to think smart yesterday and today.. Sounds like rino/democrat tax logic to me.. and a losing proposition for anyone seeking office.
What makes more sense is to deploy EZPass and to get people on board offer a credit or incentive to buy the transponder while construction gets underway for the third. If we need to hire experienced highway contractor management to oversee or replace parts of vdot, ok with me.. if there are more efficient ways to manage portions our roads so lets look abroad for the best out there and import fresh management. And while we are at it, lets focus the expense for the third to those routes and industries that are most likely to use it including rail.
I agree we do need a third crossing. Anyone remember what happened when the bridge tunnel was shut down because of tiles? How about when we have a hurricane coming our way? The least expensive fix may be to raise gas tax by 2cents per gallon and not pay for installation and upkeep of tolls. Will I get slammed by my Republican friends for saying this? Probably, but we do need a solution that will not cost more money.
Little,
I don’t care.
James,
Your country bumpkin still depends on the efficiency of the national road network. Your bumpkin still sells something or consumes something. Whether your bumpkin likes it or not, the bumpkin depends on the efficiency of the national economy to provide for him.
That is unless the bumpkin is Amish. They do a pretty good job of providing for themselves. But they also do not pay fuel taxes because they get around on horse drawn carriages and bicycles. Every other bumpkin that depends on the modern economy to provide for them should pay their fair share of the costs of the freight.
LittleDavid, The efficiency of the national road network is a contradiction in terms and there is plenty of data to back that up. Consolidated Rail is far less wasteful than scattered tire on pavement. Yes right here in the hamlet of Hampton Roads we waste energy through the short sighted miracle of poor long range urban planning.
With all due respect, when I buy something, the cost of the freight includes the taxes paid.. Are you suggesting a vat for road taxes? sure looks that way.. hold on, I’ll go re read your last.. hmm.. just noticed something you said that I disagree with LittleDavid, and I quote “Whether your bumpkin likes it or not, the bumpkin depends on the efficiency of the national economy to provide for him.” No, offense but the the utopian efficiency of our national economy as you speak of is presently bankrupting us and driving the cost of road building up for the next generation.. It also keeps us addicted to oil. We would be better off with efficient technology but our politicians have over protected the truck and auto as the prime mover which was fine when oil was cheap and fewer people occupied the same space.. This is 2010 and millions of people were born or relocated here to a place that has a road network adequate for 1/3 of the vehicles on the road now.
More taxes, more tolls, more roads, more crossings are all on the table, but until you move a significant number of drivers OUT of cars and OFF the roads, the future remains a repetitive cycle as the population grows and gridlocks. If you look at global and US cities that have done best at dealing with gridlock, the commonalities are 1) increased pain ~ excessive drive time OR cost, 2) increased carrots ~ business tax breaks and government subsidies for public transport and alternatives, and 3) a comprehensive and efficient system that moves people from point A to B and provides cheap and efficient movement within the destination area. The last part is key. EVERY successful mass commuter system has an inter AND an intra component. HOV is a boondoggle failure in Tidewater because mass transit systems within our individual cities are slow, inefficient, limited, unattractive, and simply abysmal.
Unfortunately, we’ll never get from here to there if we allow auto dealers, auto manufacturers, and other interest groups to shape legislation AND we’ll never get there from here if we keep electing boneheads who put auto industry interests (or any industry interest) above the public good. I would think this issue would be one of D2’s top 3 regional concerns? Hopefully the voters will pay attention to where each candidate (and current legislator) stands on the transportation tax bill and the HRTA. (Note on this wiki entry, public transportation portion of Scott’s bill was so puny the author didn’t even bother to mention it.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton_Roads_Transportation_Authority
Where do the D2 candidates stand? Rigell still defends his support for the tax bill. At least Bert tells me he’s looking ‘outside the box’ for solutions and understands this is a most critical issue impacting the region’s future prosperity. (Note, his comment was in response to interview question, “Twenty years from now, how do you envision Hampton Roads?”) http://www.altdaily.com/ To ignore relevance of any candidate’s position on the transportation tax bill is head-in-sand behavior towards what will likely be a front and center Nye-generated issue in November. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/5/20/174254/372
James,
OK, if the national road network is so bad and there is plenty of data to back that up I want to see some of that data.
You state I am proposing a VAT for road taxes? Nope, I am in favor of the plain and pure fuel tax. Those that use the roads pay the tax. Those that buy something that traveled on the roads pay the tax through their purchase.
I disagree that the costs of the road system are bankrupting us. An efficient road system helps keep our goods cost competitive in the global market place. Yeah, I know we have problems competing with cheap labor overseas, but an efficient transportation system is one of the advantages we should exploit in our efforts to compete.
Trucking is a special interest protected by politicians? I would ask you to come and examine the books of my business and just see for yourself how much of the costs of my business come from the taxes I pay to engage in the business. There are special taxes aimed directly at trucking like the HVUT (Heavy Vehicle Use Tax) that the average citizen does not pay, at least not directly.
If you are so against trucking then I suggest you only patronize a local grocery store where everything came by rail. Guess what? The shelves at that store will be empty. You can’t purchase something that isn’t there. The grease on the wheels of the American economy is the grease on the wheels of the trucking industry. Whether you like it or not, we bring the food to the grocery store that ends up putting food on your table.
Yawn…more tax increases. Go ahead, David. Try and find elected officials in the majority who want to raise taxes so you can drive more trucks at rush hour and slow down traffic. Ever see backups caused by nothing more than trucks who can’t speed up? I have. Of course, it’s nice sometimes because there is usually a huge amount of space in front of them if I can pass them.
Democrats own DC. Get them to hike the gas tax. What? They don’t want to?
Republicans own Richmond. Get them to hike the gas tax. What? They don’t want to?
Keep on’ truckin’, David. Nobody who can raise gas taxes wants to do it.
David, you must be channeling Mike Barrett with your argument for new tax ideas. Suggestion: get petitions signed for all the tax increases you guys can think of “for the roads” so they can be placed on the ballot come November.
Better yet, form a “citizens to raise or invent every tax you can think of for roads” PAC and massively fund your favorite politician to run on raising taxes as a litmus test of your ideas. Then have your favorite politician go on a “listening tour” to hear what people have to say, and then bask in the love shown by all of the supporters of your tax ideas which will be the final step to certain victory. I’m certain that even the great Obama himself couldn’t pull that one off… but I could be wrong.
Brian,
You are starting to sound like an unreasonable environmentalist. You do not want to deal with the trucks either, you just demand what the trucks bring you. Stop eating and the trucks will stop coming.
For those of us who can deal with the real world we have a major problem with traffic backups at the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. This backup not only inconveniences commuters it also deters economic development. Yes, we are going to have to pay something if we want to solve this problem. Who other then certain Republicans like Brian Kirwin will insist progress comes for free?
Here is one of several sources for that data LittleDavid.. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/2008cpr/index.htm See Ch 3.
Get government out of the way and give tax credits for building rail infrastructure to norfolk southern until the cows come home and we will have a world class railway in less than a decade. Let HRT lease it, not own or maintain it. Let NS make a profit and they will do it faster, more efficiently, less expensively and correctly than any government entity.
SAME GOES FOR ROADS.. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/2008cpr/chap7.htm
Here is some more widely accessed intel for ya http://www.artba.org/ Note it is members only so what I am reading might not be accessible to non members.
David, pay as much as you want. The day you demand to decide how much I pay, you’ve crossed the line.
Feel free to donate any of your disposable income to government.
Brian,
I only want you to pay for as much use you get out of the road system. If you do not use it (you don’t buy gas) you do not pay. Why should I alone pay to provide a first class road system that you will only be too glad to hit the accelerator on while you glide unencumbered on your way to work? If you do not want to pay for the roads then park your car and stop using the roads.
James,
If rail is so efficient then why should they need tax credits? Get government out of the way? Is the government forcing the rail lines to abandon rail right of way? The trucking industry is extremely taxed and if government would get out of the way we’d run the railroads out of business!
@Bryan Kerwin and others who voted against the gas tax: Read the bill that Richmond passed, supported by the YES CAMPAIGN, and which the Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional. It included everything you told legislators you didn’t want: gas tax, tolls, etc. Below is a very small sample of the new ‘fees’ Richmond authorized the HRTA to collect. Again, read the bill and pay attention – HRTA is still intact and operating and round 3 is coming.
“Powers: the Authority shall control and operate and may impose and collect tolls in amounts established by the Authority for the use of any new or improved highway, bridge, tunnel, or transportation facility to increase capacity on such facility (including new construction relating to, or improvements to, the bridges, tunnels, roadways, ….)
Article 4.1. Motor Vehicle Fuel Sales Tax in Certain Localities
§ 58.1-1724.3. Sales tax on fuel in certain localities.
A. In addition to all other taxes, fees, and other charges imposed on fuels subject to tax under Chapter 22 (§ 58.1-2200 et seq.) of this title, the Hampton Roads Transportation Authority may impose a sales tax of two percent of the retail price of such fuels sold at retail within any county or city embraced by the Authority. The Commissioner shall transfer the revenues collected to the Hampton Roads Transportation Authority established under § 33.1-391.7. As used in this section “sold at retail” means a sale to a consumer or to any person for any purpose other than resale.
§ 58.1-2217. Taxes levied; rate.
A. There is hereby levied a tax at the rate of seventeen and one-half cents per gallon on gasoline and gasohol.
B. There is hereby levied a tax at the rate of sixteen seventeen and one-half cents per gallon on diesel fuel.
C. Blended fuel that contains gasoline shall be taxed at the rate levied on gasoline. Blended fuel that contains diesel fuel shall be taxed at the rate levied on diesel fuel.
D. There is hereby levied a tax at the rate of five cents per gallon on aviation gasoline.’
Jay D,
I do not think every portion of the bill was ruled unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court.
My tax on diesel went up from 16 cents per gallon to 17.5 cents per gallon and that is what I still am paying.
For further clarification I wish to point out that large trucks actually pay a higher rate then 17.5 cents. 17.5 cents is what we pay at the pump and there is another 3 cents per gallon off pump tax that is collected later. Also, the tax is actually charged on fuel consumed, not just purchased within Virginia by large trucks. If you purchased more fuel then you consumed you might be due a refund, but if you purchased none here you still pay the tax on the amount you consumed in Virginia even if you bought all of it somewhere else.
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