Monday, February 27, 2006

Bring On The Competition

It looks as though Verizon Communications wants to enter the cable TV business. Click here to read more.

Good. After all, we live in a global, free market economy, right?

I know of quite a few people who complain every 30 days when they open their current cable TV bill. For the most part they are satisfied with the service they get and the amount of channels they receive. They simply feel they pay too much, particularly when they only watch a handful of channels and there are few other choices.

I for one could live without almost 80% of what I get under my current plan. I would much rather only pay for specific channels as opposed to being forced to buy so many. But, that’s a topic for another time.

Legislators are on the right track by requiring companies who want to provide cable TV service to serve at least 65% of a locality. By doing so they prevent the companies from cherry picking the most affluent neighborhoods.

In case you didn’t know, your local City Council or Board of Supervisors made your current cable TV selection. In order to get local contract cable TV providers must provide service to a certain percentage of a locality as well as provide a certain number of public access channels.

This should be interesting. Stay tuned.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Paint It Black

We all know the lyrics, “I see a red door and I want it painted black.”

Sorry, Sir Mick, nice try, but you can pack away your brush and paint bucket because no painting will be going on in Winchester’s Corridor Enhancement District without a blessing from the City Planning Commission.

Read all about it, here.

Sadly, another layer of bureaucracy is about to be implemented on property owners who live or own property located in the Corridor Enhancement District. For those that don’t know, the “district” is basically all of the major entryways leading into the city towards the downtown area.


The proposed ordinance will permit, “no more than three colors, excluding roof colors…for buildings in the Corridor Enhancement District.”

Damn, I guess the rendering of Elvis I was thinking about doing on the side of my house is a no go.

It appears as though the days when you, as a property owner, could go to the local hardware store and choose the colors YOU like the best are slowly fading away. I now have to submit a color scheme plan to the City Planning Commission for approval if I want to paint my house or rental property if it is located in the district.

The first question I asked myself was, what exactly makes the City Planning Commission experts on color schemes? Have they had some special class in what a good paint scheme is? Second, what if I get turned down? Will they come back to me and say, “here is what we like” or “this is what we prefer.” Third, and most importantly, what about my property rights?

City beautification is all fine and well. However, this is a little over the top in my book.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

We Need More Inland Ports

The The Northern Virginia Daily's Political Depot has another good piece on the competing transportation plans under consideration. To read it, click here.

One aspect of the House plan I found interesting was the $45 million to upgrade rail lines from Front Royal to Manassas. The money will make it easier to ship goods to and from the Virginia Inland Port which is located in Warren County, close to I-81 and I-66.

The inland port is a distribution point for goods that are received via rail from Norfolk. Ships unload cargo onto trains and then the goods are sent via rail to the inland port. To see a map click here.

Given the truck traffic on I-81 perhaps a few more ports situated throughout the Commonwealth wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Perhaps another port in Roanoke, Charlottesville, or Bristol would go a long way to alleviating a lot of the truck congestion on I-81 and other roads in the Commonwealth.

Monday, February 20, 2006

Commonwealth Watch: The Commonwealth vs Counties: Drunk With Power

Commonwealth Watch: The Commonwealth vs Counties: Drunk With Power

Interesting discussion going on about HB 1435 sponsored by Del. David Albo

The Non-State Agency Dilemma

I scoured several news articles this morning and just about all of them were focused on the looming budget battle about to take place over transportation funding.

The one I found most interesting was from The Free Lance Star. Click here to read it. The article highlights the spending on non-state agencies, or, “arts and culture groups.” The Senate budget requests $95 million for such groups while the House budget requests $40 million.

Sen. John Chichester makes an excellent point when he said that both the Senate and House must, “maintain our laserlike focus on our commitment first to core services. The level of expenditure embodied in these requests continues to be more than can be appropriately accommodated."

Among the groups receiving state dollars:

$5,500 to the Colonial Beach Historical Society; $200,000 to the Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center; $50,000 to George Washington's Fredericksburg Foundation; $40,000 to the Museum of Culpeper History; $10,000 to the Northern Neck Farm Museum; $100,000 to the Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Society; $100,000 to the Reedville Fisherman's Museum; $100,000 to the Westmoreland County Museum; and $25,000 to the Westmoreland Poor School Society.

Museums and cultural centers are a great way to preserve a localities history and personality but at the same time, like any other enterprise, they should be expected to make it on revenues and donations they generate themselves, not state tax dollars.

I am sure many of them do just that. However, I am sure many wouldn’t even exist were it not for state money. At what point do we as taxpayers say enough is enough? If there are not enough people interested in visiting the XYZ museum or donating money to it why should the state come in and save the day with taxpayer money?

UPDATE

I just picked this up from the NV Daily's Political Depot.

House:
• Belle Grove Plantation, $50,000
• Clarke County Historical Association, $37,500
• New Market Library, $50,000
• Our Health, $250,000
• Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, $100,000
• Wayside Theatre, $25,000
• Warren Coalition Free Wheeling Handicapped Playground, $50,000
• Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society, $40,000
• Woodstock Museum of Shenandoah County, $5,765

Senate:
• Winchester Frederick County Historical Society, $20,000
• Belle Grove Plantation, $50,000
• Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, $200,000
• Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum, $500,000

Items included in former Gov. Mark R. Warner’s initial proposal:
• Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, $200,000
• Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum: $500,000

I've never been to the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum. I bet it's nice.

Friday, February 17, 2006

The Commonwealth Iconoclast: Is Blacksburg becoming "Bongburg"?

It's Friday and I weant to lighten things up a bit.

Here's an interesting post over at The Commonwealth Iconoclast.

The Commonwealth Iconoclast: Is Blacksburg becoming "Bongburg"?

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Kill Bill

The Northern Virginia Daily's Political Depot (Wednesday, February 15, 2006) has a good update on what is happening in regards to the various transportation plans being considered.

A major portion of Gov. Kaine’s plan would have allowed local governments to kill a development project if the project would over-stress the local roads.

Unfortunately, that portion of the plan died in a House subcommittee.

The article gors on to say, “A package of VDOT reforms moving through the House would privatize interstate maintenance and start the process of putting road decisions and financing back into the hands of local governments.”

Wait, didn't they just kill that?

I would like to see the “process” started sooner rather than later. Local governments need more authority when it comes to development.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Wow!

I came across this handy-dandy website which I would like to share with fellow bloggers.

Here it is. I especially like the graph because it puts things in perspective.

As of this posting our national debt is currently $8,205,376,724,587.34. Or, $8.2 trillion.

This is the government's official tally. If you want to see how much interest we paid back to the Chinese, Japanese, OPEC Countries, etc., click here.

Wow!

Give 'Em Hell Harry

27th District Sen. H. (Harry) Russell Potts, Jr. used a recent floor speech to lambaste the House of Delegates for it’s recent dumping of former Del. Jim Dillard to the W&M Board of Visitors. Click here.

I think Potts should have saved the speech for later. It appears as though the House is set to block the conformation of former Virginia AFL-CIO President Daniel G. LeBlanc as the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

House Republican Leader Morgan Griffith was quoted in the Hampton Roads Daily Press as saying, “The concern is over the 4,000 or so appointments to boards and commissions the governor will have over the next four years, and he (LeBlanc) would be looking at them and could put pro-union activists into positions that would set policy.”

Sen. Thomas K. Norment Jr., R-James City, tried to patch thing up in a speech later in the day when he asked that the rhetoric be toned down.

It’s a shame but things could go down hill from here. Sadly, it looks like partisanship might prevail in this year’s session and ultimately put an end to much needed transportation legislation.

I do believe Sen. Potts was correct in saying that the current political climate has become more vindictive and meaner. We often lose our best potential candidates from both parties because they don’t want to get involved in the dogfight that has come to define present day politics. Go figure.

Friday, February 10, 2006

Thanks, Del. Dillard

We all know what happened. If you don't, read it here.

I think Del. Vince Callahan said it best when he stated, "He (Del. Dillard) was one of the architects of the rejuvenation of the Republican Party in the latter part of the 20th century and eminently qualified to be on the Board of Visitors at the College of William and Mary."

The sad thing is, the House was really not voting on his qualifications. They used him as an example. It's a shame the House forgot all of the good and positive things Del. Dillard did throughout his career. But why would they? Focusing on the negative, unpleasant aspects of a person's persona and past seems to have permeated the majority party to the point of making it dysfunctional.

Del. Joe May of Loudoun County, who voted for Dillard's appointment, said his vote was "a matter of conscience." He said he did not agree with Dillard's actions in last fall's campaigns, but "that doesn't negate 30 years of good service." Click Here.

I am not sure who the other members of William & Mary's Board of Visitors are, but they gave Dillard a standing ovation upon hearing the news of his punishment. I would assume they are most likely well connected, politically minded people. That said, this can't look good for the Republican Party.

If Republicans spent as much time punishing Democrats as they do themselves our majority would be safe. However, if the cannibalism continues, I am not sure what the future holds.

Thursday, February 09, 2006

It Looks Like We're Heading For Overtime

It's almost assured Gov. Kaine will call a special session to address transportation woes in the Commonwealth.

Kaine and the Senate appear to be close to agreement on a sustainable funding package for transportation. However, it appears that the House is not going to raise taxes and is willing to do whatever it takes to hold the line.

To make a long story short, the House wants to use "surplus" money from last year's tax increase to fund a series of transportation projects. The Senate on the other hand wants to create a sustainable source of revenue to fund projects now and in the future.

On Monday, the House Finance Committee killed a bill that would have raised taxes on sales of motor vehicles from 3 percent to 5 percent. In addition, they killed a bill to raise the tax on insurance premiums from 2.25 percent to 4.5 percent. These taxes would have raised $2 Billion over four years.

I don't like taxes, but if we need a sustainable source of money for roads, taxing those who buy cars seems to be a practical way of doing it. Roads are built for cars. It would make sence that cars help pay for the roads at some point in the equation.

I guess the big question will be, which House members, if any, will buckle under the pressure to do something about transportation?

Monday, February 06, 2006

Housing Prices - Higher Still?

CnnMoney.com has a very informative and interactive spreadsheet regarding the national housing market. Click here to check it out. Simply click on the headers at the top of the spreadsheet and sort the data any way you like.

Home values in every market surveyed in Virginia are expected to increase again this year.

The big winners? Harrisonburg and Winchester, both cities located in the Shenandoah Valley are predicted to see home values increase 8.2% in 2006.

If you sort the list from the biggest (expected) gainers to the smallest (expected) they are tied for 22nd out of 379 markets nationally.

Methamphetamine In The Valley

Delegate C. Todd Gilbert, (R) - House District 15 who represents the Counties of Page, Rappahannock, Rockingham (part), and Shenandoah has introduced HB 785.

The bill will make any conviction involving any substance that contains any quantity of methamphetamine, including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers, punishable by the same sentencing guidelines applicable to a cocaine conviction.

This is a good bill.

Meth has become a rather big problem in the valley. Click here to read more. It's highly addictive and causes those that become addicted to do things like sell their homes, cars, clothes, etc., in order to finance their addiction.

One thing that jumps out at you in the DEA report (linked above) is that fact that, "The Shenandoah Valley region contains the highest percentage of methamphetamine abusers in the state, and was the first area of the state to receive a huge influx of Mexican immigrants, whose presence encouraged an expansion of existing Mexican drug-trafficking networks."

To learn more about Meth, please read this report from the U.S. Dept. of Justice.

On a side note, I am not so sure that I agree with HB 1312, also introduced by Del. Gilbert, which eliminates the requirement that law-enforcement officers permit motorists to observe the reading on a radar device.

I know when I get pulled over, I always like to see mine!

Sunday, February 05, 2006

I-81 - The Saga Continues

Several valley legislators are at odds with the recent proposal submitted by Star Solutions to widen Interstate 81.

Personally, I think Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah County, made a good point when he said valley residents, "certainly do not want an eight to 12-lane monstrosity of a road running up and down the valley."

Apparently, House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, disagrees saying, "If you continue to throw out the good in search of the perfect, you'll never get I-81 improved."

As a resident of the valley, I think Rockbridge County Del. Ben Cline has the most practical solution when he suggests fixing "choke points" on the highway. In addition, he suggests $1.9 million in new spending over the next two years to hire 10 additional state troopers to patrol along I-81. I hope he gets it.

I also hope the new troopers start pulling over reckless truck drivers who speed, run people off the road, and make I-81 a very dangerous road to travel.

Legislative Update

I'd like to kick thing off with a legislative update (at least for the northern valley) for all of our readers. Below are links to legislation that our local legislators have either Patroned, Chief Co-Patroned, or Co-Patroned

Delegate Beverly J. Sherwood (R) - House District 29 (Patron)

Delegate Beverly J. Sherwood (R) - House District 29 (Co-Patron)

Delegate Clifford L. Athey, Jr. (R) - House District 18 (Chief Patron)

Delegate Clifford L. Athey, Jr. (R) - House District 18 (Chief Co-Patron)

Delegate Clifford L. Athey, Jr. (R) - House District 18 (Co-Patron)

Senator H. Russell Potts, Jr. (R) - Senate District 27 (Chief Patron)

Senator H. Russell Potts, Jr. (R) - Senate District 27 (Co-Patron)

One Bill that could have huge implications was presented by Senator Potts. SB 686 establishes the Transportation Future Fund. Here is the full text of the Bill:

"Establishes the Transportation Future Fund (the Fund) to support the design and construction of surface transportation infrastructure of long-term statewide significance. Fund investments include: design and construction of the Third Crossing of Hampton Roads; construction of the Southeastern Parkway and improvements to U.S. Route 460 and Interstate Route 64 in Hampton Roads; expansion of Metrorail service to Tyson's Corner; completion of environmental impact studies associated with the Eastern and Western Bypasses in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.; completion of location studies and reservation of rights-of-way in connection with a Potomac River bridge between the American Legion Bridge (Interstate Route 495) and the U.S. Route 15 bridge; establishment of high-occupancy toll lanes on Interstate Routes 95, 395, and 495 in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., in the Fredericksburg-Washington corridor; expansion of Interstate Route 66 both within and outside the Capital Beltway; and completion of environmental impact studies associated with improvements to rail service, additional truck lanes, and improvements to choke points and dangerous locations in the Interstate Route 81 corridor. The Fund is to be financed through a 1cent increase in the sales and use tax and through establishment of toll roads."

Like Senator Potts always said, "There is no free lunch."