Quick, Call $911.00

A hot topic of discussion the past few months has been the City of Winchester’s decision to start charging folks who are taken to the hospital by the local EMS.

By collecting this fee, it is estimated the city will generate an additional $900,000 per year.

Here is the cost breakdown; $300 for basic life support transports, $355 for advance life support I, $510 for advance life support II transfers, and $9 per loaded mile. For more info. check out this article from The Winchester Star.

It has been stated since the beginning that anyone who cannot afford this new fee will not be charged. Medicare will pay “most” of these situations. Anyone who has private health insurance will be covered by their policy.

If your someplace in between Medicare and a private insurance policy, I don’t know what will happen. Are you automatically covered by Medicare? I don't know the answer.

An estimated 50 million Americans are without health insurance. Many are middle class folks with jobs.

I just hope that "most" of these folks are covered.

Lights, Camera, VDOT!

Interested in viewing current traffic conditions on your home computer?

Take a peek at http://www.virginiadot.org/comtravel/eoc/eoc-mainWEbcams.asp

VDOT has placed a series of web cams up and down the I-81 corridor, as well as several other places throughout The Commonwealth so travelers can look at real time images of current traffic conditions.

The cost of the project was $1.5 million.

The benefit? It’s hard to say at this point.

As traffic management technology continues to evolve, I am sure the cameras will play a vital role.

For example, maybe someday GPS navigation systems could be made to display Internet feeds, or use the information in the feeds or on the web to re-route a traveler around traffic accidents, etc. Some GPS systems probably already do this, but they are out of reach for most drivers.

Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to mandate that all new cars be required to have GPS systems in them…….

Candidates for the Winchester City Council……

Below is a breakdown of the folks who will be seeking election to the Winchester City Council in November.

To see a map (.pdf file) of the new voting Wards, please click here.

Also, The Wednesday, June 14, 2006 edition of The Winchester Star has good coverage of the races.

I must say that I was somewhat surprised that there are only two competitive races on the ballot.

But, all in all the change to a 4-Ward system is good for the City of Winchester. Different areas of the city have different needs and a 4-Ward system will do a better job of representing those areas.

Ward 1

-Philip E. Pate (D)

-Jeffrey B. Buettner (R)

Ward 2

-Evan Clark (D)

-Unchallenged

Ward 3

-Vincent A. Di Benedetto (R)

-Art Major (D)

Ward 4

-Michael L. Butler (R)

- Unchallenged.

Hey, I Was Right!

See yesterday's post.

My Prediction - Webb would win with 54% of the vote.

Actual - Webb won with 53.47%

Turnout Prediction - 3%

Actual - 3.5%

Not bad if I don't say so myself. And, I still maintain that Webb’s biggest advantage over Miller was the Democratic Virginia Blogosphere.

So, when is the first Allen/Webb debate?

And please, whoever the hell is in charge, please leave Larry Sabato out of the mix!

Start Your Engines; It’s Going To Be Webb vs. Allen

That’s my prediction.

Turnout in tomorrow’s statewide Democratic primary will be around 3% and James Webb will win the day with 54% of the vote.

I’d also add that one of Webb’s biggest allies during his brief political career has been the Democratic Virginia Blogosphere.

It’s the reason he’s going to win tomorrow.

The Secret $440,000 Study In Augusta County

Folks in the southern part of the Shenandoah Valley, Augusta County to be specific, are chomping-at-the-bit to know why the Augusta County Board of Supervisors spent $440,000 on a “secret” study for a proposed industrial mega-site that will encompass 1,600 acres and consume millions of gallons of water. If built, the site would occupy pristine farmland in the heart of The Valley.

The Staunton News Leader has provided the best coverage of the issue. Here are a few links.

The rumor is (and I stress rumor) Toyota is considering the site for a manufacturing facility.

Like all localities, Augusta County must make a choice between saving fertile farmland and re-zoning the land in order to attract good paying jobs, which the county currently lacks.

Those opposed to the project feel like they have been duped by the BOS because the study was done in secret, with little or no public involvement.

On the other hand, there are the folks in Augusta County who long for the good paying jobs a company like Toyota will bring.

Let’s face it, not everyone will inherit a 300-acre farm that has been in a family for generations.

I’d say the BOS is doing the right thing by trying to attract good paying jobs to Augusta County and doing the wrong thing by trying to do it in secrect.

Perhaps, the BOS could save a lot of time and heartache by telling everyone two things:

1) What company is considering locating in Augusta County?

2) Why did this have to be done in secrect?

Housing....Bing, Bang, Bust!

As most folks probably know, the once hot real estate market has seen a significant cool down over the past several months, particularly in NOVA, the economic engine of The Commonwealth.

As I have stated previously, I work in a real estate related field where I get to work with both Realtors and homeowners and I have had the opportunity to see things play-out first hand – from ground zero if you will.

Today, while out in the “field”, I had a very in-depth conversation with a Realtor and here are a few things that were mentioned:

-In the community of Lansdowne, located near Leesburg, VA, there is a 55-month supply of unsold homes. Yes, folks, that’s 4.5 YEARS worth of inventory.

-Several of the companies that are responsible for placing “For Sale” signs in the front of homes have run out of wood to make the signs.

-If you have an open house don’t expect anyone to show-up.

-Most sellers are moving out of the area. For the most part, they are heading south.

I did some further research and found this piece written by Gary Shilling on my favorite business website, http://www.forbes.com/ (I urge you to read the entire piece.). Among the things Mr. Shilling points out:

“This is the first nationwide housing bubble since the 1920s, and it's driven by three nationwide forces: low interest rates, loose lending practices and the desperate search for a stock substitute after the 2000--02 debacle. Previous real estate bubbles were regional, spurred by economic cycles like the rise and fall of the oil patch in the 1970s and 1980s, and southern California's aerospace leap in the late 1980s during the Reagan defense buildup, ending with the Cold War's demise.”

“A house-price collapse will be far worse than the 2000--02 bear market on Wall Street and will bring a serious global recession. Half of households own stocks or mutual funds, but 69% own homes. The resulting unemployment will kill many subprime borrowers' ability to make payments.”

“Even a 20% price decline will be devastating for many homeowners. On average, those with mortgages have 37% equity in their abodes. Of those who borrowed or refinanced in 2005, 29% have zero or negative equity, calculates First American Real Estate Solutions.”

Legislators in Richmond take note. We may not need all that money for roads after all.