Spank That Donkey

This is incredible... So now it seems according to Bacon's Rebellion, and per an email from LG Bill Bolling:

The money the Governor is diverting from the general fund transportation allocation is being spent on other things. Specifically, it is being used to help eliminate the remaining budget shortfall in the current fiscal year, along with $261M from the rainy day fund. While the Governor has promised to replace the money in 2010, the problem with that is twofold. First, we have to trust him to do it and not change course and redirect the money somewhere else. Second, he can only do it if his very optimistic revenue projections of 6.6% revenue growth come to pass, and many of us feel that those revenue projections are overly optimistic given the general economic downturn we are facing.

Now my recollection is that in 2006, (from our $600M+ surplus), the General Assembly set aside $250M as a one time infusion into Transportation as a compromise.  What I thought so cynical about it was that we were supposedly in a 'Transportation Crisis', but yet that money was not sent to VDOT to jump start their most critically needed projects, but instead set aside.... i.e. to delay projects and further infuriate the commuting voters into pressuring the House of Delegates to give into tax increases demanded by Senate Finance in 2005-2007.

Now it would seem that money put into the General Fund is now going to help balance our current budget shortfall.... produced by whom?  The Senate Finance Committee and Governor Kaine who recklessly went ahead and spent a 'projected' 6% revenue growth; all the while knowing that NOVA new construction and the economy itself was slowing due to higher interest rates, higher fuel costs, etc.

No wonder our voting electorate is cynical about politicians....   Seriously, the arguments now are that VDOT can't spend the money, because it takes so long to ramp up these projects?  So Bacon's Rebellion further reveals:

Well, it turns out the story isn't completely accurate true. I checked with Gordon Hickey, Kaine's press secretary, who categorically denies that Kaine is taking any money out of the Transportation Trust Fund. The $180 million, Hickey says, is coming out of General Fund dollars allocated to transportation. And the reason is that the transportation projects simply aren't ready to be built. The Governor moved the money to 2010 because that's when the projects will come on line.

Now remember, all the while, that the Senate Finance Committee killed the 'Transportation Lock Box' that Governor Kaine ran on!  Rest assured that the Dems who now control Senate Finance will send over a bill to the House of Delegates to  implement a 5% retail gas tax (at the pump),  to fund transportation needs all the more !  i.e. go to the General Fund, for further expansion of government and future shell games....

Yup, I think the picture is getting clearer, and clearer.... Throw the Freaking Bums Out!

Update on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 at 10:16AM by SpankThatDonkey

I have noticed that Virginia (reluctantly) that my Bi-Line could have used a little more purusal last night....  Then again too with the way the budget process is starting out.... The Virgin has long lost her chasity down in Richmond...  (and no that wasn't some kind of Fruedian slip, I think....)