Spank That Donkey

Spark it Up is highlighting something pretty disturbing revelations about Del. Bob Marshall's 2A voting record:

January 27, 2000

Dear Del. Bob Marshall

The Virginia Citizens Defense League is the largest grassroots gun-rights group in the Commonwealth. We led the effort to reform Virginia's Concealed Carry law and we have continued to lead the fight for gun-rights in Virginia.

Your bills, HB 350 ( http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?001+ful+HB350 )
and HB 351 ( http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?001+ful+HB351 ), would clearly infringe upon the right to bear arms. In Virginia it is legal to carry a firearm or knife in an open manner. Why do you want to make it a crime to do so on taxpayer property? Whether your bill would exempt Concealed Carry Permit holders is a matter of legal interpretation. You can bet that anti-gun localities such as Alexandria and Fairfax would use your law to harass law-abiding gun-owners.

Del. Marshall - your bills do not "mirror Project EXILE". Project EXILE was targeted at convicted felons. Your bill will create felons out of otherwise law-abiding folks!

Del. Marshall - on behalf of gun owners across Virginia I ask you to withdraw these dangerous gun control bills! I am sure you will hear from other concerned citizens, please listen to us!

Sincerely,

Paul W. Moog, Jr. President Virginia Citizens Defense League

You know I've heard a lot of talk about Del. Bob Marshall being the only US Senate candidate that stopped HB 3202 from becoming law, and that is why we should support him. You know that bill that would allow unelected bodies to have taxing authority over our Commonwealth's Citizens.  The theory being, only Marshall could be trusted to stop new taxes in their tracks!

Well, let us confirm that is Governor Jim Gilmore who used the power of the veto to stop Del. Bob Marshall from creating one of those unelected bodies and give them the authority to tax our citzenry. It seems:

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Summary as passed: (all summaries)
Virginia Regional Economic Development Authority. Allows two or more localities to create such an authority for the purpose of enhancing the economic base for the member localities by developing, owning, and operating on a cooperative basis one or more development areas for commercial enterprises. An authority shall be a political subdivision of the Commonwealth and its powers shall include the power to sue and be sued in its own name; adopt bylaws, rules and regulations; enter into agreements with any other political subdivision of the Commonwealth for joint or cooperative action; enter into voluntary economic growth-sharing agreements; determine the locations of, develop, establish, construct, operate, regulate, and maintain facilities to the extent necessary or convenient to accomplish the purposes of the authority; acquire, own, hold, lease, use, sell, encumber, transfer, or dispose of, in its own name, any real or personal property or interests therein; enter into contracts of any kind; expend such funds as may be available to it for the purpose of developing facilities; fix and revise from time to time and charge and collect rates, rents, fees, or other charges for the use of facilities or for services rendered in connection with the facilities; borrow money from any source for any valid purpose; issue bonds; receive from participating localities contributions of taxes levied within the district; distribute its revenues according to an agreement among participating localities; and, with the concurrence of the member localities, levy an incremental real property tax for capital investment and special services within the district. This is a recommendation of the Commission on the Condition and Future of Virginia's Cities.

Wow, can you believe it? Luckily Governor Jim Gilmore wielded the veto pen, and wrote:

Pursuant to Section 6 of Article V of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill No. 1474. House Bill No. 1474 allows two or more localities to create a Regional Economic Development Authority to develop, own and operate for those localities, one or more development areas for commercial enterprises.

Establishing a process to make it easier for local governments to work together on projects that are of regional economic benefit are vital in ensuring greater government efficiency and reducing wasteful spending. These steps, however, should not involve a delegation of taxing authority, or the creation of an undefined tax district, which is what House Bill No. 1474 purports to do.

I believe that there is a model of regional cooperation that will allow these efficiencies to provide the regions of the Commonwealth the tools they need to compete nationally for high paying jobs and investments. I have always believed in local economic development through the cooperative efforts of localities, and initiatives like the Regional Competitiveness Act is one example of how effective those efforts can be.

While House Bill No. 1474 takes some important steps in creating the proper economic incentives for collaboration between regions, unfortunately, it also blurs the distinction between regional governments and regional authorities, potentially creating an unelected entity with the critical sovereign powers of government.

Therefore, I am returning this bill without my approval.

and who voted for it?

(floor) 02/15/00 House: VOTE: PASSAGE (74-Y 25-N)

 

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YEAS--Abbitt, Almand, Amundson, Armstrong, Barlow, Baskerville, Bennett, Bloxom, Bolvin, Brink, Broman, Byron, Callahan, Christian, Clement, Councill, Cranwell, Crittenden, Darner, Day, DeBoer, Deeds, Diamonstein, Dickinson, Dillard, Drake, Grayson, Hall, Hargrove, Hull, Ingram, Jackson, Joannou, Johnson, Jones, D.C., Jones, J.C., Jones, S.C., Keister, Kilgore, Larrabee, Marshall, May, McClure, McDonnell, McEachin, McQuigg, Melvin, Moran, Morgan, Moss, O'Brien, Orrock, Parrish, Phillips, Plum, Pollard, Purkey, Rhodes, Robinson, Ruff, Scott, Sherwood, Shuler, Spruill, Stump, Tata, Tate, Thomas, Van Landingham, Van Yahres, Watts, Weatherholtz, Williams, Woodrum--74.

 

NAYS--Albo, Black, Blevins, Bryant, Cantor, Cox, Davis, Devolites, Dudley, Griffith, Hamilton, Harris, Howell, Katzen, Landes, Louderback, Nixon, Reid, Rollison, Rust, Suit, Wagner, Wardrup, Ware, Mr. Speaker--25.

 

ABSTENTIONS--0.

 

Shazam!  I just wonder, if this had passed would Del. Marshall have named him self in the law suit when he set out to end these unelected authorities with taxing power?  Marshall even voted for it in committee, so much for not knowing what the bill was all about.

Note here, since I am all about Republican Unity, I will spare some of my closest blogging friends links to the numerous, numerous, numerous posts, and comments that have never spared the rod for the Good Governor Gilmore in regards to HB3202, or his 'Big Govt' ways.  Feel the Love.

But now we know, Governor Gilmore is the only US Senate Candidate that has saved us from these ghastly, unelected bodies with taxing authority.

UVA just increased tuition 9.4% to $9,300 annually for FY 08-09', according to the Washington Times metro section.  What's the matter folks, didn't have the nerve to get the full 10%?  Tuition & Fees was $4,130 in FY 99-2000.

Governor's Mark Warner and Tim Kaine have absolutely opened the flood gates on tuition increases.  UVA has a $5 Billion dollar endowment.  Five Billion dollars, that is five times what the entire Commonwealth of Virginia has in it's rainy day fund?  Heck it took Governor Jim Gilmore four years to get Virginia's Rainy Day fund to $1 Billion...

Five billion dollars...

How much money annually would we be able to give to our other colleges if we just let them go private?  Out of State tuition is $29,600 annually.  Go for it, have at it.  This is getting to be like the Commonwealth of Virginia building a football stadium for the Redskins... like they need the subsidy?  Like their athletics department isn't raping their alumni already for season tickets.....

It is a bold step to let a college leave the system, but I sure would like to see the study on it.  I saw the figure in Jerry's post here, linking to VA Tech's mulling over crushing it's students with possibly a 10% hike in tuition.  It says $166 million is sent to VA Tech annually....  at least that much must be going to UVA.

What if we kept the medical school, and let the rest go private?  Establish a state scholarship fund to UVA from the money saved for the smartest students, and plow the balance into our other colleges to get this.... lower tuition.... It's getting out of hand folks, graduates carrying around $200 -$300 a month student loan bills only hurts the economy.  It makes it harder to purchase new vehicles, afford homes, afford health insurance, etc.

Five Billion dollars... If an institution with that kind of money can not be self sufficient, what the heck do they have a business school for?  Oh, I forgot, college is more about theory than practical application.... whatever... Five Billion Dollars!

Why in the heck are subsidizing a college with an endowment five times what the Commonwealth's cash reserves are?  Someone anyone?

 Well, now.  Seems that Yankee Philip, SWAC GIRL, and others, sorry if I skipped you, will get the link later, are reporting the fact that our Senator Hanger holds an excellent tax payers group in very low regard.

Let it be known, if Senator Hanger doesn't like AFP, he should put the reasons for it down in writing, as we bloggers do.  Along the same lines, he should have to defend his vote for SB 708 in 2006 in writing also.

That is what the blogosphere is about.  Posting the facts, giving your opinion, and backing up your arguments with solid rationale.  The AFP is not a 'splinter' group, and while tax payers state and nationwide are dealing with inflation in energy and food costs, attacking groups who would like to see good government practices is hardly productive.

We fell in behind you Senator Hanger after the primary; we have issues, and we hope you will be listening.