Virginia | I'm Surrounded By Idiots

Local General Assembly/election coverage

How do I manage to do both of those in the same post? Because I’m just that good.

As noted previously, Caroline County will not receive funding to convert the Commonwealth’s Attorney position to a full-time position despite there being six budget amendments sponsored bipartisanly by fifteen (15) different Delegates and Senators. Somehow Buckingham County received funding to convert to full-time despite Caroline County having a population that is 66.04% more than Buckingham.

Another of Delegate Chris Peace’s amendments (besides the one for Commonwealth’s Attorney funding) was to provide $25,000 to the fund the construction of the Dawn Library. Killed.

Another of Peace’s amendments was one to provide $50,000 to Quin Rivers Inc., a community action agency, which covers the local area (including Caroline County). Killed.

Say thanks to the *bleep*s on the House Appropriations Committee.

Senator Ryan McDougle has introduced a bill, SB505, that would change Bowling Green’s charter. One of the biggest chances is the elections for mayor and town council:

An election shall be held on the first Tuesday of May, 2008, and every two years thereafter. At the election to be held in May, 2008, the candidate for the office of mayor receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected for a term of four years; the four candidates for councilmen receiving the highest number of votes, respectively, at such election shall be elected for a term of four years, and the three candidates receiving the next highest number of votes, respectively, at such election shall be elected for a term of two years; in the event that the three councilmen receiving the next highest number of votes cannot be determined because of a tie in the vote, the candidates who have tied in the votes shall draw lots to determine who shall serve the two-year term. Thereafter as the terms of the mayor and the members of the council, respectively, expire, their successors shall be elected for terms of four years. The mayor and councilmen elected at such elections shall enter upon their duties the first day of July next succeeding. Any vacancies on the council occurring other than by expiration of terms shall be filled, from the electors of the town, for the unexpired term, by a majority vote of the remaining members of the council.

In English: For the May 2008 election, the mayor would be elected for a four-year term, while the top four vote getters for the town council would serve a four-year term. The bottom three vote getters would have a two year term, then after the next election, those three seats would have four-year terms as well.

To make it simple: Mayor, four town council seats, elections in: 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, etc.
Three town council seats, elections in: 2008, 2010, 2014, 2018, etc.

The bill would also remove the salary cap for town council members and the mayor.

This bill has passed the Senate and is currently in the House of Delegate’s Committee on Counties, Cities and Town.

Senator McDougle has also introduced SJ51, Celebrating the life of Roger William Edwards:

WHEREAS, Roger William Edwards of Bowling Green, a respected citizen and longtime general registrar of Caroline County for nearly 25 years, died on December 12, 2007; and

WHEREAS, Roger Edwards was born in Pulaski County, the son of the late Andrew and Mildred Edwards; and

WHEREAS, Roger Edwards served in the United States Marine Corps in Parris Island, South Carolina, Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, and the Naval Weapons Station at Seal Beach, California, attaining the rank of sergeant; and

WHEREAS, before becoming Caroline County registrar, Roger Edwards served as an outstanding trooper for the Virginia State Police for 10 years; and

WHEREAS, a dedicated public servant and community supporter, Roger Edwards was appointed to the position of general registrar of Caroline County on April 1, 1983; and

WHEREAS, Roger Edwards was knowledgeable regarding state and local voting procedures and served as an invaluable and experienced advisor to all local candidates that ran for public office, as well as a mentor for other registrars across the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, throughout his distinguished career, Roger Edwards was always willing to share his considerable expertise with his colleagues, staff members, and volunteers; and

WHEREAS, because of his wealth of knowledge and professionalism, State Board of Elections officials would often call upon Roger Edwards for his opinion regarding potential changes to voting procedures; and

WHEREAS, Roger Edwards was immensely dedicated to his community, an enthusiastic supporter of many civic activities and organizations, always available to lend a helping hand to his fellow residents in need; and

WHEREAS, Roger Edwards was a faithful member of Bowling Green Baptist Church and active in the church’s many missions in the community; and

WHEREAS, Roger Edwards will be fondly remembered for his kind and generous nature and greatly missed by his loving family, his numerous friends and admirers, and the citizens of Caroline County; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly mourn the passing of a fine public servant and outstanding Virginian, Roger William Edwards; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Roger William Edwards as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.

Priorities, priorities, priorities!

An editorial in The Free Lance-Star: Doggone it:

A bill by Del. Bobby Orrock, D-Caroline, defines commercial breeders, requires them to register with their localities, and subjects them to all kinds of regulations and inspections. The bill comes perilously close to inflicting unfounded government control on innocent parties–such as hobby breeders and hunt-club operators, for example. It also establishes expensive unfunded mandates just when localities are revenue-pressed.

Well, I’m going to assume that’s a typo (or a Freudian slip) when they refer to Orrock as a Democrat.

But besides that: Great work. Never thought I would be saying that to The FL-S. ;)

Have a read of the fiscal impact statement for this bill (HB538) from the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget:

According to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the bill will result in an increased need for technical support to local animal control officers, private practice veterinarians, and Commonwealth’s attorneys in recognizing, investigating, collecting evidence, prosecuting, and giving expert testimony on commercial animal breeders. In addition, the legislation may result in a greater number of animal cruelty and animal welfare investigations in general.

Talk about unfunded mandates…

The department estimates that the legislation will require one full-time position to carry out the responsibilities associated with it. The cost of the position includes salary and fringes of $90,350, and other costs, such as office space, computer, cell phone, and travel of $16,412 in the first year and $12,392 in subsequent years.

That would be $106,762 for the 2008-2009 fiscal year and $102,742 in each subsequent fiscal year.

The bill makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for commercial breeders to violate the provisions. The penalties of a Class 1 misdemeanor include confinement in jail for not more than 12 months and a fine of not more than $2,500. Therefore, this proposal could result in an increase in the number of persons in jail. There is not enough information available to reliably estimate how many additional inmates in jail could result from this proposal. Any increase in jail population will increase costs to the state. The Commonwealth pays localities $8 a day for each misdemeanant or otherwise local responsible prisoner held in a jail. It also funds much of the jails’ operating costs, e.g. correctional officers. The state’s share of these costs, on a per prisoner, per day basis varies from locality to locality. However, according to the Compensation Board’s most recent jail cost report (November 2007), the estimated total state support for local jails averaged $28.42 per inmate per day in FY 2006.

Bobby Orrock wants the state to spend at least $102,742 a year hunting down dog breeders (no pun intended) when his own county of residence can’t even get funding from the state to convert their part-time Commonwealth’s Attorney’s position to full-time! Does anyone else see a problem with this?

The last animal cruelty case (against Michael Wilkerson) that the Commonwealth’s Attorney in Caroline County prosecuted took two hours — and the case has since been appealed to Circuit Court and will have to be retried.

It’s nice to see that the government (any) has its spending priorities in order.

I hate Virginia…

Yes, that’s a hyperbole; to be more specific: I hate the Virginia House of Delegates.

Anyone care to guest what county managed to get full-time funding for their Commonwealth’s Attorney’s position in the House of Delegates budget?

Was it Caroline County?

Of course not!

It was Buckingham County! Why?

I’m sure it would have nothing to do with the fact that the Delegate that represents Buckingham County — Watkins M. Abbitt, Jr. — is on the House Appropriations committee and is the head of General Government subcommittee (which approved the budget amendment that gave Buckingham County the funding) [photo credit: Richmond Sunlight].

Let’s do some comparing and contrasting of Caroline and Buckingham Counties.

Estimated population in 2006 according to the Census Bureau:

Caroline County: 26,731
Buckingham County: 16,099

Bottom line: Caroline County has a population that is 66.04% higher.

According to the State Compensation Board:

Caroline County was ranked as most in need of additional attorney staffing with an 86.12% of need (the second ranked county, Amelia, was only 49.95%).
Buckingham County was ranked fourteenth (14th) in need with only a 21.90% of need.

Bottom line: Caroline County was determined to be more in need of additional attorney staffing than Buckingham County.

Ibid:

Caroline County was ranked eighteenth (18th) in need of additional administrative support (secretaries and paralegals) with a 37.78% of need.
Buckingham County was ranked forty-fourth (44th) in need with only a 5.77% need.

Bottom line: Caroline County was determined to be more in need of additional administrative support staffing than Buckingham County.

According to the 2005 Uniform Crime Report:

Caroline County had 869 arrests.
Buckingham County had 610 arrests.

Bottom line: Caroline County had 42.46% more arrests than Buckingham County.

State Compensation Board:

Caroline County was ranked 111th out of 120 jurisdictions with only 28.39% of felony defendants being sentenced. The rest of the felony defendants either had their charges nolle prossed, dismissed, or reduced to misdemeanors.
Buckingham County was ranked 73rd out of 120 jurisdictions with 48.79% of felons being sentenced.
The statewide average is 54.61%.

Bottom line: Caroline County has more felons not being sentenced due to the lack of adequate staffing.

So, tell me, which county do you think should have received money for full-time staffing?

Wow, big suprise there.

The Washington Times: ‘Tax Me More Fund’ raises little revenue:

State lawmakers can rule out Virginian’s offering up more of their hard-earned money to fix the $1.4 billion budget shortfall Gov. Tim Kaine announced this week.

At least that is what a peek at the so-called “Tax Me More Fund” suggests.

Since its inception in 2002, the fund has collected a total of $10,217.04.

[…]

Public generosity reached its high point in 2003 when Virginians forked over $6,602. The low point was in 2006, when the state received a measly $19.36.

No outdoor fires before 4:00 p.m.

From the Virginia Department of Forestry: Outdoor Fires Unlawful Before 4 p.m.:

The Commonwealth’s 4 p.m. Burning Law goes into effect Feb. 15, 2008 – the start of spring fire season in Virginia. This law prohibits burning before 4 p.m. each day (Feb. 15 – April 30) if the fire is in, or within 300 feet of, woodland, brushland or fields containing dry grass or other flammable materials.

A violation of this law is a Class 3 misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine. In addition to the criminal violation, those who allow a fire to escape are liable for the cost of suppressing the fire as well as any damage caused to others’ property.

Bill eliminating proffers, expanding impact fees passes Senate of Virginia

The Free Lance–Star: Impact-fee bill clears Senate:

On a vote of 21-19, the Senate approved Sen. John Watkins’ bill that eliminates the proffer system for residential development, replacing it with an increased ability to charge impact fees on development.

Proffers are technically voluntary payments that developers pay to localities to cover the cost of services to those new houses, like water and schools. Impact fees do essentially the same thing, but are currently limited to road improvements.

Watkins’ bill would eliminate proffers on residential development, but apply impact fees to emergency services and schools as well as roads. It would also allow localities to charge impact fees on “stale zoning”–i.e., development of lots that are already zoned. Current law only allows fees or proffers to be charged on development that requires new zoning.

Does that mean they can double dip and charge the owners of lots that have already paid proffers, impact fees as well?

It originally capped the impact fees at $5,000 per house, $8,000 in Northern Virginia. Watkins amended the bill to raise that cap to $7,500 per house, $12,500 in Northern Virginia, as local officials opposed the bill in part because they said the caps were too low.

Ouch, that’s going to hurt the Caroline County government since they currently charge $17,632 per lot.

Ron Paul ignores voters, plans to steal convention…

From Brian R. Gentry of the Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign Committee:

Fellow patriots, this battle is far from being over. In fact, it has just begun. Last night was nothing more than a “beauty pageant.” Getting delegates is what counts.

Yes, of course, If I only receive 22,673 votes out of 474,610 (4.77%) votes, I would call it a “beauty pageant” as well.

It’s amazing that he’s candid about how he feels about Republican voters in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Over the next couple of months local Republican Unit Committees around the state will hold “canvasses” or “mass meetings” in order to elect delegates to attend the Republican National Convention in September.

Each CD in Virginia is made up of various Republican Unit Committees. These committees will elect delegates to attend the district convention. At the district convention the delegates will select three delegates and three alternates to attend the September Republican National Convention in Minnesota.

We need to get as many Ron Paul supporters as we can to attend the Unit Committe [sic] meetings and vote for themselves and other Ron Paul supporters so they can attend the district convention — where we will then vote on our three Ron Paul supporters that paid the money to be a delegate to the national convention.

This is our chance to TAKE OVER the Republican Party in Virginia and return it to its core values and strict adherence to the Constitution.

Too bad this moron doesn’t seem to realize that these delegates from Virginia have to vote for the winner of the primary (John McCain) on the first ballot. And you can be pretty sure there isn’t going to be another ballot after that.

Bye-bye proffers; hello impact fees?

The Free Lance-Star: Senate advances bill to replace proffers:

A controversial bill that would dramatically revamp the way localities get development to pay for itself won approval from a Senate committee yesterday, clearing the way for a vote from the full Senate.

Sen. John Watkins’ bill would replace the current proffer system with capped impact fees, something developers want but has local government leaders complaining.

Watkins told the Senate Finance Committee that the proffer system is “out of hand, it is out of control” because some localities charge proffers of up to $40,000 per new house. He said that raises housing prices, making homeownership less affordable, and artificially inflates real estate taxes.

Read the whole article, it’s pretty interesting (I’ll see how many cases of insomnia I cure).

I wonder what the Caroline County Board of Supervisors thinks of the proposal?

“You can’t handle the truth!”

From The Daily Press‘s blog The Shad Plank: Payday lending in the … U.S. Senate:

After state lawmakers in the House of Delegates agreed on new restrictions for the controversial industry, Republican Jim Gilmore issued a press release to praise the plan. Gilmore noted that his opponent in the Senate race — frontrunning Democrat Mark R. Warner — signed into law the 2002 legislation that paved the way for an expansion of payday loans.

“Mark Warner’s decision to adopt this policy was wrong and ultimately the people of Virginia have rejected it,” Gilmore said.

Asked for comment, Warner spokesman Kevin Hall pointed out that the 2002 legislation came to then-Gov. Warner with “with a veto-proof mega-majority.” Warner tried to amend the bill to track the implementation of the new legislation, but that was also rejected.

So, Jim, how’s that car tax elimination going?

Didn’t spending grow more under you than it did when Warner was Governor?

Christ, if Gilmore gets the Republican nomination, it’s going to be a blow-out for Warner.

Has Gilmore been so out of it during his aborted run for President, that he hasn’t been paying attention to what’s going on in Virginia?

Here’s hoping that Delegate Bob Marshall gets the nomination for the Republican Party at the convention on May 31st.

Good to know the maturity in the House of Delegates hasn’t increased

From Anita Kumar’s blog at The WaPo: U.S. House Members Stop by Virginia House:

Even the introductions are partisan in the House of Delegates.

Del. Lacey E. Putney, an Independent from Bedford who caucuses with Republicans, introduced two visiting members of Virginia’s congressional delegation, Republican Reps. Thelma Drake and Robert J. Wittman.

A third member, Democrat Rep. James P. Moran Jr. was sitting close by but was not recognized until House Minority Leader Ward L. Armstrong (D-Henry) stood up to introduce him.

Say what you will about James “Jim” Moran (and if you can say it, I’ve said it) but at least have some damn respect for the office!

Do Republicans not know the definition of “political suicide”? First, you boo youth visitors to the General Assembly, and now this? Did you learn nothing from “macaca”?

Can you at the very least show some damn maturity?

Wait, with John Hager running the Republican Party of Virginia, I’m not sure why I’m expecting so much.