va87,
I agree with you on the transportation tax increase. While it was happening, I sent notes to both the Speaker, who is also my representative, and my Senator, Steve Gooch. I asked them to legalize recreational marijuana and use the tax from that on the roads; that didn't happen. FWIW, the argument is that fuel efficient vehicles have so reduced the income from fuel taxes that the tax had to be changed. I drive a four ton Ford Excursion that gets nearly 20 mpg running around here as an example of that. Also, the income from the Feds for roads has been substantially reduced. The State DOT was in a bind.
None the less, Speaker Ralston is not allowing HB 731 to move forward; you can count on that.
Their argument is Barbra Striesand!! When your pay stays the same and the price of everything goes up, what do you do? You cut back, eliminate things (LIKE DEBT), and stop spending money on frivolous and wasteful things. Mr Ralston and his cohorts in the Assembly don't have that problem.......THEY JUST RAISE TAXES/FEES ON US!!!!! After the debacle of the $1B dollar tax increase last year, NOT ONE OF THEM is worth a damn in my book!! Now this year they seem to be all animated about education. Do you really think they will do anything that will effectively improve education in this state? They are scared to death of the teacher union and will do NOTHING that goes against the wishes of that bunch. As is always the case....TALK, TALK, TALK!!!!! We will continue to give high school diplomas to a frighteningly large number of graduates who are functionally illiterate and cannot even read those diplomas. At the end of this session, they will have wasted more money, more time, and will have accomplished NOTHING except lining their own pockets and, AGAIN, raising our taxes!
The proposal of Mary Margret Oliver et al to kill the 2A will likely go down in flames, but that doesn't mean we should not continue to be vocal and passionate about telling people about it. People most assuredly need to know that these commie-prog, freedom-hating mutants HATE us and our freedom and want us UN-ARMED and AT THEIR MERCY!!!!!!!
That dog won't hunt for me. I intend to do all in my power to stop their scheme........with or without the help of Ralston and other so-called "conservatives" in the general assembly.