Transportation

I know, I know...this is a political blog. Frankly, politics in the 58th have been pretty stale. I guess that's a good thing.

Transporation issues surrounding the Commonwealth reared up its ugly head for me yesterday as I traveled to Arlington. Normally, this is a pretty uneventful trip, taking the better part of two and a half hours. Yesterday however, there was traffic of monumental proportions. It took me four hours to get from Charlottesville to my destination in Arlington.

For no particular reason, there was traffic EVERYWHERE! I've never quite seen it like that and I travel out of the normal rush just to avoid it. No such luck yesterday.

A couple of observations I made while puttering down the road. Firstly, no matter how ambitious or grand of scale the Commonwealth could possibly dream of in terms of a road construction project to ease this nonsense, it would never, ever be enough. There's simply not enough square milage to put all the roads necessary to handle the amount of traffic that travels on them. Even if you paved over the entire free space of NoVA...there STILL wouldn't be enough road.

Secondly, people drive like idiots. It's amazing the things I saw people do yesterday. I haven't seen that many middle fingers since leaving Northern New Jersey!

Thirdly, who in the hell was responsible for the design of the Springfield interchange? My Westie dog, sans thumbs, could have designed a better project using his paws, tail, nose, a can of Play-Doh and an Erector set! Holy mackerl, what an abomination!

The sad part of this commentary...I have to drive to Vienna tommorrow! Thursday of the first holiday weekend of the summer! See you on Monday!

Say your prayers!

This caught my attention

A friend of mine dedicates his love for cats on his blog, scamperdude.blogspot.com.

After reading this story, Outrage Over Local Animal Cruelty Story

I was very disturbed about the nature of this. I can't help believe that there must have been a better way to deal with the situation.

Approaching Cross Over

Even the most controversial items facing the GA this session are failing to generate passion or outrage by the special interests groups supporting or opposing these bills.

I ponder the question: why the malaise? I might be missing something, but I don't see the usual cast of characters acting in character. Where's the pro-choice lobby? Where's the diametric opposition in the pro-life lobby?

Where are all the screaming masses from the Va Association of School Boards, Superitendents and Secondary School Principals? Where's the VEA?



In reflection and some analysis, has the focus on transportation (which will probably have very little to show for the effort) taken the "eye off the other balls" that usual swirl in the vortex of Virginia politics? It appears to this writer, it has.

Usually there are some pinnicle bills at cross over that serve as lightning rods for diametric opposition. Pssst...hear that? Nothing.

The Richmond correspondents from the media outlets must be pulling all of their hair out! Even my friend Bob Gibson of the Charlottesville-based Daily Progress has little to opine on! Bob! We hardly knew ya!

My fellow bloggers can't muster up the unmusterable (is that even a word?).

So...time to watch re-runs of 24 I guess...

Digestion *burp*

Some real hotties on the contitutional amendments docket! Here are my fav's that will be fun to watch.

There's plenty for the gay rights crowd to be up in arms about this session. There are several amendments and resolutions that deal with defining a marriage as a union between man and woman only.

The run-away real estate assessment issue comes up too. You can bet your localities will be watching this and the emminent domain issues before both houses.

The Governor's term of office is up for consideration again. Seems to me this might have legs this time. I'm increasingly liking the idea of a multi-term governor.

The Car Tax is coming around again folks. Seems like the localities will be lobbying a lot this session.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
Transporation is "hot, hot, hot!" this year. And the debate between Northern Virginia and the rest of the state will rage into high prominence I predict. For those of us who live here but work a significant amount of time in No.VA., we already know how the residents of No.VA already feel about the rest of us "tax slackers".

There is an amendment calling for a Congressional Convention to amend the US contitution to require a balanced budget.
Great idea...WRONG President. I support GWB a lot, except when we start talking about money. Man, can he spend it! He's strayed very far from our conservative roots. Sadly, this is something that we'll pay foward for generations to come.

Restoration of civil rights for felons. (laughing hysterically! I can't believe that we're even considering this!)

Mores? We don't need no stinkin' mores! -deepest apologies to the Treasure of the Sierra Madre-

CB out-

2006 Session look foward

The link will take you to all the bills registered before the House and the Senate. Anyone who knows or reads this knows that education, health and schools are of high interest to me. Espeically school bills. I staunchly believe that Virginia schools in general, need to more tightly regulated and held accountable for their actions or inactions. This post will deal with education bills.

Education bills:

* HB 19 Standards of Quality; calculation of high school graduation rates.
* HB 20 Scholastic records; electronic storage thereof.
* HB 51 School buses; requiring safety belts.
* HB 58 Computers; school resource officers to provide Internet safety instruction to students.
* HB 70 Assault and battery; school bus drivers, penalty.
* HB 84 School buses; requiring safety belts.
* HB 95 Student, new; certain information required upon registration to public school.
* HB 137 Standards of Learning; Board of Education to release assessments periodically.
* HB 163 Family life education; parent or guardian to review materials thereof.
* HB 164 Family life education; emphasis of abstinence in curricula.
* HB 205 Sex offenders; prohibits residence in proximity to schools.
* HB 215 Comparative religion; Board of Education to authorize elective course in grades nine through 12.
* HB 274 School administrators; licensure not required by Board of Education.
enrollment, etc.
* HB 338 Public school students; annual body mass index assessments required.
* HB 348 Test security procedures; Board of Educ. to review violations of regulations by local school board.
* HB 377 School boards; Board of Education to replace members thereof for neglect of duty.
* HB 392 State funding for No Child Left Behind Testing.
* HB 481 Education; expenditures and reports on instructional spending.
* HB 507 Education; criminal records checks for school volunteers.
* HB 582 Standards of Quality; Standard 2, pupil-teacher rat
* HB 591 Education; calculation of high school graduation rates.
* HB 607 Department of Planning and Budget; school efficiency review program.
* HB 650 Maximum speed limit for school buses.
* HB 780 Education; expenditures and reports on instructional spending.
* HB 808 Teacher staffing ratios in under-filled and overflowing classes.
* HB 813 Standards of Quality; Standard 1, Standards of Learning.
* HB 815 Education; computation of composite index.
* HB 838 Transfer of private school credits to public schools.
* HB 883 Carnal knowledge of students; penalty.
* HB 966 Access to student records by military recruiters; notice to parents.
* HB 978 Sale of fake marijuana; penalty.
* HB 1057 Education; revision of teacher licensure requirements and regulations governing teacher education.
* HB 1109 Background checks for public school contract employees; penalty.
* HB 1125 Sales and use tax exemption; school-related items.
* HB 1138 Instruction on drug use in public schools.
* HB 1158 Teachers; sick leave.
* HB 1222 Education; tuition liability for false statements of residency within a school division; penalty.
* HB 1229 Education; expulsion of students.
* HB 1242 Surveys and questionnaires of public school students
* HB 1279 Notification to school principals of students charged with committing certain crimes.
* HB 1308 School boards; authority to block use of school facilities by certain groups
* HB 1340 Qualifications for providing home instruction.

* SB 26 Assault and battery; limited exception to charges for certain school personnel.
* SB 34 Standards of Learning assessments; release thereof.
* SB 39 Test security procedures; Board of Educ. to review violations of regulations by local school board.
* SB 61 Standards of Quality; support services staff ratios.
* SB 62 Comparative religion; Board of Education to authorize elective course in grades nine through 12.
* SB 66 School calendars; reduction of state aid when length of school term below what is required.
* SB 67 Standards of Learning assessments; testing annually in grades three through eight, report.
* SB 71 Biennial review of the Standards of Quality
* SB 74 Education; revision of teacher licensure requirements and regulations; teacher education programs.
* SB 75 School crisis, emergency management, and medical emergency response plan; required.
* SB 97 SOL assessments; fire drills, etc. prohibited in schools during periods of mandatory testing.
* SB 99 Retirement System; qualifications of retired persons teaching in critical shortage positions.
* SB 116 Immunizations; minimum requirements for children entering public or private schools or centers.
* SB 127 Sales and use tax; dedication of portion of revenue to local transportation and education.
* SB 189 Education tax credits.
* SB 190 Summary suspension of licenses of certain group homes and residential facilities under certain circu
* SB 203 Virginia Public School Authority; pass-through of bond refunding savings.
* SB 203 Virginia Public School Authority; pass-through of bond refunding savings.
* SB 204 Character education; participation in community service
* SB 205 Early childhood education.
* SB 206 Childhood obesity.
* SB 241 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; burden of proof.
* SB 263 Triennial census or statistical survey of school-age persons residing in school divisions.
* SB 296 Setting of the school calendar
* SB 305 Vehicle classifications and endorsements; school buses.

Other of general interest to me:

- Emmiment Domain issues.
- photo red (again...I still say no)
- Lots and lots of transportation issues.
- Concealed handguns; prohibits person who carries into restaurants from consuming alcoholic beverage. (are we slowly losing the right to carry? I think yes)
- Shenandoah Mountain Salamander; designating as official state amphibian. (If you listen to radio lately, I swear it was the Gecko!)


I plan on posting much more as my time permits. I see some really contentious issues here. We'll see if some of these bills survive. Let the lobbying begin!

Cheers!

2006 Session look foward

The link will take you to all the bills registered before the GA. I'll do the Senate in another update.

As I look down this list for the "long session", some of these bills really jump off the page at me.

To note: of the 1,385 bills placed in consideration:

Crime Bills:
-A bill limiting the age of capital punishment to offenders 18 years old or older.
-A bill further definine open container alcohol in a motor vehicle.
-A bill to add EMT's, juvenile justice and probation officer to the Law Enforcement Retirement System. (YES!)
-Several bills continuing on the intoxicated driver penalty increase.
-More laws on Methamphetamine
-A bill to increase the number of judges in the GDC (general distric court) and circuit court systems.
-A bill to prohibt the use of a cell phones while driving. (mixed emotions of this one)
-A bill to repeal the radar detector prohibition.

Education bills:

-There's a bill that will require school resource officers to perform Internet safety training. (? What about the schools without resources officer?)

-There are several bills regarding the benefits for teachers.

-a bill defining assualt and battery of a school bus driver

-A bill requiring seat belts on school buses. (Duh!)

-A bill requiring the state to release SOL results updates periodically.

-A bill putting abstinence in the Family Life Cirrcula and allowing parents or guardians to review the materials before the class is taught. (duh again! But when I asked my son's school in Fluvanna, they in no way objected!)


Other of general interest to me:

- Emmiment Domain issues.
- photo red (again...I still say no)
- Lots and lots of transportation issues.
- Concealed handguns; prohibits person who carries into restaurants from consuming alcoholic beverage. (are we slowly losing the right to carry? I think yes)
- Shenandoah Mountain Salamander; designating as official state amphibian. (If you listen to radio lately, I swear it was the Gecko!)


I plan on posting much more as my time permits.

Cheers!

Govenor's race. Yawn....

I can't help but offer some thoughts on the Gov's race between Jerry Kilgore and Tim Kaine. Firstly, Kaine's new TV spot says we can't trust Kilgore not to raise our taxes. OK, that one really had me scratching the bejeebus out of my hair follicles. What?

How can the LT. Gov say that? Wasn't he part of the adminstration that raised our taxes without just cause while the General Assembly wrangles over just how to spend all that new tax money that Virginia didn't need. You have to be kidding me Tim...we're supposed to buy this line? Next thing you'll tell us you're Catholic but think abortion is OK. Wait...he did already say that. My bad.

Now...my man Jerry isn't off the hook quite yet. I don't know who's running his campaign but Kilgore has been a media ghost. Wait...what a Kilgore spot I just saw. Yawn. Paging Dr. Kilgore. Paging Dr. JERRY Kilgore! Will Jerry Kilgore please stand up! Wow...and I'm a guy looking for him. Imagine if you're undecided and NOT looking?

Conversation with myself - See...there's these two guys running for the Gov's spot...but uh, yawn, I'm not sure how they're different or why they're running but they are. Oh OK...I guess we'll I'll have to vote (maybe) for one of these guys. Did you just say that there's a third guy running as an independant? And he was a Republican? Hmm...wonder where those votes will come from. The Left? The Right?

Back to these guys...I'm having trouble telling these two apart! Do you guys want to stick your necks out just a little. Oh well...at least hockey's back on the tube. Sunday's debate will undoubtedly be...uh...yawn...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.(pardon the pun Larry Sabato)

Shut off the lights when you leave.
CB

Bell Doesn't Support Schools, eh???

Not much has been happening to write about, so I thought I'd post a little ditty on Mr. Koleszar's claim that Delegate Rob Bell hasn't done enough for education. So, let's look at the facts:

In the last legislative session (the short one), Rob Bell was the Chief Patron of two education bills and co-patron on three others.

In comparision: Mr. Koleszar's most revered political ally (who incidentally leads a PAC that donated $20,000 to Mr. Koleszar's campaign) Mitch Van Yahrees did very little.
In that same session, the venerable Democrate Mr. Van Yahrees was the Chief Patron on NO school legislation. ZERO!, NADA, NIENTE', ZIP! and he was Co-Patron of one school realted legislation. ONE!

I think it's quite a reach for Steve Koleszar to say Rob Bell isn't doing enough for schools when his democratic party mentor falls very short in comparison. What can we expect from you Steve? More of the same?

First Debate and C-Ville Weekly Article

It didn't take long to find something to add to this blog after attending today's live forum and reading the interview with Steve Koleszar contained in this weeks C-Ville Weekly. I took copious notes at the debate but the C-Ville article serves as a great foil of what I heard and saw.

First and foremost, Mr. Koleszar wasted little time to attack Del. Bell in his opening barrage. Both the article and the debate show clearly Steve Koleszar attacking with largely this picture of Rob Bell: Rob Bell has done nothing for education in large part because he (and 45 other Republicans) failed to vote yes on a tax package that passed anyway and has resulted in a large surplus in the state coffers. (Our money, interest free, mind you.)

He calls Rob a "no taxer" (Mr. Koleszar's words. See the C-Ville article). He also characterizes himself as a man running on the issues while casting Rob Bell in the "evil-no gooder, do nothing politician" (my words, not Steve's).

If you read the interview in this weeks C-Ville he's quoted as saying:

"My campaign manager hates it when I say this, but I could never in my wildest dreams be as good a politician as Rob Bell is. He writes all the thank-you letters, and he gets his name in the paper and does all these things, you've suppossed to do." -C'ville Weekly August 9-15, Page 9.

You should listen to your manager Steve. That was great advice he or she gave you.

If I were to create a summary of what I saw, heard and read today, I can only conclude these things in stark contrast to incumbent Del. Rob Bell:
Steve Koleszar is a quintessential tax and spend democrat running an attack campaign and feels that Richmond should give the localities greater taxation powers while he equates a no vote in a tax package that passed ANYWAY to Rob Bell's failure to support education. Over-simplified: yes. Contextually accurate: I believe so until I hear otherwise.

Let me delve a little deeper. I'm confused how funding schools had anything to do with Rob's no vote. I especially resent anyone in or running for political office that simply implies that we're not doing enough for schools purely because we don't raise taxes to give the schools everything they say they need. Preposterous! The premise is simply nonsense and drivel.

Then I reflected on Steve's bio for a moment. What makes him say what he said? That's where I'm perplexed again. Steve's an accomplished accounting professional. He knows his way around a general ledger and a budget. I'm assuming he's done the work to know what the budget for the state looks like. (I do, I have a copy of the original and changes...it measures about 6 inches thick!) How can an accoutant advocate for what I see as a blank check to the schools? We should simply raise taxes because of a perceived unfunded mandate from the federal or state level?

Here's what I see: The first order of business is schools need to be held accountable to spending the money they already have wisely and apporpriately. Period. I (and every one of the elected officials at the forum) think there is a huge accountability gap. I'll illustrate my point through my own experiences as demonstrated right here in the People's Socialist Republic of Fluvanna (PSRF for short) where the school superintendent nor the school board are willing or even able to produce financial data that can show the credits and debits in sufficient detail so a citizen (me for example) can even begin to get a handle on what's going where.

I urge all to support Gov. Warner's accountability audits and expand the process state-wide. Like 57th District candidate Tom McCrystal said in today's forum "You have to eat your own dogfood". Meaning, you should have to live with your own decisions or you should have to eat what you serve. Amen to that Tom! Man, can I use that line in many situations! What a metaphor!

Reflecting back to the debate some, there are other things Mr. Koleszar said today disturbed me. On the question of "How will you address the transportation needs of seniors?", he said:(paraphrased from my notes)

"We have a huge shortfall in funding for transportation - the problem stems for sprawl and it's a serious problem." " The state should give localities the ability to control spawl - so people can live closer together and reduce transportation costs."

Let me tell you what I heard. (my own words here) Transportation is not really the issue, allowing localities to tell a property owner where and what to build on his/her property is. So if we can trim a little more rights away from private property owners, we create a utopian community where we can all live together when and where the government tells us to. Sounds like socialism to me.

Another mantra I heard from Steve Koleszar was:

"We need to get the state to meet it's core obligations."

Where I part company with that otherwise obviously agreeable statement, was exemplified by the comments from every currently elected official on the dais today. That there is a fixed sum of money and that money needs to meet some "needs test -my words" to decide where it goes. Mr. Watkins Abbit called it "benchmarking"-his words, and it's done every budget cycle and comes to the General Assembly from the Gov's office. in fact, Mr. Abbit went on to say that the budget the Govenor submitted remained 95% intact. So if Mr. Koleszar wishes to dispense of the needs test necessary to prioritize funding, we're back to the old "tax and spend", are we not? I sure think so!


I'll end with this thought...Mr. Koleszar. Sir, you're a better politician than you lead on my friend. What I saw today from you was 100%, prime-time, U.S.-Grade A, Made in Virginia, politician. No one survives the tenure on the Albemarle County School Board (especially the Albemarle County School Board)for as long as you have unless you have highly refined poltical skills. So to characterize yourself as the "anti-politician" in some comparitive contrast to Rob Bell doesn't pass the smell test in my kitchen. I do wonder if there might be some naivete' lurking deep within when it comes to mustering the skill necessary for effectiveness in the General Assembly. But I'll cross that bridge when the time comes. I sincerely wish you luck.

For the benefit of Mr. Koleszar, let me tell you this taxpayers tale of whoa (as in STOP!, not as in woe) and hopefully it will ring a bell outside your party's talking points. My gas costs have gone up over 34% this year alone. My insurance premiums have gone up another 10% and my out of pocket expenses have also risen another 10%. My out-of-pocket medical costs have sky-rocketed! The price of my credit has also gone up. My taxes, local and state, have gone up over 14% in two years. My home owner's assocation dues have also risen. My family income actually went down about 20% in the same time frame. And if elected, you'll want MORE? Sorry, the turnip has bled to death. It needs a transfusion itself.

I'll promise you, the readers, that when one of these candidates opine something, that it will appear on these pages for all to see. I'll make it as contextually accurate as I possible can, spin and all. However, I'm not a journalist with the credentials of Mr. Bob Gibson from the Daily Progress (of whom I personally hold as a good journalist and a honorable man. Rare qualities in a man in today's society). I don't have Bob's training or literary skills honed from years of refinement. I type faster than I can punctuate but I speak from my heart and my head and for me that's enough. The points of views are mine and mine alone while admitting we are all bound by our rationality; the events surrounding us who make us who we are. I make no apologies for that. I'll try to be more brief in the future.

More to come. -CB

Welcome to Bedlam!

This blog is meant to post my opinions and information from other sources that I base my opinions on.

bias warning
I'll state up-front and clearly for all to see... what you will read will have bias. Mine, of course. Anything you read written by someone else contains bias. If your looking for "fairness", as in giving the candidates equal consideration in terms of their politics...I'm sorry, you'll not find that here.

I'll lay out my bias for you: I strongly favor the Republican incumbent to that seat, Delegate Rob Bell. In my many personal dealings with him, I've found him to be a true voice of the people, bringing common-sense to common issues.

This will be the first of many posts to follow. Your comments are welcome but I ask one thing: if you can't be nice, don't post at all. I won't give you the bandwidth if you can't stick to the issues. That you can do on your own accord. -Chris