Special Session continues today ... No Kaine Tax Hike

Americans For Prosperity

AFP Rally in Richmond - Part 5: News interviews

Trixie Averill is interviewed at the Americans For Prosperity rally by TV-5 out of Roanoke.

Jeff Schapiro of the Richmond Times-Dispatch (left) listens to Suzanne Curran of Shenandoah County.
Tim Phillips, AFP's nationwide director.
Jim Parmalee of Northern Virginia, a longtime proponent of lower taxes, being interviewed.

Photos by SWAC Girl

Democrats Kaine, Saslaw at odds over transportation issue

"We have a governor who talks about bipartisan cooperation but has not led effectively even within his own party."
House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith (R-Salem)

It is in interesting that Democrat Governor Tim Kaine and Democrat Senate Majority Leader Richard Saslaw are at odds and not working together on the governor's proposed transportation tax hikes. With a senate that is 21-19 in the Democrats' favor, it will be difficult to have a bill passed without bipartisan support ... and support that had previously been there from RINO senators may be missing this time.

The Washington Post wrote:

Senate Minority Leader Thomas K. Norment Jr. (R-James City) said Republicans, who have joined with Democrats in the past in support of some tax increases, will not be supporting any statewide tax increase unless they first receive assurance that it also stands a chance in the House.
...
Last year, two moderate Senate Republicans lost to conservative GOP challengers in legislative primaries over their support for tax increases.
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The continued strength of the anti-tax movement in Virginia was evident at last month's GOP convention. Del. Robert G. Marshall (R-Prince William), a fierce critic of taxes, nearly upset former governor James S. Gilmore III for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate.

"The party leadership is starting to get that message," Marshall said. "They are not going to support a tax increase."

Maybe having groups like Americans For Prosperity who are for responsible spending rallying on the Capitol grounds helps get the message through to Republican legislators. Maybe being opposed during primaries and elections helps get the message through. Maybe the fact that so many citizens are speaking up to ask government to rein in its spending just as those citizens have had to do is getting the message through.

Whatever it is ... let's hope citizens continue to speak up and speak out.

Democrats don't support Kaine's tax hike either?

Will Democrat Governor Tim Kaine be left standing along holding the bag of transportation tax hikes he had hoped to impose on the state? Feedback from his Transportation Townhall meetings around the state have not been good ... both Republicans and Democrats have balked.

Now it will be tested in the General Assembly. This from House Speaker Bill Howell who threw the transportation ball into the Democrat-controlled state senate's court:

"It is obvious to everyone that, since a Democrat governor called this special session, the body controlled by his party should act first on his legislation. When the governor's allies in the Senate send us a bill that they have passed and that he will sign, then we will give it full and fair consideration."

Hear, hear!