Video from George P. Bush: April 15 is ‘Obama’s favorite day of the year’

From the Daily Caller:

George P. Bush is running for Texas Land Commissioner. And he’s out to nationalize the race. Today, his team released this timely video.

In the ad, Bush calls tax day, “Barack Obama’s favorite day of the year,” and says he “celebrates higher taxes and bigger government.”

George P. Bush represents the new generation of conservative Texas leadership. A successful businessman and civic leader, he is the son of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, the nephew of former President George W. Bush, and the grandson of former President George H.W. Bush.

Don't let his famous family connections fool you. This 36-year-old has many accomplishments including a tour of duty in Afghanistan. Look for him to continue moving forward in his political career.

George Allen: "Flat tax option: The freedom to choose"

By George Allen
The Daily Caller
Monday, April 18, 2011

For most Americans, April marks the time when they have their most direct interaction with their government — and it is an experience most of us dread. April is tax time, and each April Americans are confronted with the complicated, stressful mess that Washington calls the Internal Revenue Code.

Our tax code is so complex that almost everybody needs help to comply with the laws, regulations and rules. The IRS estimates that 89% of Americans hire someone else to prepare their taxes or use computer software to assist them. It is no wonder. The tax code fills 25 volumes, and consists of 3.8 million words (as a point of reference, the Bible contains fewer than 775,000 words).

Read more at The Daily Caller.

Tax him, tax him, tax him!

H/T to a friend in commerce who passed this along today....

Tax his land,tax his bed,
Tax the table at which he's fed.

Tax his tractor, tax his mule,
Teach him taxes are the rule.

Tax his cow, tax his goat,
Tax his pants, tax his coat.

Tax his ties, tax his shirt,
Tax his work, tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco, tax his drink,
Tax him if he tries to think.

Tax his cigars, tax his beers,
If he cries, then tax his tears.

Tax his car, tax his gas,
Find other ways to tax his ass.

Tax all he has then let him know
That you won't be done till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers, then tax him some more,
Tax him till he's good and sore.

Then tax his coffin, tax his grave,
Tax the sod in which he's laid.

Put these words upon his tomb,
"Taxes drove me to my doom..."

When he's gone, do not relax,
Its time to apply the inheritance tax.

Augusta tax revolt was a HUGE success

~1,000 citizens attend Board of Supervisors meeting~
~Over 10,600 signatures collected on petitions ~
~50 landowners address Board ~
~ Citizens turned away because of huge crowd~

Wednesday's Augusta County Board of Supervisors meeting was amazing on several levels. What could be billed as Augusta's tax revolt brought citizens together to ask supervisors to roll back their assessments to 2005 values.

First, We the People came out en masse to an organizational townhall meeting on February 3, 2009, as 600 citizens packed into Verona United Methodist Church to hear from Supervisor Tracy Pyles and Francis Chester to learn how to make their voices heard in the real estate assessment issue.

Second, We the People came out en masse -- 1,000 strong -- to the Board of Supervisors meeting on March 11, 2009, to speak up and show support for Churchville attorney Francis Chester who called on the board to roll back assessments to 2005 values.

Even though the Government Center had been told a huge crowd was expected, they did not feel it necessary to move the proceedings to a larger venue. As a result, the board room filled quickly, then two auxiliary rooms set up with monitors filled, and then the hallways where chairs were set up and small audio speakers allowed some to hear the meeting.

The remaining folks, estimated at up to several hundred, were left outside. Others reported they drove by, saw the crowd, and left. The large turnout was an indication of taxpayer frustration, many who feel their tax money is wasted by their government. One citizen wrote a letter to the editor saying he was upset at the supervisors' lack of planning for the large crowd. A local Patrick Henry was there holding a "Don't Tread On Me" flag.

Third, 50 citizens addressed the board. Forty-nine disagreed with the increased real estate assessments ... only one agreed with them. Speakers were given one minute to state their case, five minutes if representing a group. When Churchville attorney Francis Chester asked for 10 minutes and was told he could have five, he held up the stack of petitions consisting of 10,000+ signatures and asked for one minute per thousand signatures. He got his 10 minutes.

Fourth, over 10,600 signatures were collected on petitions that were circulated countywide. The petitions, asking supervisors to roll back assessments to 2005 values, were taken by citizens who carried them to work, to their neighborhoods, and families; 30+ businesses displayed them; Tractor Supply, with a finger on the pulse of the farming community, invited Augusta Citizens Against Unfair Assessments to join their Community Days on February 14th to collect petitions, and they displayed petitions on the counter for six weeks where hundreds of signatures were obtained. Jake's convenience store on Rt. 250 between Staunton and Churchville, a popular spot for Subway sandwiches, coffee, and gasoline, collected hundreds and hundreds of signatures. The petition drive was a movement that carried itself.

Fifth, volunteers offered help in ways that were much appreciated by all involved. Some offered background on the current finanical climate. Others sent assessment information. They are still volunteering as Phase II of this effort gets underway with plans to carry a lawsuit against the supervisors in Augusta Circuit Court.

Sixth, the media's coverage of the BOS meeting provided information for citizens who could not attend, and follow-up for those who did. The Staunton News Leader had a live feed on their website that was viewed by many including one activist who emailed that he and others watched on the computer, reacting along with those who were on-sight at the meeting. The Waynesboro News Virginian was there as well as NBC-29 and WHSV TV-3. Pat Jarrett, a photojournalist with the News Leader, snapped many photos that are on display on their website. Eighty-One magazine weighed in on the subject as did Nelson County Life magazine. Finally, four local bloggers were in attendance and covered the meeting with commentary and photos: Yankee Philip, The Journey, Augusta Water Cooler, and SWAC Girl.

The Board of Supervisors voted down the request to roll back assessments to 2005 values. What is next?

Wednesday was a microcosm of what is occurring across the nation as concerned citizens aka The Silent Majority begin to take action against elected officials who are perceived as not listening to citizen concerns and needs. While Americans are tightening their belts in economic hard times, government continues to spend, spend, spend.

Tax revolts -- tea parties -- are springing up across the country, and many are planned for April 15 including one in Shockhoe Slip in downtown Richmond.

There is a groundswell of discontent among those who pay taxes and feel those taxes are increasingly squandered by the government. Tough times have hit Americans, something that is evident in the SWAC area of Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County after local companies laid off hundreds of employees ... Invista, Mohawk Carpet, American Safety Razor, Gem Ply, Unifi, Hershey ... as home prices dropped 18% the last quarter of 2008, as housing starts dropped to their lowest level since 1959. Baby boomers have seen half their retirement savings disappear as the Stock Market dropped ... others lost their investments.

Now Dinwiddie County residents are asking their supervisors to throw out 2009 assessments because of huge increases. Sound familiar? Bath, Gloucester, and Nelson Counties have already had these battles ... and Washington County residents are contacting Augusta folks asking for help in fighting their real estate assessment increases. The discontent is spreading.

The next Board of Supervisors meeting is Wednesday, March 25, at 7 pm at the Government Center. Supervisor meetings are held the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month. This is the time to keep an eye on your elected representatives as they begin to discuss the budget and other issues that will involve your tax money.

Stay informed ... stay involved.

Together, Augusta ... we can make a difference!

Photo by SWAC Girl
Lynn R. Mitchell
March 11, 2009

Augusta BOS meeting: 50 speakers ... others turned away

Joel Salatin and Tom Nelson wait their turn to address Augusta Board of Supervisors on March 11, 2009.

Mike Shull and his 11-year-old daughter, Ashley, and 10-year-old son, Aaron (not seen) addressed the Board. Mr. Shull said his children represented the future of Augusta County farming unless farms are taxed to the point where they have to be sold.

Fifty Augusta County residents addressed the Board of Supervisors Wednesday, March 11. Others were turned away at the door due to the crowd. One of those denied entry wrote a letter to the editor. Speakers were given one minute to state their case, five minutes if they represented a group.

Churchville attorney Francis Chester asked for 10 minutes and, when board chairman Larry Howdyshell told him he could have five minutes, Mr. Chester held up the stack of petitions with over 10,000 signatures and said he would like to have one minute for every 1,000 signatures. He got his 10 minutes.

Here are excerpts of what was said taken from my 18 pages of notes ...

... the board has a problem knowing who its bosses are ... house prices have dropped 18% so how could they raise assessments ... questions of why Mr. Cobb's assessment went down when the speaker's went up ... assessors didn't visit the property for a variety of reasons ... it's under water, has high tension power lines on it, is a drain field, is steep and rocky, no timber ... assessments were too high in 2005 and now they are out of sight ... board should hire in-house appraiser - "Never hire somebody you can't control" ... people are drowning and grasping for a straw - never seen such disrespect for our great people ...

... "you're destroying what built this great nation" ... Blue Ridge Mass Apprisal was the common denominator in problems in many other counties in Virginia ... Pat Coffield only saw a 5.74% increase in his real estate assessment ... unemployment in 2005 was 2.4% but is now 5.2% in Augusta County ... signing off on the assessments before this meeting was like thumbing their nose at everyone in this room [huge applause] ... budget should be examined because there is a fitness center in there and other pork ... if farm land is sold, 300 houses will end up on the property ...

... "Why are you ignoring the people you represent and not listening? You've forgotten who you work for. We live in constant fear of losing our homes" ... cut spending, cut spending, cut spending ... supervisors elected to follow the will of the people - we are the people! ... out-of-control spending by the county ... we have a corrupt government [amens from the crowd] ... will agriculture survive as the future of the county when outrageous assessments could be taxing people off their land ... seek additional legal advice besides just the county attorney - need a second opinion ... throw out the '09 assessments, throw out the '09 assessments, throw out the '09 assessments ...

... "What were you all thinking?" ... [shouts of "resign" from the crowd] ... land prices are so high young people will not be able to buy and they are the future ... terrible appraisals ...

... "I've never been involved in politics before but I will vote for anyone who runs against the incumbents even if it's Forrest Gump!"

These are just a few samples of what was said. Remarks from the public concluded at 9:45 pm.

Meanwhile, as speakers were addressing the board, clapping and cheering could be heard coming from those sitting in the hallway listening to the proceedings on speakers. Inside the board room cheers, boos, and shouting were heard throughout the remarks. Something is going on in America, and it is being seen right here in Augusta County.


Photos by SWAC Girl
Lynn Mitchell
March 11, 2009

LTE: "Perhaps Augusta needs new supervisors"

Letter to the Editor
Waynesboro News Virginian
March 13, 2009

By K. W. Stanley
Waynesboro

Tonight, my wife and I traveled to the Augusta County Government Center in Verona to address the Augusta County Board of Supervisors to protest inaccurate, unfair and inequitable county real estate assessments (“Motion defeated,” March 12).

We arrived by 6:45 p.m. but were denied entrance to the government center by three Augusta County sheriff’s deputies. About 2,000 vehicles were parked in lots surrounding the government center. Many hundreds of citizens were standing outside the building on the sidewalks. Hundreds more were inside the government center, most having arrived by 5 p.m., although the meeting was not scheduled until 7 p.m.

Many patrons outside the government center chanted, “Do away with unfair assessments now.” Attorney Francis Chester from Churchville exited the government center and said the Board of Supervisors had denied his request to allow all citizens to enter the building. Many citizens were seen shivering outside the building. Some people leaving the building said supervisors were allowing some citizens inside the chamber to speak for only a minute.

It quickly became apparent to citizens inside and outside the Augusta County Government Center that the Board of Supervisors did not want to hear from any of their constituents who were protesting the real estate reassessments. They had already made up their minds and they did not want to hear complaints from their constituents.

I was both incensed and distraught that Augusta County supervisors had denied hundreds of citizens the right to speak to their representatives. The supervisors had apparently forgotten they were elected to be servants of the people.

This is the first time my wife and I have been denied the opportunity to petition our elected representatives for a redress of grievances. We need supervisors who will listen to legitimate “pocketbook” concerns of their constituents. Perhaps we should vote these charlatans and scoundrels out of office at the next election.

Sen. Mark Obenshain: Virginia needs to rein in spending

Sen. Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg) today expressed his disappointment in Governor Tim Kaine's revised state budget calling for increased taxes after saying he would not do so to balance the budget:

This morning, Gov. Tim Kaine issued a revised budget addressing the serious budget shortfall for the current biennium. In this period of economic downturn, the Governor and those of us in the General Assembly face hard choices, and I commend the governor for his proposals to reduce expenditures. I remain concerned, however, that this latest round of cuts may be insufficient, and I am disappointed to see that the Governor has reneged on his promise to balance the budget without raising taxes. Perhaps even more troubling is the Governor's reliance on bond issues, "saving" $350 million this biennium by passing along even greater debt to another year and the next gubernatorial administration.

When faced with a revenue shortfall, increasing the tax burden has a certain allure in its seeming simplicity. The reality, however, is that tax hikes penalize economic activity and place recovery itself in jeopardy, and funds raised by taking on new debts are not "savings." To raise taxes and go further into debt is to compound folly; it is an extension of the mistaken policies that led us to this point.

Make no mistake: through new bond issues, deferred payment of principle on existing bonds, and the shifting of payments to non-general fund sources, the Governor seeks to pass the bill on to another biennium and another governor rather than doing what it takes to solve the problem. Accounting tricks and new debt obligations can only deepen the crisis. We need to rein in spending, not hide it, and a government concerned about the Commonwealth's bond rating and invested in economic recovery cannot afford to engage in a high-dollar version of balancing the budget by putting everything on a charge card.

Declining revenues were inevitable in a recession that knows no political boundaries, but the scope of Virginia's shortfall is directly attributable to unrealistically high revenue projections and a budget that increased spending in the face of unmistakable signs of economic decline. Even now, the Governor's latest proposal relies on a presumption of 4% growth in the upcoming fiscal year, and his revenue projections are based upon a constant unemployment rate - even though the governor's own budget office expects the rate of unemployment to climb.

We cannot afford to close the gap incrementally, going back to find more savings each time revenues fail to meet projections, nor can we content ourselves to find "efficiencies." The situation we now face demands a thorough, top-to-bottom review of the entire budget. We should always seek to eliminate inefficiencies, but that is not enough. Any viable, long-term solution requires an assessment of the Commonwealth's priorities and a review of the best, most cost-effective ways to achieve them - an analysis based not on existing programs, but on desired outcomes.

In addition to $167 million in tax increases and $350 million in bonded debt, the Governor seeks permission to tap $490 million from the Commonwealth's Rainy Day Fund. We owe it to the taxpayers of Virginia to ensure that they need not continue to pay for a storm of our own making. To the extent that the Governor's Department of Planning and Budget has identified hundreds of millions in unnecessary administrative costs, I applaud this progress, but am disheartened that wasteful spending was deemed appropriate, or at least unimportant, until we faced a fiscal crisis.

The budget proposal released by the Governor today is a start, but much work remains to be done. We cannot rely, as this proposal does, on unsubstantiated hopes of better days ahead, nor can we afford to delay the deepest cuts until 2010. Such tactics will only exacerbate the problem and necessitate more drastic cuts in the future. In times such as these, we cannot further burden Virginia's taxpayers - and we cannot push the hardest decisions down the road.

The time has come to restore the fiscal integrity of that Commonwealth. The decisions that lie ahead will require careful discretion, and the decisions we must make may at times be unpleasant, but I look forward to working with both Republicans and Democrats to adopt budget amendments that are both responsible and taxpayer-friendly.

Cross-posted at SixtyFour81.com

From On High: "GOP still lost in the wilderness"

Jerry Fuhrman at From On High has voiced what many Republicans are privately asking themselves:

... as long as there are "Republicans" out there who think it their duty to emulate Democrats and constantly raise taxes, the GOP will remain (an ever shrinking) minority. Why vote Republican when you can get the real deal?

That, in a nutshell, says it all.

Saxman on Kaine's proposal: "... little bit aggressive for real needs of Virginia"

As news of Democrat Governor Tim Kaine's proposed tax hikes to pay for transportation projects circulates around the Commonwealth, those close to home are absorbing what it would mean to citizens.

Delegate Chris Saxman (R-20th District) of Staunton expressed doubt for the governor's proposal. In an interview with Harrisonburg's WHSV TV-3, Saxman reacted to the news:

"This is probably a little bit aggressive for what the real needs of Virginia are," says Saxman.

In addition to state-wide taxes, Kaine's plan calls for increased sales taxes in northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. Just last year, the state Supreme Court struck down a plan to allocate $600 million specifically to those areas.

"Amendments to the transportation program last year were deemed unconstitutional," says Saxman. "I don't know why Virginians are going to have to pay a billion dollars to fix [Kaine's] mistakes."

Others in the Valley reacted in a similar fashion including Senator Mark Obenshain (R-26th District).

"What I think has raised a lot of concerns is that the governor has taken this simply as an opportunity not just to replace that $600 million but to almost double that," says Mark Obenshain (R - 26th District).

Obenshain says he wants to make sure projects in the Valley get the funding they need too.

"We know that we have some projects that are in dire need of making sure there's funding adequate to complete them," says Obenshain. "For example, Port Republic Road."

The General Assembly is being called back to Richmond in June when this bill will be discussed by both Chambers.

The tax man cometh....

The doorbell rang recently and it was the real estate assessor from Augusta County. It's that time again ... home reassessments ... which begs the question of whether they will judge prices on a settled-down/oppressed housing market, or on the inflated bubble of the past....