Virginia Supremes to Legislature: Do your own dirty work


Back in July, we noted that an unelected government "transportation" authority was appointed by the legislature to levy all sorts of new taxes on Northern Virginia, including new taxes on home sales, rental cars, and hotels. It was a novel idea, in that the Legislature could raise taxes without actually voting to raise taxes.

Well, the Virginia Supreme Court has given them the smack down.

The decision by the state's highest court prevents the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority from financing more than $300 million a year in regional highway and transit projects. The authority has already begun collecting new taxes and fees for projects such as a new interchange on the Fairfax County Parkway and the widening of the Prince William Parkway.
Basically, if the Virginia Legislature wants to raise taxes, they have to do it themselves and face the political fallout.

In related news, the Virginia Legislature will likely be calling a special session this summer.

[Sen. Charles J. Colgan (D-Prince William)] said lawmakers should explore a statewide tax increase to fund transportation projects.
Why am I not surprised? The idea of paying for new roads by cutting spending on social programs and other unnecessary vote buying schemes isn't even an option.

I wonder if this will make CNN's Recession Watch.


Comments

Take a good look at the rules for the special session. If they are like MD you all are going to get shafted. In MD they just needed a simple majority in the special session instead of a 60% majority.

Without the special session it is doubtful that they would have been able to raise taxes.

Get on it early...

Posted by: Kirk at February 29, 2008 9:45 PM
Post a comment









Remember personal info?


- SPAM safe, Email address is NEVER displayed to the public
- all your comments are belong to us.  
- No HTML.
- Comments may be closed on posts older than 30 days.






(c) Ravenwood and Associates, 1990 - 2014

About Ravenwood
Libertarianism
Libertarian Quiz
Secrets o' the Universe
Email Ravenwood

reading
<Blogroll Me>
/images/buttons/ru-button-r.gif

Bitch Girls
Bogie Blog
Countertop Chronicles
DC Thornton
Dean's World
Dumb Criminals
Dustbury
Gallery Clastic
Geek with a .45
Gut Rumbles
Hokie Pundit
Joanie
Lone Star Times
Other Side of Kim
Right Wing News
Say Uncle
Scrappleface
Silflay Hraka
Smallest Minority
The Command Post
Venomous Kate
VRWC


FemmeBloggers


archives

search the universe



rings etc

Gun Blogs


rss feeds
[All Versions]
[PDA Version]
[Non-CSS Version]
XML 0.91
RSS 1.0 (blurb)
RSS 2.0 (full feed)
 

credits
Design by:

Powered by: Movable Type 3.34
Encryption by: Deltus
Hosted by: Bluehost

Ravenwood's Universe:
Established 1990

Odometer

OdometerOdometerOdometer