Moonhowlings

From Roanoke.com:

When Virginians make purchases from Amazon.com they are not paying sales tax on that item (unless the consumer reports it on their taxes).

The Virginia General Assembly is considering a bill to change that.

The bill clarifies the current law, which says that any retailer with a physical presence in Virginia must collect and remit the 5 percent sales tax. Amazon, which has two facilities in Virginia,  hasn’t done that.

Apparently a 2007 ruling from the state tax department said that Amazon isn’t required to collect and remit sales tax because its facilities in Virginia don’t handle sales.

To add to the story, it was announced last month that Amazon would receive more than $4.3 million in financial aid and other incentives from the state to build two fulfillment centers outside of Richmond. Those centers would bring 1,350 jobs to the area. Amazon is investing $135 million in the buildings.

The retail community has voiced its displeasure with the loophole.

Read more…

Why is it that people who want to knock giant holes in abortion rights also want to knock out programs that exist to reduce unintended pregnancy?  Governor Robert McDonnell seems to be jumping on the stupidity bandwagon on this very subject.

According to the Washington Post:

McDonnell (R) wants to eliminate funding — $455,000 — for pregnancy prevention programs across the state that offer sex education and birth control to teenagers.

The Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative funds programs at schools and clinics in seven health districts, including Alexandria, which have the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the state. 
McDonnell’s administration says that the money is being discontinued because the initiative has not worked — and that the localities continue to experience pregnancy rates above the state average.

Although Virginia’s teen pregnancy rate is below the national average, 28 cities and counties are above the national average. In 2010, 10,970 teen pregnancies were reported in Virginia.

“The elimination of this long-standing health program could have serious consequences for women and girls’ health,” said Katherine Greenier, director of the Patricia M. Arnold Women’s Rights Project at the ACLU of Virginia. “Teens need good information and services to make informed, healthy choices. To ensure a decline in teen pregnancy rates continue we must provide teens with the necessary information, education and resources.’’

The program worked with 4,642 teens in fiscal 2010, including those at the Teen Wellness Center at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, which serves youths 12 to 19.

Read more…

From newsadvance.com in Lynchburg:

Teacher contracts and uranium mining will get Gov. Bob McDonnell’s attention during this General Assembly session.

McDonnell said he will ask legislators to require all teachers undergo performance reviews every year, and “remove the continuing contract status from teachers and principals.”

Instead, annual contracts would be offered to teachers, McDonnell said.

“This will allow us to implement an improved evaluation system that really works, and give principals a new tool” for managing schools, McDonnell said during his State of the Commonwealth speech to the Senate and House of Delegates.

Del. Ben Cline, R-Rockbridge County, said he expects to support many of the governor’s education-reform proposals, but the continuing-contract idea was a new one.

I don’t see doing away with continuing contracts as “teacher reform.”  In the first place, principals aren’t on continuing contracts as principals.  They are on continuing contract as teachers.  Why does McDonnell think that yearly evaluation will make better teachers?  A full evaluation, usually done triennially for continuing contract teachers is very time consuming on the part of the teacher and the evaluator.  Why would  taking away the aspect of a continuing contract make for better teachers?  I say it would not.

Read more…

From the Daily Press:

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jaime Radtke and roughly 30 of her Tea Party supporters stood outside the Capitol on Wednesday to protest Radtke’s exclusion from a debate featuring former Govs. Tim Kaine and George Allen.

Democrat Kaine and Republican Allen were the only two candidates for the Senate seat being vacated by Jim Webb to meet the qualifications laid out by event organizers, the Associated Press and the Virginia Capitol Correspondents Association. To get an invite candidates must have averaged at least 15 percent in published polls and raised at least 20 percent of the amount of money raised by their party’s front runner.

In addition to Radtke, this left out Tim Donner, E.W. Jackson and David McCormick who are running for the GOP nomination, and Julien Modica and Courtney Lynch on the Democratic side.

Governor McDonnell squawked loudly for Virginia and crowed about lower unemployment numbers and Virginia’s growth. VRS compares very favorably to most other pension plans but needs some tweaking to stay solvent, according to McDonnell.

McDonnell needs to be reminded that the VRS is not the state’s personal ATM. It was very solvent for many years, since 1908 to be exact. Funny how the Republicans discover its woes after all these years. Could it be that Mrs. Cantor wants to shift the burden of payment off the state and and the localities? Isn’t that the Republican way? Maybe the state should keep paying and the employee chip in a little more. That would should good faith. I sure don’t want to hear the Republicans chest thumping about how much money they saved the state in a few years.

The Richmond Times Dispatch has posted the new laws that will go in effect July 1.

ABC

Drinking and driving: Teens who drink and drive will face harsher penalties, including loss of their license for a year and either a $500 minimum fine or 50 hours of community service. Currently, the punishment is loss of license for six months and a maximum fine of $500.

On Friday, some Virginia restaurants will have the option of going BYOW — bring your own wine.

It’s just one of nearly 900 bills — out of 2,968 proposed — that passed during this year’s winter General Assembly session. Most of the new laws take effect July 1.

The wide array of new laws ranges from an expansion of the availability of protection orders to new measurement standards for selling shelled oysters. Here are some of the highlights.

Booze towns: Residents of towns with a population of more than 1,000 will now be able to vote on whether their county should allow the sale of mixed drinks. Previously, town residents could not vote in such county referendums. The law is meant to address situations where a “dry” town is located in a “wet” county, or vice-versa.

Bring your own wine: A new law will allow restaurants to permit patrons to bring their own wine. The catch? The restaurants will be allowed to charge a “corkage” fee for the privilege.

Underage drinking: Anyone who purchases alcoholic beverages for or otherwise helps someone who they know or have reason to believe is younger than 21 obtain or consume alcohol is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine. Current law does not address consumption or “reason to believe” that the person is underage.

Read more…

The telephone has rung off the hook today with tidbits and rumors.  The email box has been chock full.  Where to begin….

The Lion and Bull in Haymarket  was the place of Carl Genthner’s kick off campaign for Gainesville Supervisor.  There was a welcoming committee for all who came to meet Mr. Genthner.  It seems that some of the current Gainesville Supervisor’s staff were sitting right outside the meeting room to check out who all was going in and to give a little stare down to the guests.   Fans (Thanks you Mr. Supervisor, thank you) were also there for the official stare down.

correction: there were NO CURRENT staff members from Supervisor’s Stirrups office at Carl Genthner’s kick offevent

Like minded political support was there for Mr. Genthner.

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Corey Stewart proposes to use addition county funds for his pet projects to curry some favors.  More information should be forthcoming.

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A Dark Blog–A certain blogmeister removed an inflammatory but sizzling exposé about a certain senate macaca candidate and a past RNC chair from his blog.  Did he out-sleaze himself or is there a touch of chivalry still alive?   Do Republicans really practice cannibalism?  It seemed like it reading that exposé.  Now should that person win the party nomination for the Senate, how does one undo the image planted in the minds of Virginians that the gentleman is a home-wrecker and an adulterer?  White-out just won’t cut it.

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BOCS–What former BOCS member might be challenging the remaining lady on the board?  Rumors abound.

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BOCS (2)–What supervisor needs to prepare outgoing email more carefully?

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Residents- Some residents think that the new magisterial district boundary lines are going to split up families.  Are some lines running right through the middle of someone’s home?

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Updates:

Blogosphere:  A local blogger has announced his/her candidacy for House of Delegates.

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Feel free to add to the rumor mill.  Things are getting interesting for sure.  We might just need a bookie before election day rolls around.

Something strange has happened that I don’t quite understand.  It seems the governor of Virginia has added an amendment to a bill approved by the General Assembly.  How does this work?  Why is the executive branch able to do legislative tasks?  Here is what happened:

Washington Post:

RICHMOND — Virginia Gov. Robert F. Mc­Don­nell has added an amendment restricting insurance coverage for abortion into a bill approved by the General Assembly establishing a health insurance exchange as part of the federal health-care overhaul.

The health insurance exchange would be managed by the state and allow individuals and some small businesses to pool together to buy insurance at lower rates. Some who cannot afford insurance would receive government subsidies.

Under the federal law, states were given the option of creating their own exchanges or using ones operated by the federal government.

The bill approved by the General Assembly stated Virginia’s intent to create its own exchange, and directed state regulators to figure out how to run it.

After the bill reached Mc­Don­nell (R) for his signature, he added an amendment that would prohibit any insurance plan offered as part of the exchange from including coverage for abortions, except in cases of rape, incest or when the life of the mother is at risk.

Read more…

Washington Post:

Three statewide education groups are joining with the Virginia Association of Counties and the Virginia Municipal League to urge Gov. Bob Mc­Don­nell (R) to veto a bill that requires elementary and middle schools to offer 150 minutes of physical education a week.

Fairfax County Schools have been voicing concern.  The three new educational groups urging the governor to veto include:

… the Virginia Association of School Superintendents, the Virginia Education Association and the Virginia School Boards Association have joined with the local government groups to make the same arguments. 

Their letter to the governor states the following:

“We recognize that the bill’s intent of fighting childhood obesity is a laudable goal.  We ask, however, that you exercise your discretion to veto this bill because of two major concerns: (1) the bill imposes a substantial unfunded mandate on school divisions and localities and (2) due to time constraints and other requirements imposed on the public schools, the bill’s implementation will pose very significant instructional and practical problems,” they write in a letter to Mc­Don­nell.

Basically, most buildings don’t have the facilities to comply with what would be the new law.  Very few elementary schools have gyms.  Scheduling is already difficult at middle schools.  Most jurisdictions simply don’t have the money to comply or to retrofit new gym facilities.  They certainly don’t have the money to hire new PE teachers. 

Parent groups are meanwhile lobbying Gov. McDonnell to sign the bill into law to help curb childhood obesity.  No one denies that kids need more exercise.  However, Virginia legislators really didn’t look at the reality of how to implement their new law or who was going to pay for it.  According the the WaPo, this is the most hotly contested of all of the 1600 bills passed this session.  Right now, jurisdictions and school systems are viewing the PE Bill as just another unfunded mandate. 

Richmond Times Dispatch:

New polling pegs a potential U.S. Senate contest between former Govs. George Allen and Timothy M. Kaine as a dead heat.

The first survey by Public Policy Polling since Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., announced that he won’t seek re-election shows Allen, a Republican, and Kaine, a Democrat, tied at 47 percent with 6 percent undecided.

Kaine, who has said he will make a decision on whether to run for the seat early this month, registers a higher favorability rating than Allen, with 46 percent to Allen’s 39 percent.

46-39 doesn’t quite seem like a dead heat to me, but you know those polls.  Yea/Nay depending on who you like.  Let’s take a look at some other variables.  Kaine might not want to run. He was sitting back minding his own business being DNC chair, when Webb announced he was retiring after one term.  What other Democrats could step up to the plate?  There is always former Rep. Rich Boucher.  How about former Rep. Tom Perriello?  Both of these men were knocked out of office at midterms.

…[T]he poll showed Allen beating two other Democrats mentioned as a possibility. Allen bests former Rep. Rick Boucher, 47-42, and former Rep. Tom Perriello, 48-41, in the survey. Boucher and Perriello were casualties of a Republican surge in the November midterms.

How about Republican contenders who might oust Allen in a primary or convention?  Both Jaime Radthke and Delegate Bob Marshall’s names have been mentioned.

Read more…

The Richmond Times-Dispatch host Jim Nolan hands out the inaugural Squawkie Awards as the session draws to a close. The ceremony is entertaining and funny. Of course, there is the oily aroma of Virginia politics.

The Lifetime Achievement Award goes to the Democratic leaderhship in the Senate.  You can guess why.

Enjoy.  You will never guess who gets the Best Picture Squawkie, Citizen Kane!  Will he or won’t he? 

Washingtonpost.com

PEARISBURG, VA. – Nearly 12 years ago, in the aftermath of the shootings at Columbine High School, officials quietly posted the Ten Commandments on the walls of Giles County public schools. It was a natural reaction, said residents of this rural county peppered with churches, to such an alarming moral breakdown.

There the commandments stayed, within nondescript frames that also featured the first page of the U.S. Constitution, stirring little controversy until December. That’s when an anonymous complaint prompted the superintendent to order the removal of the displays. The decision sparked such passionate community backlash that the county school board voted to post them again in January.

All that’s needed is a governor’s signature and Virginia will have yet another unfunded mandate.  Starting in 2014, all elementary and middle schools must provide 150 minutes of PE per week for students.  Half-day kindergarten students would be exempt.  This change would be most significant in elementary schools where only 10% of schools meet the state standard.  Recess would not be allowed to substitute for PE.

Not everyone likes the new law.  The VEA opposes the bill.  Several school systems oppose it also.  According to the Washington Post:

But some school district officials oppose the looming requirement – to be implemented in 2014 – saying it could extend the school day, lead to cuts in arts and music classes, or increase costs because additional teachers would be needed.

“Schools can’t be expected to solve all of society’s problems,” said Fairfax Superintendent Jack D. Dale, who lobbied against the legislation.

Naturally, educators are concerned about PE cutting in to instructional time for academics. One of the biggest problems is where to hold PE classes during inclement weather.  Many elementary schools simply lack facilities to have phyical activities going on inside the building.  Most schools do not have gyms and often use the cafeteria when lunch isn’t being served.  That’s going to be a problem. 

Read more…

The Washington Times:

Legislation to sell Virginia’s state-owned liquor stores and devote the proceeds to transportation won’t pass this session.

Sen. Mark Obenshain effectively withdrew his measure Tuesday to divest the state of its Alcoholic Beverage Control stores.

Mr. Obenshain, Harrisonburg Republican, said he did it so Republican Gov. Robert F. McDonnell could study the measure, which was a pillar of the transportation funding plan he advanced in his successful campaign last year.

Mr. Obenshain said the bill would await a special session on transportation, should Mr. McDonnell call one, or next year’s regular session.

Mr. McDonnell claimed that selling the state-owned liquor retailers would generate about $500 million for transportation, an estimate many experts question.

Thanks to Chris for bringing this hot off the press story to my attention.  I keep hearing that Virginia should not be in the business of selling liquor.  It was good enough for those Virginians coming off of Prohibition.  It was good enough for our parents, grandparents and great grandparents,  If those are Republican values, then keep them elsewhere.

Read more…

On Thursday, members of the Senate Education and Health committee voted to report SB 967: Family Life Education Standards of Learning by a vote of 11-4. This was a huge victory but the first step of many to getting this common-sense legislation signed into law.

On Monday, the entire Senate will vote on this legislation.

Family life education. Requires each school division to implement the standards of learning for the family life education program promulgated by the Board of Education, or a family life education program consistent with the guidelines developed by the Board, which shall have the goals of reducing the incidence of pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, and substance abuse among teenagers. Any curricula or materials used must be evidence-based and supported by peer reviewed medical research.

As I understand it, this legislation would do away with schools being coerced into using bogus materials that present voodoo pseudo science as medical evidence. I once sat through several classes of abstinence education.  It was foolish and the kids all laughed at it.  There were virginity pledges, rings, and other gimmicks that really didn’t address sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, and the responsibilities involved in becoming sexually active at an early age.  Those types of ‘classes’ are better for church groups and within the family.  They are not appropriate for public education.  This bill protects our children from pseudo science being presented as fact.

Please write to your state senator and encourage him or her to support SB 967.  Accurate information never hurt anyone.

Senator Colgan’s email:

district29@senate.virginia.gov