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By Michael Sluss
RICHMOND
No member of the House of Delegates voted Thursday to support former Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's proposal to increase the state income tax and effectively eliminate the personal property tax on vehicles.
But that didn't stop lawmakers from staging 40 minutes of partisan theater before killing the legislation, the opening round in a fierce fight over fixing a $4.2 billion state budget shortfall. By a vote of 97-0, with one member abstaining, the House defeated Kaine's plan to impose a 1 percent income tax "surcharge" that would generate new revenue for counties, cities and towns. The tax plan was central to the budget-balancing plan Kaine proposed in December, a month before leaving office. A Senate version of the bill has not come up for a vote.
Kaine's Republican successor, Gov. Bob McDonnell, said Monday that he will veto any bill or budget plan that increases taxes.
House Republicans declared Kaine's proposal dead on arrival last month, but they refused to allow the bill's sponsor, Del. Bob Brink, D-Arlington, to withdraw the measure when it reached the floor Thursday afternoon. Instead, they forced Democrats to choose between supporting a tax increase or rejecting a key component of a budget plan offered by the former governor and chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
Republicans had used a procedural tactic to send HB1155 to the floor without a committee recommendation, forcing a full House vote on the bill.
"We all know why this bill is here," said House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong, D-Henry County, "It's here to embarrass us. It's here to embarrass Tim Kaine. It's here to poison the well."
Armstrong said he couldn't support a tax increase but also argued that the Republicans' insistence on forcing a floor vote soured a bipartisan climate McDonnell has tried to cultivate during his first week in office.
The House GOP majority blamed Kaine for leaving lawmakers with a budget plan and tax bill that had no chance of passing.
"I'm sorry that some of you all are embarrassed," House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, said to his Democratic counterparts before the vote. "It's real easy not to be embarrassed. Just vote no."
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City Revenue
How can anyone disagree with or dislike the comment. Is is the TRUTH.
Tax the rich????
That`s about the dumbest thing anyone can say! Anyone that thinks that I have one question for you! Ever been hired for a job by a poor person???? Thats right the answer is NO! Taxing the more wealthy people tend to make those people to hold on to thier money and not hire new people or expand thier businesses! Just so you know, I make about 40k I`m not "rich". People need to think before speaking.
Tax the Rich, Just the Rich
Shame on Kaine for attempting to impose a one percent tax increase on everybody.
The underlying problem with this economy is an uneven distribution of wealth. The way to fix it is to increase taxes on the rich. I don't see the Republicans ever doing that, so the rich will remain wealthy, while public services go to rot (except for the rest stops and liquor stores).
Not sure why Obama is part of this discussion. This is Virginia.
Bottom line is the D's & R's in congress have things the way they do is because they want it that way. That's why we more Libertarians to run and get elected to office.
In regards to Virginia, all the Dems had to do is get their 39 members together and vote their conscience. It appears even Delegate Armstrong couldn't put his vote where his mouth was. It was afterall a BI-PARTISAN VOTE as 97 members either voted up or down.
They should do away with the state (and federal) income tax all together and replace it with a higher sales tax.
City Revenue
Remenber that the cities did have a source of income called Personal Property Tax Whick included cars. The Republicans and Gov Gilmore rode the repeal of car tax to power WITH THE PLEDGE THAT THIS CITY INCOME WOULD BE REPLACED WITH MONEY FROM THE STATE. So the STATE DOES owe the cities, towns, and counties this money and it is NOT a freebee.
Actually, The Fault Goes Back Further
To the people commenting that this is all Bush's and Reagan's fault, it really goes back much further, all the way back to Lincoln. But don't worry, he was a Rebublican also. Check the historical records immediately before, and then after the war. You'll see my point.
Byrd
You can't blame Lincoln for the broken Virginia government. Just look back to Byrd and the stranglehold he and his cronies had on the Commonwealth for generations. Read Wikipedia and you'll learn about the roots of corruption in Virginia.
so out of touch
When Obama was elected the national debt was at 10T. This 10T took decades to accumulate. Obama has added half of that amount again in less than a year. In one year that fool has added another 5T of debt with absolutely nothing to show for spending all this money.
Kaine went on the same track, protect government employees protect welfare moochers, that essentially vote themselves more perks, benefits, and pay by sucking up to every democrat that promises them more and more.
State government has grown by more than 20% since the Warner and Kaine Governorships. The state general population has stayed at a stagnant 4% growth rate for more than 2 decades now and yet our past two democratic governors have done nothing but pander to protected state workers, lazy self serving teachers, and welfare recipients.
Not exactly
Actually, 85% of the national debt was put there by the two Bush's. Clinton actually reduced the debt. Obama either increased spending to prevent a depression, or we would have had one that would make today's conditions look like nirvana. So while you were technically correct, you missed a few essential facts.
Huh?
Please direct me to the law of economics that states that you can spend your way out of debt or the one that states you must spend even more than you've already spent to avoid a depression. I'll bet a lot of unemployed/underemployed folks would like to apply those laws to their own household finances.