The Virginian-Pilot
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VIRGINIA BEACH
Turn over state rest areas and visitor centers to private operators.
Legalize marijuana and start taxing its sale.
Sell state-owned alcoholic beverage stores to private vendors.
No, don't sell them, they make a good profit for the state.
Fix Virginia's transportation system and make sure money collected for roads isn't spent on other things.
Require state employees to pay for a part of their pension plan.
These were among the ideas suggested Monday night to a delegation from the state's Commission on Government Reform and Restructuring. The 31-member commission was formed by Gov. Bob McDonnell to examine how state government can be streamlined and better serve residents.
The open forum at the Sandler Center, which drew about 75 people, was the seventh and final town-hall-style session before the commission meets today and again in August to try to narrow its focus.
Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim, a commission member, said he hopes the panel can initially target "one or two big ideas."
John Moss of the Virginia Beach Taxpayer Alliance told the panel that the state needs to turn over more operations, such as recreational facilities, to private operators.
"The users of the facilities are going to have to have to pay a higher share of what it cost," Moss said.
While some suggested that state-owned ABC stores should be sold to private vendors - a proposal endorsed by McDonnell - one state employee spoke against it.
Michael Zingraff, an Alcoholic Beverage Control regional manager based in Chesapeake, pointed out that if those stores are sold, the annual revenue they bring in would be lost and the state would have to find another way to pay for the ABC operations, he said.
Mike Barrett of Virginia Beach warned that government retirement benefits are a "ticking time bomb" unless changes are made to require employee contributions.
Dylan DelliSanti of Virginia Beach urged the commission to consider legalizing marijuana to avoid spending millions enforcing the prohibition and to reap new tax revenues.
In addition to the public hearings, the commission has formed committees and subcommittees to examine government structure and operations.
The difficulty in the coming weeks, say committee members, will be to formulate specific proposals.
"It's tough," said Lisa Hicks-Thomas, Virginia's secretary of administration, noting that the restructuring efforts won't stop this year. "This isn't just something that is only going to last a couple of months."
McDonnell said the commission could continue working for years, she said.
Bill Bartel, (757) 446-2398, bill.bartel@pilotonline.com
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be realistic
Cut the govt in half won't happen and you know it. Did you attend the forum? I did and found it interesting but not compelling. I think it is well worth it that the Governor is asking for input and only 75 people showed up. I guess he can do what he wants now. BTW I think we should increase spending on education based on previous poster's spelling. I like the idea of privatizing ABS sales like most other states. You still get revenue fm sin taxes without the overhead. Shame on the Pilot for not indentifying Dean as a council candidate.
Cut the state goverment in
Cut the state goverment in half. Allow the people to vote on everything! We the people need to make the decisions, not the governer or his band of crooks. The Govener should only be in place to manage emergent issues, and to ensure the peoples whishes are carried out!!! The fine people of Virginia should make the decisions on taxes, developement, businesses, welfare, education, roads....etc. Politicians are easily bought off. The people as a collective are not. So we dont need paid for by and bought off politicians making our decisions, they dont care what you want anyways. A govener, vice govener, and a planing committe for each genreal areas to make reccomendations to the people based of provable facts. No pork barrel information and each idea is voted upon. No matter how confusing or complicated it may seem, I still wager it will be cheaper and faster then what we have now, a bunch of corrupt criminals running our state, and our country for that matter.
No mention of slots or casinos?
Why not?
BIG money here for the taking!
It's going to the neighboring states with casinos. Delaware and West Virginia are thanking us!
Farce and subterfuge
I had the opportunity to attend and to comment, but frankly, this is a charade. The Governor and his staff have had behind the scene meetings off line not involving this Commission, and frankly, we all know what he wants. This Commission has barely started its work and the Governor is working on his plan to sell the assets of the ABC program to the highest bidder. This deal is done, and to put citizens and Commissioners through this subterfuge is a waste of time. My only hope is that those in the General Assembly who have rational knowledge about the benefit to the general fund from ABC operations will stop this raid of General Fund money which will simply provide another rationale to cut programs and services more to "stay within the budget." And let's be honest, the one time infusion of money to the transportation Trust Fund is a proverbial drop in the bucket. What a farce.
Ideas to Reform Virginia
Legalize marijuana and start taxing its sale. Legalize Radar Detectors, Virginia is missing out on sales tax of these devices. Raise the sales tax.
By raising the sales tax you make money from everybody that passes through and buys a candy bar or whatever they buy. Tennessee has a 9.5% sales tax and no income tax. I'm not say to raise it to 9.5% but maybe to 6.0%. Also stop trying to run the state on the backs of the drivers!!!