Monthly Archives: April 2010
Taxes in the 11th District Race…Ironic, don't you think?
Yesterday was tax day, which is when many people line up at the post office to get their income taxes filed in a last minute rush. Rising taxes are no doubt on the minds of many in the 11th Congressional District, as our current Congressman Gerry Connolly has voted in favor of every tax hike House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pushed through the House of Representatives. People are mad over the tax increases, as the economy continues to decline and unemployment continues to rise.
Both Republican candidates for Congress have voiced their opposition against tax increases. Keith Fimian came out against tax increases, and in a recent statement, he slams Connolly for raising taxes by $670 billion.
“Tomorrow is the deadline for Americans to file their taxes. After thousands of pages of complex code, billions of hours of preparation, and hundreds of billions spent on compliance, the Federal government takes an enormous bite out of the earnings of millions and millions of hardworking Americans,” Fimian said. “And Gerry Connolly doesn’t think these Americans pay enough. In just 16 months, he has voted for $670 billion in tax increases, including $316 billion that directly hit the middle class.”
“At $42 billion in tax increases for every month Connolly’s been in office, and by the time voters throw Gerry Connolly out of Congress in November, we’re looking at another quarter-billion in tax increases,” Fimian said.
“Connolly’s lust for tax increases isn’t a surprise,” Fimian said. “These tax increases and a lot of borrowing pay for the reckless spending and earmarks that he and other career politicians believe they can use to secure their re-elections.”
“During his tenure on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Connolly doubled the average property tax bill in Fairfax County from $2400 to $4800,” Fimian said. “We couldn’t afford Gerry Connolly on the Board of Supervisors and we can’t afford him in Congress.”
Yesterday, Pat Herrity also sent out a letter to supporters saying that he opposed tax increases and even voted against tax increases as Springfield District Supervisor.
Today is Tax Day, the day every year when we send our hard-earned dollars to Uncle Sam.
If your tax bill is relatively low this year, savor it. Over the next 10 years, your tax bill is going to skyrocket because of the tax-and-spend policies of Gerry Connolly and his mentor, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Since Connolly crossed the river into Washington to team up with the Speaker from the bankrupt state of California, he has voted for every tax hike put to a vote. The House’s Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Dave Camp added them up. Connolly has voted for $670.341 billion in new taxes in the less than 16 months he has been in Congress. Connolly’s gross tax increases equate to more than $2,100 for every man, woman and child in the United States.
Gerry Connolly will tell you he has lowered taxes since he went to Congress – ignoring the $570 billion worth of tax increases in Obamacare alone.
We shouldn’t be surprised. Connolly has always claimed to cut taxes. He made that claim when he reduced the tax rate as a Fairfax County supervisor, yet the amount of taxes property owners paid under his watch doubled from $2,400 to $4,800 in just seven years – increases Connolly supported. It’s a new type of math – Connollymath.
These are the kind of dishonest smoke-and-mirrors tricks that we see so much of in Washington, and it is exactly the type of culture that is hurting our families and our businesses. We need to bring honesty and accountability back to Washington. We need jobs, not big government.
I have never and will never vote to raises taxes. Accordingly, I have signed the taxpayers’ protection pledge.
More importantly, I am the only candidate in this race that has a proven record of lowering taxes, cutting spending and reducing the size of government.
While Herrity declares his intentions to never raise taxes, this does not mean that he did not support a potential tax increase. According to The Washington Examiner and Agenda Item 2 of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Meeting on December 21, 2009, Herrity voted in favor of Phase II of the Dulles Rail Transportation Improvement District. This is a move, which according to The Examiner would require the county to loan money as a way to finance the second phase of the Dulles expansion, if a tax increase was not imposed.
As our economy is downfall mode, can we truly afford additional taxes? No, tax increases only harm prosperity and hurt working families. Hopefully, both Republican candidates will stand by their promises not to raise taxes once elected.
Free Enterprising Moms
Guest Post by Anne Judge
Do you agree that stay-at-home moms are great untapped resources for employers? I entered a business idea into the “I am Free Enterprise” video contest, promoting the idea that stay-at-home moms are a place to look to help get great work done! Per the contest rules, I have uploaded my video to YouTube, and I provide the link below. Please view my video and if you like, keep clicking! In order to progress to Round 1, I have to be one of the top 25 viewed videos in the contest. The first viewing period ends on April 16, 2010 at 6:00 pm. Feel free to share it with your friends. I’d really appreciate the help! The competition is tight! My husband, Mike, is the cameraman, and the video is 100% homemade.
Comedy Central in Congress?
Earlier this morning, I highlighted the fact that Congress forgot that their cadillac health coverage would be gone until 2014 with the recent passage of President Obama’s health care reform law. Now, it appears Congress has become Comedy Cabana.
Enter Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) for today’s entertainment. Now, for those not following Rep. Waters’ career, it is common knowledge that she is a loose cannon, who is not afraid to speak what’s on her mind (no matter how insane her comments might be). During a Congressional hearing, she openly admits that she’s a socialist. Hey, we can’t accuse her of being dishonest.
Hopefully, voters (except in Rep. Maxine Waters’ case) can help get rid of some of these village idiots currently in control of Congress.
The Problems with ObamaCare
We have rocket scientists running Congress. According to Ace of Spades, Congress has voted to terminate their own health insurance and will not receive a replacement until 2014. This session of Congress has certainly brought out who’s who among the morons and it also goes to show that they did not read the bill fully to comprehend what they were going to do to the American public and even themselves.
In a recent New York Times article, the Congressional Research Service says there will be consequences to not just the coverage received by members of Congress, but to their staffers as well.
For example, it says, the law may “remove members of Congress and Congressional staff” from their current coverage, in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, before any alternatives are available.
The confusion raises the inevitable question: If they did not know exactly what they were doing to themselves, did lawmakers who wrote and passed the bill fully grasp the details of how it would influence the lives of other Americans?
The law promises that people can keep coverage they like, largely unchanged. For members of Congress and their aides, the federal employees health program offers much to like. But, the report says, the men and women who wrote the law may find that the guarantee of stability does not apply to them.
“It is unclear whether members of Congress and Congressional staff who are currently participating in F.E.H.B.P. may be able to retain this coverage,” the research service said in an 8,100-word memorandum.
…
The law apparently bars members of Congress from the federal employees health program, on the assumption that lawmakers should join many of their constituents in getting coverage through new state-based markets known as insurance exchanges.
But the research service found that this provision was written in an imprecise, confusing way, so it is not clear when it takes effect.
The new exchanges do not have to be in operation until 2014. But because of a possible “drafting error,” the report says, Congress did not specify an effective date for the section excluding lawmakers from the existing program.
Perhaps, members of Congress should lose their cadillac plans, as it will help them to realize the impact of their votes for government-run health care on the American people. In the meantime, we can only laugh at their stupidity.
Potential Haymarket Hospital Site Poses Traffic Problems
At a public hearing last night in Haymarket, the Health Services Agency of Northern Virginia (HSANV) listened to two different proposals for building a hospital in Western Prince William County. Both Prince William Hospital System (which merged with Novant Health) and Sentara introduced their building proposals to the agency, and the public chimed in for their support on either site. The need for a hospital facility has increased over the years due to increased population growth (the senior population is also growing exponentially as well) in the Haymarket/Gainesville area. Currently, it takes anywhere between 30-45 minutes to get to Prince William Hospital in Manassas, which also adds to the urgency of this facility.
The proposals are based at different sites. Prince William Hospital System plans to build a hospital on the site of the Heathcote Medical Center, which is at the intersections of Routes 15 and 66. It is a site that has already been approved for zoning by Prince William County. This hospital is proposed to have 60 private rooms, 24-hour Emergency Department, Surgical Operating Rooms, ICU, and will bring 400 new jobs to the area.
Sentara Healthcare, a non-profit hospital company based in the Tidewater area, recently acquired Potomac Hospital in 2009, is planning to build their hospital right across the street from Jiffy Lube Live. The site would be located off of Wellington Road. The site has not been approved for zoning by Prince William County, as a previous housing development (Brookfield Homes) was going to build on the site, previously owned by Atlantic Research Corporation. This site was deemed unsafe due to the toxic chemicals left behind on the site by the Environmental Protection Agency. The costs for Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) remediation will exceed millions of dollars before zoning could be approved.
Aside from the environmental problems, there would be increased traffic issues. Being across the street from Jiffy Lube Live would pose many transportation woes, as traffic is often at a stand still due to concerts being held six months out of the year. Noise from the concerts will also pose problems, as the proposed site is planned to be built facing the loudest side of the concert venue. This would pose obstacles for surgeons focusing on procedures, in addition to detracting from the patient’s quality of care.
While both hospitals introduced their proposals to the committee, one thing did stick out. Sentara seemed ill prepared to answer the questions on why they selected the site. When asked how they would address the issues posed by the facility, the questions were left unanswered.
HSANV heard testimonies from community leaders, such as Del. Jackson Miller (R-50), Prince William County Sheriff Glendell Hill, Gainesville District Supervisor, John Stirrup, and Manassas Mayor Harry Parrish II. All of these leaders spoke in favor of the Prince William Hospital System site, as there is a great need for the expansion of a hospital that has committed itself to the Prince William County community for 45 years.
In an interview with CCC, Miller mentioned the quality services and commitment of Prince William Hospital System in the Haymarket community. Miller represents the 50th House District, which includes Prince William Hospital System’s main campus in Manassas.
When asked about the problems posed by the Sentara site, Miller mentioned three key issues that stand as a barrier in their site. First, with the close proximity of the Jiffy Lube Live site and a railroad line, traffic would be extremely problematic. The second issue is the noise pollution. As mentioned, the hospital site is on the loudest side of the venue, along with a nearby railroad line, would make noise levels almost unbearable. Prince William County Police receive numerous complaints from residents miles away from the venue due to the excessive noise. Lastly, the environmental quality in the area poses problems for the site. Miller mentioned that Sentara’s site has not been approved for zoning, and it is uncertain how much remediation would need to be done for the site to meet DEQ standards. It could cost millions of dollars.
When asked if the General Assembly plans to intervene if the Sentara site is approved, Miller mentioned that he has no interest in intervening with the commission’s approval process.
Miller reiterated his support for the Prince William Health System/Novant Health site, as it is located on a better site approved for zoning. Miller talked about Prince William Health System’s commitment to the Western Prince William County community, and it’s commitment to advancing quality services in the Haymarket area.
There will be future posts focusing on the developments of a future hospital site in Haymarket. While both Prince William/Novant and Sentara Healthcare offer the promises of new employment opportunities and providing quality health services, Prince William holds the advantage over the Hampton Roads-based Sentara. In the meantime, Alan Moore at Bearing Drift has another interesting perspective to add to the proposed hospital.
How does Fairfax County Plan to Spend Stimulus $$?
Brian over at Snapped Shot reports that Fairfax County is spending its stimulus money on yet another wasteful project, which is not bad considering that the county has a hugebudget deficit.
So, what is Fairfax County spending their money on this time? How about purchasing a vacant commercial retail space and planning on burning it down to create *tada* a commuter parking lot? That’s right, they plan to use the old Circuit City building, only to burn it down, and create yet another parking lot. This is considered wasteful in one particular way, as the Franconia/Springfield Metro Parking Lot is less than a mile away and the Old Keene Mill Road lot, which is up the street and is never filled to capacity.
One would think Fairfax County would spend their stimulus dollars on something useful, like possibly eliminating the $33 vehicle decal fee, which is proposed to be brought back to help address the deficits. This is just another example of your county government at work.
We Must Control Government Spending and Lower the Tax Burden
Guest Post by Congressman Bob Goodlatte
We are just days away from one of the most dreaded days of the year. April 15th is a day filled with aggravation and frustration as hard working Americans are confronted with piles of forms, confusing instructions, and the prospect of turning their hard-earned money over to the government.
Not only are we approaching tax day but on April 9th, we marked Tax Freedom Day 2010. This is the day on which Americans have earned enough money to pay all their federal, state and local taxes for the year. That means that Americans had to work nearly a third of the year just to pay taxes. This year Americans will work longer to pay for taxes than they will to pay for food, clothing and housing combined.
By comparison, Tax Freedom Day in 1910 was January 19th, when taxes were just 5% of a person’s income. Today it takes more than 100 days for Americans to earn enough to pay the government before they can start keeping their hard earned paychecks for themselves and their families. And that doesn’t even include the higher cost of goods and services due to government regulations.
While Tax Freedom Day falls on April 9th this year, this figure also does not include the total cost of government, since it only counts what the government collects in taxes, not the additional spending that is financed via borrowing. Once deficit-financed spending is added, the result is a figure which gives a truer glimpse of what current spending may mean to future taxes. If Americans had to pay this year for all the government will spend this year, they would be working until May 17th before they earned enough to pay their taxes.
As government spending continues to spiral out of control, the tax burden on hard working Americans has been significantly increasing. Just in the last year, the Democrat-controlled Congress pushed through multiple pieces of legislation containing an unprecedented and unsustainable level of government spending. First there was the $1 trillion stimulus bill, which I voted against. It was supposed to create jobs and reinvigorate our troubled economy but it certainly hasn’t accomplished that goal. Most recently the Democrats in Congress pushed through their health care reform bill, which I also voted against. The legislation costs over $2.5 trillion and includes over $569 billion in tax increases on families, seniors and small businesses.
Since arriving in Congress, I have been a strong supporter of policies that rein in out of control government spending which ultimately help to lower the tax burden on hard working folks. Lower more efficient government spending and lower taxes are fundamental to economic growth. When we lower the tax burden on America’s families, we encourage investment, savings and job creation. I will continue pushing these pro growth policies which is the best way to keep America competitive.
To contact me about this or any other matter, please visit my website at www.goodlatte.house.gov.
Public Option will be back…
Public option legislation will be introduced, and it might be as soon as next year. This is according to Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.). This strikes me as interesting, especially since there was a public uprising against this component of the health care legislation. I guess I should not be surprised, since the Democrats in Congress will not stop at anything until the federal government gets complete control over health care.
H/T to West Virginia Watchdog
Chief Parenting: Teaching Our Kids About Free Enterprise
Guest Post by Dan Dement
As a father of two young children, the current political, economic and educational environments have me greatly concerned. What say you?
As much as we run a risk of being called paranoid or hatemongers (or worse!) by those who seek to “fundamentally change America,” we simply cannot suppress these concerns any longer: Socialism is as Socialism does.
Today, the responsibility to battle such anti-free enterprise ideologies belongs to dedicated Americans like you and I. But what about tomorrow? Will our children be prepared to defend American Free Enterprise?
Think about it. Do our schools sufficiently teach our kids about the facts that free enterprise has created more jobs, more opportunity and more innovation than any other system known to mankind? Will our daughters and sons grow up with an accurate understanding of what free enterprise means to not only America, but to human existence? Will they be taught how to be courageous and effective leaders in the face of mounting moral and ethical challenges?
Chief Parenting is a movement dedicated to providing America’s youth with solid foundations of free enterprise-based business and socially-conscience leadership education, fostering their personal and professional career success.
Chief Parenting accomplishes this mission through an offering of quality educational enrichment programs for both children and their parents that create bonded-learning opportunities with the sole purpose of empowering youth for life-long achievement.
Recently, Chief Parenting was accepted into the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s “I am Free Enterprise” video contest. With your assistance in spreading the good word about the Chief Parenting movement, we can ensure future generations have unfettered access to facts about American Free Enterprise through a private-sector offering of educational enrichment programs.
The alternative has been in position already for nearly a century:
- Give us the child for 8 years and it will be a Bolshevik forever. – Vladimir Lenin
The battle for man’s ideals is real. The future of our republic depends on keeping American Free Enterprise alive and protected. We hope you’ll support the Chief Parenting movement.
Dan Dement is a brand marketing and public relations professional and the founder of Chief Parenting (www.chiefparenting.com), a movement dedicated to providing America’s youth with solid foundations of free enterprise-based business and socially-conscience leadership education, fostering their personal and professional career success. He holds a master’s of business administration and bachelor’s of arts in journalism. Dan resides in Carlsbad, California with his wife and two children. He can be reached by email at dan.dement@hotmail.com.
