What did you think of our Blog Talk Radio show the other day?  Did I "Lowell" you to sleep or what? :)

I enjoyed the part I heard. I was still driving down to Richmond when it started. Good luck with the show!

...that "the House of Delegates attached its transportation bill to Marty Williams' SB1101" and that this bill - with its huge raid on the General Fund - could come to Governor Kaine for his signature?

That is a timely question! The deadline for all revenue bills work to be completed is midnight tonight. Because the substitute to Williams bill was not voted on in the House Transportation committee until yesterday it was not on today's House calendar. We have three Constitutional "readings" of each bill before we vote on passage. If the first reading (notice in the printed calendar) is today when we reconvene at 5 pm, the second reading (when we normally debate, amend and "engross" the bill) wouldn't be until tomorrow and the final reading when we vote on final passage wouldn't be until Friday. That would be two days too late.

As I type, the Senate is amending and improving the Speaker's bill, which will come back to the House for an up or down vote on accepting the Senate amendments. That is the best way for this discussion to continue at this point.

We are hoping that the Republican House members will be willing to work with us in a spirit of compromise. So far, the House Republicans have not compromised.

Also, if you'd like, can you please comment on the political implications for this year's elections of the different options: 1) the House bill getting to Gov. Kaine's desk and Kaine signing (or vetoing) it; 2) nothing coming out of the GA this year; 3) a revised Senate bill actually making headway in the House; 4) other.

I am very upset about Sen. Whipple's RPS bill (SB1275) being tabled.  I heard you talk on the live-blog radio about your green buildings legislation.  Can you repeat again your sentiments on what it will take to get these flat-earthers to come around? 

New ideas are often very challenging here. Senator Whipple has worked really hard on her Renewable Portfolio Standards legislation and brought together a lot of the stakeholders and educated a lot of our colleagues. I wish her bill had passed this year, but those who know Sen. Whipple know she is persistent! We do need to REQUIRE RPS.

Along with Sen. Whipple, I have been working on Green Buildings legislation for two sessions. My version of the bill and I believe hers also has been referred to the Housing Commission for review. We will be working together to further enlighten stakeholders on the advantages of the LEED system of the US Green Building Council. I will also be working to get a dialogue going between forestry advocates and the sustainable building community in the next year.

I was disappointed when some members of a Rules Comittee subcomittee questioned the scientific consensus on severity of Climate Change and whether all levels of government needed to be concerned.

would oppose LEED standards.  I'm also puzzled - and amazed - as to how this one group could stop something that's so important.

Check out the answer I got back from my delegate, Terrie Suit.  At least she believes in global warming but she has a ways to go in understanding Virginia's responsibility to the cause. 

FROM DELEGATE TERRIE SUIT:
I do agree that there is global warming. We need to support any efforts at the national level to develop multilateral agreements which include emgerging third world countries, specifically China and India, in agreements to reduce emissions of gases which have been identified to contribute to global warming. Until third world countries also agree to reduce emissions progress will not be made because the entities producing the emissions in industrialized nations can simply relocate their operations to third world unregulated nations and release even more harmful gases into the atmosphere.

Keep the faith!  And thanks for live-blogging with us!

If passed and signed by Gov. Kaine, HB 3150 would result in the JJ Dinner no longer being held while the GA is in session. Many Democrats declared that the Republicans weren't actually after reform, but merely attacking the event. Nonetheless, there has been some debate throughout the progressive blogosphere over whether or not the event should be moved in the spirit of fighting corruption (or at least the potential for corruption).

My question is two fold. 1)Do you believe the JJ Dinner should be moved to a date when the GA is not in session and 2)What is the reasoning behind your vote on HB 3150.

I do think the bill was clearly aimed at the J-J dinner. I do not think that attending an event that does not benefit one's self creates the kind of perception that would exist if GA members accepted money from lobbyists near a vote.

I don't think the JJ needs to be moved.

Hi Adam:
  You are among only a handful of Delegates (Dem.s & Rep.s) who get it right most of the time.
  I'm concerned with a growing short-sighted movement by the legislatures around the country (incl. Va.) that sell our public assets to private interests, in exchange for a quick (and one-time) infusion of capital.  I've seen it done with lotteries and our highways.  If these assets are worth something to the private sector, certainly they are still of value to us - the public.
  Can you assure us that you will fight to keep the our assets ours? We've all paid taxes and both in theory and in reality, we own these assets and they should not be sold out.
  Thanks.
-matt harris

Some folks really see privatization as a panacea for government. I do not.

You are right that if a lottery or highway is sold or technically "leased" it must have major value. It goes with the far right philosophy or borrow now and pay later.

I have, however, supported the concept of public-private partnerships where industry builds a HOT lane, etc. and collects tolls in return to recoup their investment. I would prefer that core state functions like transportation be paid for by the government and have government retain complete control/authority over puplic assets. I have had to compromise because too many of my colleagues have taken extreme "no new taxes ever" pledges.

I maintain a healthy skepticism over selling existing state assets.

I am a strong supporter of a tunnel through Tysons for rail to Dulles. Tysons is bigger than all but eleven American downtowns. Smart land use there can lead to less road congestion, pollution and a better quality of life.

I was happy to see the statement from the FTA recently indicating we may be able to have them consider engineering and other studies on the feasability of a tunnel. If it doesn't cost the federal government more money, they really should be willing to work with us.

This may be too complex of a question to ask but I'll go ahead.  Could you expand on this "solution to our transportation crisis that provides adequate funds and is fair to Northern Virginia"

So basically what is your transportation solution?  To help guide your answer could you touch on funding mechanisims what the money should be used for and any associated land use components.

I am heading out to vote on the Senate Amendments to the Speaker's bill. In a rush, but I will reply. Thanks.

There are a variety of revenue sources that could be a part on a comprehensive transportation solution. I have not sponsored my own transportation plan. I did introduce legislation that would allow localities to enact a quarter cent sales tax to be dedicated to Metro funding that would be matched by the Federal Government and result in $1.5 billion for transit over 10 years, with Maryland and DC kicking in the same amount as Northern VA localities.

...serious progress on the big issues and challenges it faces with the Flat Earth Republicans controlling the House of Delegates?  Or, is it essential that Democrats win control of that chamber - and possibly the State Senate as well - before we get anywhere on transportation, education, energy, environment, health care, etc?

We do have a sharp Democratic Governor which is a huge help. But having more Democrats, and fewer overly ideological conservatives would certainly make a huge difference. If more of the Republicans were moderate and willing to compromise, they would not have failed to pass a budget so often in the last several years.

Democratic majorities mean Democratic Committee Chairs and less ideological lines in the sand that prevent smart, progressive policies.

The main problems with the House Republicans is a lack of willingness to compromise and include all parties at the table. A Democratic Senate majority would be an improvement too!

What good bills are still alive that we need to email our legislators to support?  Conversely, what do we need killed?

The Senate version of payday lending is back in the House and will be coming up shortly. There is a serious question of what (if any) changes will be agreed to and how many changes would cause the sponsor to just strike the bill.

Transportation is the biggest unknown. If you have a Republican legislator it would be helpful to encourage them to work with Democrats and to compromise.

Gtting on your favorite advocacy group's e-mail list or website is the best way to keep up.

It looks like all my bills that left the House are in good shape in the Senate.

Do you agree with Senator Cuccinelli's stance on cock and hamster fighting?

Also, would you support Virginia becoming a home rule state with a full-time legislature?

second question.

Dillon Rule has to go.

Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, R-Fairfax County, questioned the bill's application to other fighting animals.

"Isn't it true that if I drop two hamsters in a cage and my 11-year-old and I bet a quarter on the outcome, I could get a class 1 misdemeanor under this bill?" Cuccinelli asked."

Remember, those roosters have blades attached to their feet.  He doesn't have any sense of balance on this, or many issues.

I don't know what Sen. Cuccinelli's stance is, but cock fighting is a real problem with vicious cruelty to animals. I will vote to strengthen penalties.

Does hamster fighting really exist? I hadn't heard of that one!

We could certainly spend more time giving more careful consideration to legislation. Full time would be a big change. One advantage of Mr. Jefferson's citizen legislature is that we all bring real world experiences with us. However, it was a bit easier back when we were all farmers and drove our horse and buggies to Richmond for the winter.

Our cigarette taxes are one of the lowest in the nation.  Yes, I know they're a big employer, but higher taxes also lower overall demand for them (especially among younger smokers).

Since I moved here, cigarettes have gone up by extraordinary amounts every year.  Enough is enough until we start heavily taxing OTHER UNHEALTHY HABITS.

On that note, what do you think about taxing fast food?  Its not good for you, it is CLEARLY causing health problems and obesity around the country, and its cheaper than healthy alternatives, which is why people continue to buy it.

How can we make healthier choices more available to those who are part of a low income bracket?  Does it really make sense that healthy food like fresh meat, poultry, fruits, vegetables, and complex grains/carbohydrates are hard for the already malnurished to afford?

You're awesome by the way, and I love when you cry.  ;)

Jaime, I hear your "slippery slope" argument, and there are answers to that.

(1) Tobacco is unsafe even in moderation, unlike fast food.
(2) Tobacco is addicting, even in moderation, and of course it harms co-workers and others and not solely the user.
(3) Most important for the tax issue, the tobacco industry pricing strategy includes "gateway cigarettes" that are intentionally priced and marketed to attract and hook pre-teens and teens. That strategy is captured in writing in the tobacco documents revealed in the legal cases and the documents obtained by FDA in the 1990s. Taxes would attack this "gateway" pricing strategy used to hook pre-teens, and price them further out of reach.

It is important to rememeber tobacco addiction is a pediatric disease. It almost always occurs before 18. For people who try tobacco products after the age of 19, almost none of them continue smoking.

Specifically, the tobacco industry prices its products just like other drug pushers do: a little amout of a pricey, status product (for example, they used to pay premiums to convenience stores near middle schools to sell singles or "one-sies" for a nickel to a quarter so kids could afford them), a moderate amount of status product (e.g., Marlboro for whites, Newports in urban areas, Virginia Slims to young women), and then once you're hooked they know you'll be buying cheap generics by the carton.

You must know some of the same people who work in this area that I do -- I used to be down the hall from some at the FTC

And as I've repeated almost -- I say almost -- ad nauseum, the tobacco industry was working slimy claw in slimy claw with Grover Norquist.  Those same tobacco litigation documents show that. 

So Norquist comes to our state and gets the GOP to sign the no-tax pledge -- and the tobacco companies whistle happily.

VA is very low.  The median per pack is at 80 cents, and we're ranked 45th at 30 cents.  Maryland is at a dollar, even poor WVA is at 55 cents.  And for every 1 percent the price goes up, another .4% quit.

Actually, I would tax fast food higher, though it would be hard to categorize. A simpler thing is to have a higher sales tax for sit-down restaurants -- I think DC used to have that..
I'll say this.  With computerization, we could have a complex sales tax table at grocery stores.  I'd be happy to drop the sales tax on all unprocessed food, for example, and raise it on other foods.  There is some segmentation done like that now in some states.

I won't get mad at you even if I got a boo.

BTW, I'm an ex-smoker.

which is why I did it.  ;)

Unlike other bad habits, tobacco companies hybridize their product to increase addictive nicotine. They also spray ammonia and other toxins on the leaves to increase nicotine absorption by users. For low tar cigarrettes, they've figured out they need to increase the nicotine even more, since those "customers" are trying to become ex-customers. Tobacco companies want to make it harder for them to quit. Smokers today get more nicotine then smokers 30 years ago due to these efforts.

Government should encourage healthy habits, but there is a limit to how much we can do. We have taken some modest steps to encourage better eating habits among school kids but have to do more.

Have other states enacted additional taxes on fast food? I could imagine a few obstacles to that idea in how you define fast food, how to deal with "healthy" fast food etc. Some of my colleagues feel strongly against enacting laws that 

Thanks for the compliment, but I think you have me confused with my seatmate. One blogger did claim he cried. I can't say I ever saw Delegate Englin cry, but I will pass on your nice words.

Yeah,I did mix those names up, sorry about that.

We did raise the tobacco tax in 2004. It is not something that legislators are willing to constantly revisit. But I would like them to be higher.

Aren't cigarette taxes something that localities can also tax as they see fit?  A state increase may handicap a locality's ability to increase.

There is a ceiling on local cigarette taxes of either a certain number of cents "or half of the state rate". I believe that cities have more authority on this than counties, but would support raising the authority of counties.

Similar to another question asked - but do you see any hope of Virginia investing in efforts to help the environment?  From the Chesapeake Bay to coal pollution to un-green buildings to over consumption of energy, is there any hope of investing state money and/or introducing legislation that could make a real difference?

The sad reality is that it will take significant effort to even begin to address the problems - something we don't see happening now.  Is there any hope we could see anything from this GA that truly addresses this important issue?

...ANYTHING really good coming out of this General Assembly?  For instance, Massachusetts and California have both moved aggressively on health care coverage for everyone in their states.  Many states have enacted Renewable Portfolio Standards and other measures to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.  Yet here in Virginia, we see no action on these, or many other, important fronts.  Instead, we see a continued right-wing assault against (fill in the blank) immigrants, gays, working people, the poor, women, the environment, etc. 

Any thoughts on this mini-rant? :)

Thanks.

Lowell

Some states actually pass positive legislation, unattached ti ideological agendas.

We have a RESPONSIBILITY to help clean up and protect the environment. Governor Kaine has proposed significant funding in the last two budgets to help Lynchburg and Richmond modernize their antiquated sewer systems. Right now raw sewage flows into the James River and on to the Chesapeake. Delegate Shannon Valentine has been outspoken fighting House Republican attempts to keep stripping this needed funding from the budget.

Senator John Edwards legislation (SB 1051) to allow localities to tax environmentally efficient real estate at a different rate passed the House today.

We have invested a larger amount in cleaning up the Chesapeake in the last two years, but we have a ways to go.

I will keep working for Green state buildings.

Delegate David Bulova had a great bill for state procurement to favor environmentally sound products, but Republicans killed it by voting it off the floor to the Appropriations Committee.

Ah, the House Appropriations trick.  Something they did to SB1242.

Hi Adam:

1. Are there any plans to streamline and/or fix problems with the Department of Rehabilitative Services? I had personal experience with them (Disability Determination Services) and was lied to, ignored, and worse. These are the agencies that do determination on SSDI and SSI.

2. Is the Commonwealth going to continue to outsource VDOT functions until most of the jobs are lost? What is the reason for doing this, as opposed to allowing current employees to do their jobs? (Specificaly, the closure of VDOT maintenance stations around the state, and consolidating them.)

3. What do you think it will take to outlaw DRE (Direct Recording Electronic) type voting machines in the Commonwealth? Florida has outlawed them entirely; other states are looking closely at this. DRE is the type of machine with no recount capability and the ones with the highest error rate.

Thanks, and excuse me if these are already taken care of or are too complicated to answer here. Cheers!!

1. I haven't heard of any changes at DRS. I am sorry that you had a bad experience with them and would like you to e-mail my office details so we can followup on it. delaebbin@house.state.va.us

2. Efficiency and consolidation are not always bad, but I would rather have qualified government employees handling core functions like road maintenance.

3. For now, we will stop buying those machines. If the federal government wants to pay for the replacements that would expedite things. Probably the only thing to move the process faster would be for the public to believe that an election was stolen or to lose confidence in the results. Sorry I can't be more encouraging on that.

Just wanted to give you props for introducing the Anti-Human Trafficking bills and also the efforts you undertake to make sure we uphold the rights of individuals in the Commonwealth regardless of where they're from.

Joe Montano

Thanks Joe,

I am expecting that HB 2923 to establish a Commission on the Prevention Human Trafficking to pass the Senate and become law. This will be a great step to dealing with the issue in Virginia.

Adam: 

As you may know, SB 1021, introduced by Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, "allows local governments, with the Department of Taxation's assistance, to collect past due local taxes from federal income tax returns."  Why did your esteemed colleague from Falls Church (Del. Bob Hull) insist on tabling this perfect "good government" legislation?  I am mad as hell about this!

Ingrid in South Arlington

I would have supported SB 1021. I have not spoken with Delegate Hull about it.