Virginia is getting itself in line to face some major issues with public transportation. Virginia has not raised taxes for public transportation since Ronald Reagan was the President in office. Which makes us have one of the nations lowest gas taxes and one of the most deteriorating road system. The article states that in the next Governor' race that the Democratic representative will not raise taxes. However Republican rep. Deeds said he would sign a bill to increase taxes in this issue. The main reason the Democratic representative will not raise taxes is because most Virginians do not want to raise taxes. It would involve them spending more money and money is tight because of the recession. The governors and the state lawmakers can only change the issues marginally on their own. So the truth is that if Virginians want first-rate education and a better transportation system, they will have to pay for it.
Source:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/19/AR2009081903423.html?wpisrc=newsletter
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I agree with you in the fact if Virginians want better education and or a better transportation system, they will need to pay for it themselves. This is important because Virginians, like us, use theses roads and wear them down. And all of us would always benefit from a better education. But because we want those things and we will benefit from those things, we, as Virginians, should pay more taxes regardless of how the economy. If we want it, we should pay for it.
ReplyDeleteTransportation his a huge factor in the Governor election coming up. Both Deeds and McDonnell are trying to sell their transportation ideas because it is a big problem, especially in Northern Virginia. A lot of the states tax money comes from Northern Virginia, but very few of the tax money is but back into this area. That is a big topic right now because many believe that the tax money we pay should be used to improve our transport system. I think for any real improvement, Northern Virginia will have to get a bigger share of the tax money, or raise taxes, both of which have many problems...
ReplyDeleteCreigh Deeds is a Democrat, the Republican is Bob McDonnell. I do, however, agree that raising taxes is a necessary evil for any candidate advertising a positive step in anything funded by the state's budget. The smear campaign toward McDonnell regarding his opinion of women is much harder to defend against than the smear campaign against Deeds for stating that he would probably end up raising taxes. I definitely agree that improvements in education (though Virginia is above-average in this respect) and transportation aren't funded by money-growing trees in Washington. One saying that he won't raise taxes might get him elected, but it probably won't help him make much of a difference.
ReplyDeleteHmm... So where was our states cut for road repair out of that bailout?
ReplyDeletePeople want improved systems (I.E. Education and Transportation), but they don't want to pay for it. They want the government to. The government providing everything you need? What does that sound like? I thought America was the united, hard-working, live off your sweat and toil, pull yourself up from your bootstraps, nation of pioneers, explorers, and inventors. If I want a better road, I'll go out and build it myself, damn it.