Author: Steve Haner
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“All Matters” Makes Lobbyist Reports Worthless
“With as much specificity as possible.” That is the instruction given to Virginia registered lobbyists about how they should list the various “executive and legislative actions and procurement transactions” they seek to influence on behalf of their principals. The instruction to be as specific as possible is routinely ignored and never enforced. Most of the…
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Tennessee License Suspension For Unpaid Debts Ruled Unconstitutionally Unfair to Indigent
A federal judge in the Middle District of Tennessee has ruled that Tennessee’s practice of suspending a driving license to compel the collection of delinquent court debts is unconstitutionally unfair to poor people. She has ordered Tennessee to stop and to start restoring the licenses of people who simply could not pay, but an appeal…
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An Argument Straight From Wonderland
In late December of last year, after a long debate pushed forward by President Donald Trump and covered on an almost hourly basis by the nation’s media, the Congress of the United States adopted a new tax code. On December 22 it was signed into law, to be effective January 1, 2018. On the business…
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Franklin Street Bike Lanes Coming Next to Residential Brook Road
People who regularly drive downtown Richmond, including many of us who consider ourselves somewhat in touch, were surprised and initially confused by the new dedicated bike lane on Franklin Street that reduced vehicle traffic to one lane after the morning rush. A similar configuration – except in both directions – is planned for Brook Road…
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Now The House of Delegates Map Must Change
The predominant consideration in a legislator’s mind in any effort to draw legislative districts is first, will I get re-elected and second, will enough of my friends get elected or re-elected so we can form a gang and control this place? The third consideration is can we get this plan signed by the governor and…
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Changes to Electric Bills Add Up To Increase
A recently-filed estimate by the State Corporation Commission staff projects that a typical residential bill for a Dominion Energy Virginia customer will rise more than $7, or more than 6 percent, by next April, despite expected adjustments in the customers’ favor due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017. The utility is…
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The Strings On The Money Revealed
And now, from our You Can’t Make This Stuff Up Department, come two Richmond lobbyists providing strong evidence that the money really does have strings and you only get it if you play along. We had no idea, right? First, see the story on Blue Virginia, with newly-elected Del. Dawn Adams, D-Henrico, sharing a recent…
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Health Care Only Matters If You Can Get It
A family member was on hold with a neighborhood chain pharmacy during a recent call. The purpose of the call? To schedule her second shot in the new shingles vaccination regimen. Even though she got shot number one there, the response was not one single outlet of the giant chain in the Richmond region had…
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Tax Conformity Addendum: Has Virginia Already Conformed?
During a discussion today about the issue of whether and how Virginia should amend its taxes in response to recent federal changes, the question came up: just what is the situation today? I was reminded that the conformity bill that originally passed in the 2018 General Assembly was subsequently amended at the request of the…
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Signs Virginia Will Keep Tax Reform Windfall
The following is from remarks prepared for a meeting of the Thomas Jefferson Institute in Richmond today. As of right now all the signs indicate that the Virginia General Assembly and the Northam Administration are going to allow the federal tax reform to generate additional tax revenue for the Commonwealth. Some of what the Congress…
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Things Legislators Didn’t Hear (Or Want To)
“It might have happened without this bill.” “I think it was going to develop anyway.” Both comments were made today about the prospect that Virginia will actually see 5,500 megawatts (MW) of new solar and wind generation installed within its borders in the next few years, the amount of new solar designated as “in the…
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Florida Mounts New Raid on Virginia Carrier Fleet
Here we go again. Florida wants one of Virginia’s aircraft carriers. U.S. Sen. Mark Rubio, R-Fla., and others are apparently trying once again to authorize the Mayport naval base to make the improvements it would need to become home port for one of the eleven jewels of the fleet. Virginia’s congressional delegation is gearing up…
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Aunt Virginia Needs You (As An Election Officer)
One of the sheets of paper taped on the wall in Richmond’s Maple Avenue Fire Station Tuesday was a recruiting poster seeking additional qualified people to become “one of the elite!” Not Marines, not Green Berets or fire fighters – election officers. Uncle Sam and Aunt Virginia need you for this job, too. The various…
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Being Dealt A Losing Hand That Lingers
There are times in life when four aces is a tough hand to hold. Common themes on this public policy forum include poverty and its causes and cures, school failure and related discipline matters, health problems and the difficulty understanding why these conditions remain so widespread in this great nation and commonwealth. I invite you…
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Conservative Values + Money + Authenticity
Thirty years ago the Republican Party threw in the towel and nominated a candidate who had no chance to beat Charles Robb for the U.S. Senate and really no chance of giving Robb a semblance of a race. The same thing probably happens again Tuesday, especially if the predictions of a Corey Stewart victory in…