Tag: Stephen D. Haner
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The Tax on the Mathematically Challenged
Untold thousands of Virginians just poured their money into the recent multi-state Mega Millions drawing won by someone in California. Governor Jerry Brown sends his thanks for his cut. But based on a recent news release our own governor is also very pleased with the performance of the Virginia Lottery as it approaches its 30th…
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Ratepayers Cover $760,000 Line for One Customer?
The State Corporation Commission staff audit of Dominion Energy’s ongoing effort to place residential and small business electric service tap lines underground has turned up some expensive examples. A handful of lines will cost ratepayers hundreds of thousands of dollars over time to serve a single residence. The average cost for the first 18,000 customers…
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An Unfortunate Turn in Bike Lane Debate
As almost always seems to happen in Richmond — and it’s disappointing — a neighborhood debate in Northside over a planned dedicated bicycle lane may turn into something else. “Given the economic environment, the needs of people, anything that limits access to more affordable transportation options does everyone a disservice, but particularly people of color,”…
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Updates: Money, Power and Politics (Oh, My)
The following are updates on earlier Bacon’s Rebellion stories of mine. Clean Virginia Files First Report Clean Virginia Fund, the political action committee that is trying to buy legislators’ loyalty away from regulated utilities, has filed its first report with the State Board of Elections. Charlottesville financier and hedge fund magnate Michael D. Bills is…
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Shrinking Community Colleges Looking to Pivot
Nothing like losing a quarter of your customers to get your attention. That basically is what has happened to Virginia’s Community College System, with last term’s enrollment down 57,000 (actually only 22 percent) from its peak six years ago during the early days of the economic recovery. That drop exceeds the total enrollment at the…
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Virginia Tuition Hikes Exceed Inflation Again
Tuition and mandatory fees at Virginia’s state colleges and universities are rising an average of 5.3 percent for the term starting next month, eighty percent faster than inflation. The increase at the state’s community colleges for next term of 2.5 percent tracks well behind the current 12-month consumer price index (2.9 percent). The report is…
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SCC Examiner Rejects Dominion Tax Argument
A State Corporation Commission hearing examiner has rejected Dominion Energy Virginia’s arguments that it was correct to ignore a lower federal income tax rate in calculating transmission costs for 2018 and is recommending that the full commission give ratepayers the benefit of the lower tax rate immediately. Chief Hearing Examiner Deborah V. Ellenberg’s ruling was…
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Back In Top 5, The Challenge Is To Stay There
Corks are popping all over Richmond as the business network CNBC announced this morning that Virginia is back in the top five of its annual survey of best states for business, ranking number 4. It is the only state in the top five east of the Mississippi. The full Virginia report is here. The photo on…
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State Employees Not Funding Own Retirement
State and local employees, like many of their peers in the private sector, are declining in droves to contribute to their own retirement plans, despite the availability of matching funds, a.k.a. free money which compounds for decades. The Virginia Retirement System has been putting new hires into a hybrid retirement plan that combines a defined…
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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…