So yeah im glad that we can all come together this election and vote democrat!!. Gerry will do a great service for our area!

hi, you must be smoking crack! We have Gerry to thank for his uncontrolled spending that's put the county government up the creek without a paddle. He's leaving at just the right time too. Just before the county government goes into full meltdown mode.

Nice to see Connelly won!

Hey, whatever it takes to get him off the Board of Supervisors. Now he's the 11th District's problem. PWC is so excited - NOT!

Sharon Bulova (Braddock) will slide into the Chairman's position. Among her "accomplishments" is a twice yearly newsletter to her District constituents - wup-t-dooo. Now that's something to look forward to.

Pat Herrity (Springfield) has his eye on the Chairman's seat and will do more for Fairfax County as Board Chair in one term than Connolly and Bulova could ever dream of doing in a lifetime.

I can't stand Pat Herrity! Now that's who should go!

Screws up Fairfax financially, and what do the voters due? Reward him w/a promotion to the House of Reps.

wtf Ffx Libs

He was a great County leader

Vince(1) Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> He was a great County leader

No he wasn't. He was a miserable failure.

Tyler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Screws up Fairfax financially, and what do the
> voters due? Reward him w/a promotion to the House
> of Reps.
>
> wtf Ffx Libs


Didn't you know how things work in the business world and in politics?

Shit floats to the top. Or, to put it another way, promote incompetence, because if you promote the competent ones, nobody is left to do the work.

You all say how lousy he was but except for the fact that he didnt flame your hatred for hispanics..you never give specifics. It certainly is ridiculous to blame him foir the economy failing...so tell me all the terrible things he's done.

my point is made.

Does he still live in Mantua??


Trickie

2 days elected and he's already calling for an increase in the Federal Gasoline Tax.

It sure doesn't take long to start robbing our wallets.

They should raise it... it seems the only thing that gets the country moving on alternative energy is gas prices. It is 18.4 cents per gallon now. The gas tax should be raised to bring a gallon to $4 and be adjusted from there as gas prices fluctuate, then make it a straight 15 cents a gallon when the non-tax portion is $4 or more.

I sorta like that idea, pgens.

Maybe not $4, but if they find a "sweet spot", they can always lower the tax temporarily to take the shock off of sudden upswings, and maybe even use sudden downswings for windfall tax "profit".

But I like the idea more because it tends to mitigate traffic more effectively than any other effort.

BUT, I would only agree to such a plan if they did some things to improve public transportation and maybe gave elderly and working poor people some sort of rebate or subsidy to use taxis, buses, subways, etc. -- that would ensure it did as little harm to those that would feel it the most, and it would increase the use of public transportation and take a lot of cars off the roads.

Germany's (and most of Europe's) system works pretty well -- the cost of owning a car is high enough that people who own a car do so because they absolutely have to, or are willing to pay extra for the "luxury" of it, because the other half of the equation, public transportation, is so ubiquitous and reliable that owning a car really becomes a choice, not a necessity (perceived or otherwise.)

And all the xenophobes would love it because it would take all those 82 datsuns with 7 people crammed into it, off the road.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/2008 10:48PM by Bob.

If it moves tax it. if it keeps moving regulate it. and if it stops moving subsdize it."

Where have I heard this before? yawn....

Bob Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BUT, I would only agree to such a plan if they did
> some things to improve public transportation and
> maybe gave elderly and working poor people some
> sort of rebate or subsidy to use taxis, buses,
> subways, etc.

Sure, there would be plenty of new money to spread around (and waste). But the money would go to the highway trust fund and be spent on infrastructure.

This is one case where I would worry less about the waste... the benefit is in keeping the public hopping for energy alternatives.

Here's an idea, introduce an incentive. Along with my gas tax plan would be a promise that once the transportation system is electricity-based that there will be no "gas tax" equivalent placed on electric vehicles. The Highway Trust Fund would be awash in cash, and could possibly be replenished later by a one-time, half percent sales tax on all vehicles sold.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/08/2008 09:47AM by pgens.

pgens Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bob Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > BUT, I would only agree to such a plan if they
> did
> > some things to improve public transportation
> and
> > maybe gave elderly and working poor people some
> > sort of rebate or subsidy to use taxis, buses,
> > subways, etc.
>
> Sure, there would be plenty of new money to spread
> around (and waste). But the money would go to the
> highway trust fund and be spent on
> infrastructure.
>
> This is one case where I would worry less about
> the waste... the benefit is in keeping the public
> hopping for energy alternatives.
>
> Here's an idea, introduce an incentive. Along
> with my gas tax plan would be a promise that once
> the transportation system is electricity-based
> that there will be no "gas tax" equivalent placed
> on electric vehicles. The Highway Trust Fund
> would be awash in cash, and could possibly be
> replenished later by a one-time, half percent
> sales tax on all vehicles sold.

I'd go for the additional (if reasonable) sales tax on the vehicle.

Because once we have a viable electric car, I'll hopefully have my off-grid house built, and I can charge my car with solar for free (well, not free since the solar panels will cost me a chunk of change.)

If enough people do what I hope to be able to do, there'll have to be some new method of obtaining revenue for maintaining roads. Consumption taxes just won't be a viable option.

I don't think the government is terribly effective at spending tax money to solve problems. The more they try to "fix" with money the more wastefully it is spent. True ingenuity is formed from true necessity. Viable alternative energy will come about when it is needed and it can be produced cost effectively. Having the government artificially raise prices only to "pick the winners" by awarding the profits doesn't necessarily work out. The money usually gets spread around to friends of the gov't and not the true innovators. Let nature due its course and you will have your dream of an "off the grid" house and "free energy" if you can call it that.

For instance, "bourbon fuel" or corn based ethanol fuel may result in less CO2 being produced per gallon of fuel burned, it uses a lot more energy to create it. It is also quite a bit less effective (the energy in a gallon of ethanol is less than in a gallon of light petroleum distillate). Lots of government money has been wasted in this experimental technology with almost no advancement. Alcohol has replaced MTBE , which is a derivative of alcohol, to raise reduce the volatility of gas. But alcohol absorbs water so it is actually less desirable.

In this particular instance...the money being raised would be spent on transportation improvements. since the govt owns most those assets (the greenway being the only instance i know of that is otherwise)...who else would the money go to?

A side benifit would be raising the demand for aternative fuels...the market place would decide which alternative fuels.

+1

govvy incentives have an odd way of backfiring.

It goes back to the knowledge problem. There is no way for the Gov to have complete knowledge of what is best for everybody, and therefor should keep it's nose out of most matters, and defer to the self-correcting knowledge of the masses.

Yes sometimes this means going through a little pain, and may cost a few people their lifes, but the end result will always be a more sustainable and fair solution.

Moral of the story: Hands off Governing wins.

ddddumb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't think the government is terribly effective
> at spending tax money to solve problems. The more
> they try to "fix" with money the more wastefully
> it is spent. True ingenuity is formed from true
> necessity. Viable alternative energy will come
> about when it is needed and it can be produced
> cost effectively. Having the government
> artificially raise prices only to "pick the
> winners" by awarding the profits doesn't
> necessarily work out. The money usually gets
> spread around to friends of the gov't and not the
> true innovators. Let nature due its course and
> you will have your dream of an "off the grid"
> house and "free energy" if you can call it that.
>
> For instance, "bourbon fuel" or corn based ethanol
> fuel may result in less CO2 being produced per
> gallon of fuel burned, it uses a lot more energy
> to create it. It is also quite a bit less
> effective (the energy in a gallon of ethanol is
> less than in a gallon of light petroleum
> distillate). Lots of government money has been
> wasted in this experimental technology with almost
> no advancement. Alcohol has replaced MTBE , which
> is a derivative of alcohol, to raise reduce the
> volatility of gas. But alcohol absorbs water so
> it is actually less desirable.

Of course, if 'small government' is an unattainable ideal akin to communism, we can settle for 'working government.' For, under Republicans, we seem to get government that is big and doesn't work.

Yum, pork chops!

I used to work at Fairfax County in a position that afforded me the opportunity to see Porkchop at work. He is absolutely lousy, and an arrogant egotist as well. I am a Democrat too, but I would never vote for that turd.