2009.03.29
Discuss Trejbal's column on NRV budgets
Government on the cheap
By Christian Trejbal
Spring is the hardest time of year to be a local elected official in Virginia. Supervisors and council members must hammer out budgets for the fiscal year that begins July 1, and that always draws complaints.
Woe befalls the elected official who suggests increasing taxes to pay for better services. Virginians, especially in this part of the commonwealth, do not take kindly to that sort of talk.
RSS feed 
Let's see. Low crime rate, beautiful surroundings, excellent schools, low taxes. Oh well, let's pack up the company and move to Baltimore where we can have high crime, filth, crummy schools and enjoy higher taxes.
Comment by Henry — March 29, 2009 @ 1:50 pm
Everyone including the RTEB talks about how well-managed Virginia is and that we are relatively good financial shape compared to places like Michigan and California. Yet they never attribute any of that to the fiscally tough conservative General Assembly we've had in place all these years. Because of their hard-nosed austerity, Virginia is doing relatively well. It could be doing even better had not some caved on the Warner tax hikes, but there's a reason we do well here.
Look at what liberal state government policies have done to California. Laxity will illegals, high taxes, crazy environmental restrictions. The state is always in crisis mode, whether it be electricity, finances, burden on their overbloated services.
Comment by Kevin — March 29, 2009 @ 2:58 pm
No matter how much money the politicians take from the taxpayers, it will never be enough. California is living proof of that.
Comment by Henry — March 29, 2009 @ 3:29 pm
Exactly, Henry. And for that reason, there will never be a surplus for long. Rare is the era in which politicians show financial restraint. The last time it happened was with the GOP Congress in the late 90s. Look what it did for the economy. Demcorats have never done it.
Comment by Kevin — March 29, 2009 @ 9:41 pm