Who and what don't Virginia House Republicans hate? Gays? Check. Immigrants? Check. Muslims? Check. Anyone having sex? Taxes. Triple check. Well, you can now add another one to the list: the Flat Earth Republicans in the House of Delegates hate the Chesapeake Bay. I say this because yesterday, "House Republicans rejected Kaine's proposal to spend an additional $14.7 million on land-conservation efforts, which Kaine says is a critical down payment on his goal of securing an additional 400,000 acres of open space."
Note: the GOP-controlled Senate's budget includes more money for land conservation; in other words, not all Republicans hate the Bay.
So why is Kaine's open space program important to the future of the Chesapeake Bay? Here's Governor Kaine on the subject:
...In the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement, Virginia has pledged to permanently protect 20% of the Chesapeake Bay watershed by 2010. The other states that made the same promise - Pennsylvania and Maryland - have already met that goal. Virginia still has 358,000 acres to go.Getting there won't be easy. In the last 5 years, we've protected an average of 54,000 acres per year statewide, counting both private and public efforts. We need to protect about 72,000 acres per year, just in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, in order to meet the goal.
It will be the goal of my administration to meet that obligation and surpass it. Since 1968, Virginia has preserved 330,000 acres of land. Most of that has been preserved in the past five years. The goal of my administration is for the state to preserve an additional 400,000 acres by the end of the decade.
To accomplish that, we rely heavily upon the open-space protection tools that have served Virginia well: Our land preservation tax credit and the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation.
Why is land conservation important to the health of the Chesapeake Bay? There's lots of information out there, but you might want to start at the Chesapeake Bay Program. In sum:
The historical landscape of the Chesapeake Bay evokes images of meandering streams, lush green forests, sweet-smelling farms and sun dappled open waters. This vision has receded in recent years, at an alarming rate: there is now compelling evidence that the entire landscape and character of the Chesapeake Bay watershed is being threatened by the effect of development. Land conservation is a key tool being used to preserve some land from development.
Unfortunately, the anti-environment, Bay-hating Republicans in the House of Delegates are trying to kill any hopes of conserving land and protecting/revitalizing/Saving the Bay. Why are they doing this? I mean, it's not exactly like we're talking about much money here - $14.7 million out of a $35 BILLION total state budget. That's right, the land preservation money amounts to a whopping two-THOUSANDTH (0.04%!!) of the state budget.
And why, pray tell, can't we afford to spend 0.04% of the Virginia budget to protect land and Save the Bay? For answers to THAT question, you might want to see here, where we explain that the Estate Tax repeal cost Virginia $120 million per year in order to help 871 rich Virginians who are the last people in the Commonwealth that need any help. YOu might also want to see what Chap Petersen has to say on this subject.
Anyway, there you have it. Republicans would rather give wads of money to rich people than conserve land crucial to the health of one of the most vital natural resources in the country - the Chesapeake Bay. Priorities, priorities.
You know, adoption, that thing wingers say we should do instead of having abortions? Well, adopting someone isn't free. Legal expenses, paying the mom's hospital expenses. It may surprise some that simple adoptions can cost 10-20K.
But since a Democrat came up with this pro-life idea . . .
Also, yesterday the GOP's Delegate Hugo (R-McMansionville in Clifton) tore into Caputo for being a "big spender" for trying to get a modest $250K into the "Big Buddies" program, which aims to link people with those who have intellectual disabilities (e.g., Downs Syndrome kids).
Requested money for disconnection was denied by Republicans to Lynchburg last year and in the House the bill proposed by Valentine was defeated just recently.Richomd received money last year but it is doubtful they will receive any this year.Lynchburg city officials are, ironically, in Richmond today to receive an award for efforts to take care of the problem.
Last year even local Republicans, who represent the areas interest in obtaining CSO money,defeated the legislation to punish Shannon Valentine for winning the Republican seat ( House 23rd formerly held by preston Bryant who now is in Kaine's cabinet).
Under pressure from local citizens Steve Newman ( R Central VA) is now attempting to secure money for the project.It is politically expedient for him to do so since he will be up for re-election this fall.
Money for protection and clean up of the Chesapeake Bay should be linked to the CSO project. Please know that Lynchburg is TRYING to do as much as they can. It is the most expensive and largest capital project the city is involved in.The projected remaining cost is three hundred million dollars. While the city has spent $111 million to date already the remaining work is the most difficult and expensive ( even though 80% of the work has already been completed).
The citizens in Richmond and Lynchburg pay the highest sewer rates in the state. Under directives from the EPA to disconnect their storm overflow from sewage both cities deserve help from the GA and need state funds to complete the projects.
They refuse to give Kaine any victory, however tiny, which might implement Kaine's agenda, because of which agenda, of course, he was elected. Thus, not only no transportation general funding source, no Chesapeake Bay clean-up, no pre-school pilot program, and on and on. Do you think there's a pattern here? Isn't it time for these 19th century (heck, 12th century) mentalities to be replaced by Delegates and a Speaker who at least realize we are in the 21st century? Throw the bums out!
The University now has a law school prepared to turn out "Lawyers for Christ". We expect more of the same here.... and more partisan politics from the right. We continue to fight them daily!
Newman, Kathy Byron and Ben Cline are in league to 1) do anything they can to make Valentine look like a rabid liberal ( she is NOT) and 2) get back the 23rd H of D seat they lost.