Del. Dave Albo (R-42) was on WTOP at 12:08 PM today, talking about his favorite topic, the ever-popular "abuser fees." Albo was introduced as the one who is "credited with the idea." I'd add Tom Rust as well, and a few others.Anyway, here are some highlights...er, lowlights, with my comments in italics:
*Albo says he's happy that a court found the fees constitutional, but notes that there are 120 circuit courts in Virginia. Albo notes that "it doesn't really matter so much to me, because all of us are committed to getting the out-of-state drivers back into the bill when we get back in January."
Well ain't that precious. Anything to keep the hated, absurd abuser fees and not enact a serious, dedicated source of funding for transportation in this state. Brilliant.
*Albo is asked why out-of-state drivers weren't included in the first place. His response? Here's a rough transcript:
A lot of people don't realize it, when the bill left the House and the Senate, it had out of state drivers in it. And the governor's amendment - I think he did it by mistake, I don't really want to be trashing the governor because I think he's a good man - I just think it was done by mistake, that the out-of-state drivers were accidentally taken out and they're going to be put back in.
Nice, Albo doesn't "trash" the governor, he just blames it all on him and essentially says that Kaine is incompetent ("he did it by mistake"). Note to Governor Kaine: do NOT trust these Republicans, they'll stab you in the back the minute it's turned. Just look at what Bill Howell did after your press conference with him - he blamed YOU!
*Albo says that "what's been really surprising about this has been...the misinformation on the internet."
Yeah, that terrible, awful internet. Sites like AlboMustGo, for instance! :)
*Albo claims that "the absolute truth is that traffic tickets are not included" and that "the only thing that is charged under this bill is crimes - misdemeanors and felonies."
Oh really? That's news to most of us out here who have been following this issue.
*Finally, Albo predicts that "when we're able to get out the real truth on this bill...I think most people don't really have a problem with the concept that dangerous and drunk drivers pay and people who just get traffic tickets now and then don't."
Something tells me THAT prediction won't be proven accurate. We'll see...
*Albo is asked about woman about to have a baby who was speeding. He says this is "another great example," and then proceeds to berate her:
Think about what she did. She was driving 57 in a 35 mile-per-hour zone, that's a road that goes right by Lake Braddock High School. She didn't tell the police officer that she was having labor pains. She didn't call 9/11...I have a feeling that this judge might not have believed her story.
Nice guy, huh? I presume Dave Albo has never been in labor before. Ha. Also, uh Dave, the woman was speeding past an empty school in the middle of the summer!
When the abuser fees are repealed I will save all my gas recepits and send them to you so you can pay the new gas tax
It seems this concept is completely foreign to the anti-tax, make someone else (in this case the bad drivers) pay, crowd. Sure, everyone likes a free ride - even me. But explain to me how to run a government where no one pays for the services they use nor do they pay for the services someone else uses. Where does the money come from?
That's great pipe dream stuff but how about taking a step into responsible reality.
"Since 1997, 9,600 people have died in traffic collisions in Virginia. That is almost three times the number of U.S. soldiers who have died in Iraq."
And later on:
"Dangerous drivers can kill you or your family."
He also talks about the Democrats wanting a "15 cent/gallon tax increase."
Where to start, where to start???
Was the letter a standard form letter that everyone got or does he send unique rambling three page letters to everyone that contacts him?
Did you even contact him or is he just trolling through the petition looking for in-district registered voters?
Democratic campaigns not a bad idea if you have an intern with the time to do a zip code search on the petition then match them against a voter file and see if you can steal some moderate Republican votes from your opponents based on this issue).
Del. Alpo needs a three page letter to rationalize the quagmire when it takes only one word for a solution: REPEAL. Virginia citizens do not like it or want it...and demand responsible fair solutions to the transporation funding problem.