Barnie Day was a Democratic delegate from Patrick County from his election in 1997 through the 2001 session. A former county administrator and business owner, he is now a banker. 'Gilmore's Ghost' revived for a new model year House, Senate should pass HB 2742: this one will save lives Odd juxtapositions What Sam Rayburn was talking about, or why Bryant walks the plank alone The show Kilgore's politics of killing Older Barnie Day columns Join A Discussion Reprint Email this Article

Monday, February 07, 2005

Remember the “surplus?” That extra $1.2 billion — give or take a hundred million or so — a robust economy might be kicking into the state’s coffers? Don’t get any ideas about getting on any of it. Through Tuesday of this week, members of the Virginia House of Delegates had filed budget amendments — 865 of them — that would spend it three times.

Forget the Senate amendments. Forget the fiscal impact of a couple thousand House and Senate bills that have been filed. House budget amendments alone call for net new spending totaling more than $3.8 billion.

The big-ticket items — transportation, education, state employees — generally get plenty of play. So here’s a look at some goodies for the “little people”:

Delegate Ward Armstrong wants $115,000 for a program “intended to assist Virginia beekeepers in maintaining healthy, productive bee colonies in consultation with the Plant Pollination Advisory Board.” Hey, if you’re a big donor, there’s one to set your sights on. Get yourself on the Plant Pollination Advisory Board.

Delegate Preston Bryant is stepping up for the Amherst County Museum and Historical Society. He wants five grand so the outfit can “finish re-pointing its exterior brick.” OK. If Preston says he wants it, that’s good by me.

Delegate Vince Callahan — or, as he’s affectionately known among his peers, Mr. Chairman — wants $150,000 “for the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center to adjust for increases in the cost of living and housing.” Excuse me, Vinny. Is that for the horses or the staff? (Either way, I’m taking all bets. I say he gets it.)

And Callahan is going to bat for the “Virginia Senior Games.” He wants 100 grand for that over-50 crowd. No, they’re not going to carry him into the stadium in a sedan chair if he gets it. He’ll have to huff and puff with the rest of them.

Delegate John Cosgrove wants $750,000 for the Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways History Foundation “for the construction of a museum commemorating one of the most important battles of the Revolutionary war.” Hmmm. I must have missed that one. How many people would come to something like that in a year? I’m guessing six -- and they’d be lost.

Delegate Kirk Cox, a renowned tightwad, wants $96,039 to hire a state archaeologist. That’d be nice. Maybe he could dig up some money to help pay for this stuff.

Here’s a good one that’ll make you smack your lips: the ol’ veined rapa whelk! Cox wants $40,000 to study and find a market for this “invasive species of snail,” originally native to the Sea of Japan. Hey, I’ll take mine fried. On second thought, maybe I’ll just have the seafood platter.

Seems there is an abandoned quarry in Prince William County, home to a population of zebra mussels. Delegate Jim Dillard wants $363,000 to … well … kill them. “Should these mussels escape the quarry,” the amendment explanation says, they could create all kinds of havoc in the Occoquan River. Whaddaya think, Jim? Are they going to make a run for it, or what?

Delegate Frank Hargrove cuts right to the chase when it comes to the “Church Quarter,” in Hanover County. Never mind what they’ll do with the $15,000 he wants; this one “is of major historical significance in Hanover County.” Glad we cleared that up, Frank. And thanks for sparing us the details.

Delegate Bob Hull wants $30,000 for dental care for indigent patients at the Northern Virginia Dental Clinic. At northern Virginia prices, that ought to be good for a couple of crown jobs, and maybe a root canal or two.

Delegate Riley Ingram is passing the plate for Merchants Hope Church. He wants $50,000 to renovate this “oldest active Episcopal church in the United States.” And I thought the Baptists were tight with their money. Hey, Riley, what about that separation of church and state thing? Oh, never mind …

And get this: Delegates Chris Jones, Lionel Spruill, and Terrie Suit are in cahoots on a $5 million visitor’s center for the Great Dismal Swamp — in downtown Suffolk. Get the red carpet ready. Those six folks who wander into the Great Bridge Battlefield are sure to find this one sooner or later.