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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.
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Senior House and Senate Republicans, constitutionally charged with producing a balanced state budget, while politically restrained by foolish, premature, self-inflicted rhetoric against raising taxes, have ingeniously hit upon an escape route: they're going to call it something else.
(That's probably a good thing. If truth-in-advertising principles applied criminally to anti-tax stances, even "pledges," a lot of them took before the election, many would be facing jail time before the coming legislative session ends.)
Of course, there is precedence. During the last session of the General Assembly they drank cat blood oaths against raising "taxes", but increased "fees" by $275 million. And while we're on this page, they forced most of the local governments in Virginia to raise local taxes and were directly responsible for making every college and university in the state increase tuition across the board.
Brace yourself. We're going to get another dose of this intellectual dishonesty this time around. The laying of the groundwork has already started.
At a so-called House Appropriations Committee retreat (such an appropriate word!) in Williamsburg a couple of weeks ago, Chairman Vince Callahan gravely intoned that he might could support "targeted revenue enhancements" such as increases in the state cigarette tax and the state tax on gasoline.
Targeted revenue enhancements?
Pu-leeese.
Speaker of the House William Howell, who on election eve drew a line in the sand against any net tax increases, backed away from that line, pretended at the same retreat that he hadn't drawn it, and, not to be out-intoned, agreed.
"Things like that are doable," Howell told reporters (according to Chelyan Davis of the Free Lance-Star). "I'm not adamantly opposed to user fees, and a cigarette tax or a gas tax is a user fee."
(Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for insulting the intelligence of every man, woman, child, and household pet -- be it dog, cat, or parakeet -- in Virginia.
What's next from that line of double-speak? The state income "user fee?" How 'bout the sales user fee on food? The corporate income user fee? The estate user fee? Or, here's a good one, the hated car user fee?)
Is there rationale for this post-election, reverse-field?
Absolutely.
According to a Washington Post report on the Williamsburg gathering, Callahan laid it out.
"We would need revenue growth in excess of 8 percent each year to balance this budget," Callahan said, knowing full well that state budget forecasters are currently estimating growth at something less than 5 percent.
(Here's a thought, Mr. Chairman. Why didn't you enlighten us with that fact before the election? Oh, never mind.)
Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Chichester, good ol' hones' John, who forswore the anti-tax rhetoric of so many of his colleagues, told the Washington Post that even with annual revenue growth of 5.5 percent, Virginia would be left with a $183 million shortfall through the year 2010. He called it "sobering".
(Hey, John! You're going to think you're chairing the mother of all AA meetings before this one is over!)
So what to do?
Well, let's see. First things first. We'll get around the money shortage, one way or another. We always do. We'll "enhance" something. Or "target" something. Or "fee" something. We'll get the money. Don't worry about that. The real trick is to figure out how to protect the stupid among us, how to cover the pledge signers, and such. Hmmm ... let's see.
(Thinking. Thinking. Thinking.)
Got it! Only one thing to do!
Ban the 't-word,' Mr. Speaker! Strike it from the lexicon! Outlaw it! Sure, Vince'll help you!
And while we're at it, let's make it retroactive. That's it! Retroactive! They couldn't have promised not to raise anything then, don't you see?
Please, Mr. Speaker! A nice blanket of brains immunity would keep us warm come winter time!
Copyright 2003