Delegate Rob Bell, a Republican, has announced that he is seeking reelection for a second term in the House of Delegates. The 35-year-old attorney says that he will work to lower taxes, toughen criminal law, and improve teacher pay. Bell represents a good chunk of Albemarle, Greene, a bunch of Fluvanna, and Barboursville. Nobody has announced intent to oppose him, Democrat or otherwise. Bob Gibson has the story in today’s Progress.
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
-
Archive for Sideblog »
He’ll cut taxes and improve teacher pay? What is it with these Republicans and their "something for nothing" song and dance? Where is the money for the improved teacher pay coming from? I know, maybe he has a plan to "cut government waste and corruption". Like we haven’t heard that one before.
Please, spare us.
The car tax came down, not all the way, and salary went up. Starting albemarle salary have increased to about 31K for a first year teacher. And this in a system tht has almost zero growth in student population in the last four years.
Yes that’s right 0% student growth for nearly four years.
So, where did the money come from? It’s my understanding that the car tax reduction meant that localities would lose revenue that the state was going to make up. Is that right? Did the state replace all of that revenue?
And, going forward, since Del. Bell is suggesting further increases in teacher pay and further decreases in taxes, where will that money come from?
The money came from increases in state sale taxes and increases other state revenues. Much of the revenue came from the state to pay for the car tax and remember the car tax only effects cars under 25k in value. So all those Big BMW and SUV drivers are still paying.
Governor Warner I believe is funding a 2.2% increase in salaries in the state budget. And many UVA employees have not seen a meaningful raise for sometime.
If there was no raise MOST teachers would still get a raise going form year 10 to year 11 on their pay scale, for example. The raise increases the entire scale. Futher this raise does not include the 100% funding of all insurance increases for county employees. The increase in healthcare insurance is the major cause of salary inflation
To answer your last question- it will come from increase in general revenues payed for by a PREDICTED growth in the states economy.The cut in some taxes should be paid for by increasing revenues. I not saying it will be there but that is where it should come from.
By the way EVERY budget I have ever seen predicts future growth. Level funding has never been predicted that I can remember.
Every budget predicts future growth? Isn’t this where we got into trouble with Gov. Gilmore’s budget a few years ago? He predicted growth and there was no growth. There was a recession, and he left the Commonwealth in a financial mess.
I guess that’s my point. I tire of politicians who promise something for nothing. Saying that we’re going to provide increased funding for some program and not be resposible enough to say exactly how they’re going to pay for it, other than "predicted growth", is irresponsible and cynical.
In the long term, neither individuals nor government can "live off the fat of the land".
Come on now Harry, do the democrats have a better plan? You have to give this guy credit, he has been active in his first term as a delegate. As far as local stuff goes, I am one of many that want to see City Council split half and half. The liberals we have on there have ruled the roost too long.
Teachers haven’t received a raise from the state in four years. Localities have been making up the state’s shortfall. We are very fortunate to live in an area of the state that both takes education seriously and has the ability to fund it when the state does not. Many school divisions in Virginia (most notably those in southwestern and southside Virginia) have localities that cannot afford to pay for things the state will not.
The state funding formula funds approximately 80% of teachers in a given district, so the raises that are being given (that go into effect in January, half way through the fiscal year, effectively cutting them in half) apply only to 80% of the teaching staff in a school division. The locality must once again cough up money for the other 20%.
If I remember correctly, JLARC released a report last summer that said Virginia was underfunding the Standards of Quality (absolute minimum standards, including staffing, mandated by the state) by a billion or so dollars. So if Rob Bell can cut taxes, AND manage to actually fund the Standards of Quality, I’d be willing to cut him some slack on my raise for next year. I just don’t see it happening.