THIS PAST Wednesday, hundreds of concerned Virginians piled into the Albemarle County Office Building expecting to find a panel of state legislators waiting to tell them why no budget had been passed yet. As it turned out, only two legislators were present, and both were pro-tax Democrats. What the public hearing turned into was the definition of preaching to the choir. Instead of prancing around the state pulling rabbits out of their hats, our delegates and senators need to get back to Richmond, sit down in a room and stay there until they have hammered out a decent budget.
For those unaware of the current crisis, the state Senate and House of Delegates have each drafted different versions of the budget, and they have thus far been unable to reach a compromise agreement. The Senate budget includes a tax increase to pay for core services (generally defined as transportation, education and public health), while the House budget is being held hostage by a vocal faction of anti-tax reactionaries who maintain a majority in the budget-related committees.
While the delegates who ideologically oppose any tax increase are certainly entitled to their view and no doubt feel they are serving their constituencies, the fact remains that the rest of the legislators should not be humoring their circus antics. Not only have the anti-taxers managed to bottle up the Senate budget in House committee, and not only did they propose the ridiculous idea of a referendum on the tax hike, but now they have forced yet another exodus from the capital.
The proposed referendum is a perfect example of what a dog-and-pony show the budget negotiations have become. The anti-tax camp, knowing full well how a public vote on whether taxes should be raised will turn out, offered that the best way to solve the impasse was to let the voters decide. Setting aside for a moment the fact that delegates were elected specifically for the purpose of making these sorts of decisions, the question itself is flawed.
An elderly man speaking at the public forum perhaps put it best when he said (to paraphrase): If you come up to me and ask whether I want higher taxes or lower taxes, my answer will be lower, of course. But if you come up to me and ask whether I want higher taxes if it means that the kid of that poor lady on the corner over there can go to school, well, I'll be glad to pay.
Taxes equate to services. Taxes allow roads to be built and repaired. Taxes allow schools to be constructed and filled with books and computers and teachers. Taxes allow the sewer system to run smoothly, and clean water to come out of your tap. Being opposed to a tax increase when there is a budget surplus is one thing; being opposed to a tax increase when critical core services are at stake is simply irresponsible.
Despite all this, the idea of a referendum was given its due, and pro-tax legislators had to take time to beat it back. Following that, the anti-tax faction again fled Richmond, refusing to negotiate. Delegates and senators were left in a bind out of which they eventually agreed to another break. County budget deadlines are fast approaching, and counties are facing the prospect of passing budgets without knowing the level of state assistance; to let delaying tactics rule the day is abhorrent.
Every day legislators are away from Richmond is another day the budget gets no closer to passage.
The only way in which the break would have been useful is if large blocs of different legislators had come together to have a dialogue with constituents. Perhaps if pro-tax and anti-tax proponents were sitting side-by-side listening to a woman talk about how she was a third-generation teacher seriously considering leaving education because she couldn't raise a family on her salary, something would have gotten through. As it was, Creigh Deeds and Mitch Van Yahres were left to hear an endless stream of educators and local government officials pleading their case for passage of the Senate budget, something both already strongly support.
Enough of these antics. Richmond needs to get its act together and pass an operating budget, or else over the next few elections Virginia voters need to overhaul the legislature. We're not talking about abstract politicking -- we're talking about children being able to ride a bus to school, health services remaining available and police protecting our streets. The next time legislators come to the Albemarle County Office Building, it better be with a budget in hand.
Elliot Haspel is a Cavalier Daily associate editor. He can be reached at ehaspel@cavalierdaily.com.
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