Posted on 08/08/2005 6:45:09 AM PDT by Gabz
Weekly wrapup of Virginia Campaign News. Post 'em if you've got 'em... Last week's thread:
Virginia Campaign News - Monday, August 1 – thread XVIII
Pickings appear to be a bit slim this morning, so I’ll start with what little I’ve found at the RTD:
Three questions -- one dealing with school funding (Kilgore), another with abortion (Potts), and the other with crime and punishment (Kaine). Answers?
Marky Mark’s record getting a “beating” in the last letter on the page.
It seems at least one peron is not happy with the recent Marrs bashing.
I will with hold comment on this editorial from Friday’s Virginian-Pilot
And Finally, a thread from yesterday that should be resurrected today (IMO)
A Matchup To Imagine (Allen v Warner in 2008?)
Kilgore: Raise private school grant funds
BY TYLER WHITLEY
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Thursday, August 4, 2005
Republican gubernatorial candidate Jerry W. Kilgore yesterday proposed increasing the tuition-assistance grants for Virginia students attending the state's private colleges and universities from $2,500 to $4,000 a year, beginning in 2006. This would cost about $20 million a year.
As part of a higher-education package, Kilgore also proposed spending about $1 million a year to fund 100 scholarships for Virginia high school graduates who go to engineering school.
Kilgore, who has rejected proposals to raise revenues through tax increases, said the money would come from establishing budget priorities. He contends that a growing budget surplus would provide enough money to pay for some new programs.
In a teleconference call with reporters, Kilgore said encouraging attendance at private colleges provides students with more options. It would keep class sizes smaller at public institutions, he said.
Currently, about 25,000 Virginia students attending private colleges receive the state tuition grant at a cost of $45 million, said Elizabeth Wallace, public-information officer for the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. The grants are not based on need.
Continue: http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Common%2FMGArticle%2FPrintVersion&c=MGArticle&cid=1031784243795&image=timesdispatch80x60.gif&oasDN=timesdispatch.com&oasPN=%21news%21politics
*SNIP*
The Kilgore campaign quickly fired back.
Spokesman Tim Murtaugh, who attended the Kaine event, faulted the Democrat for refusing to favor -- as Kilgore does -- a pay-for-performance plan that would boost the salaries of superior teachers. Murtaugh said Kaine was bowing to the Virginia Education Association, the teachers union that has endorsed his candidacy and helped turn out yesterday's crowd.
"He is not in there saying anything that does not have to be pre-cleared by the union," Murtaugh said.
*SNIP*
Murtaugh chided Kaine for selecting a suburban school for yesterday's announcement. He suggested Kaine wanted to divert attention from "his record of failure" as a council member and mayor of Richmond, which had among the worst-performing schools in the state.
*SNIP*
Murtaugh countered later, "He says 'budget reform.' He should say 'tax increase.' But luckily, you all have decoder rings."
Indeed, Kilgore staff members distributed in advance of the Monacan and Dumbarton meetings novelty plastic rings -- the "Tim Kaine Decoder Ring" -- to decipher the Democrat's pronouncements on taxes and spending.
Source: http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Common%2FMGArticle%2FPrintVersion&c=MGArticle&cid=1031784345435&image=timesdispatch80x60.gif&oasDN=timesdispatch.com&oasPN=%21news%21politics
That was my favorite line in th article :)
I want one of those rings!!!!!!!!!!!
Hopefuls trade barbs on crime
Officials around state speak for candidates running for governor
Interesting positions on the recent tax increase for sheriff's offices:
Sheriffs Weisenburger, Gerald S. Holt of Roanoke County and Cornelia Johnson of Charlottesville said the $1.4 billion tax increase supported by Kaine and opposed by Kilgore had enabled them to increase deputy sheriffs' salaries, hire more officers and improve training.
But Wade said the Warner administration merely restored $27 million in funding that had been cut earlier when the state faced a budget crunch. A spokesman for Warner said slightly more money has been restored.
who to believe, who to believe ?????
--------------
Full debate? Tell it to the pollsters
Ray MCALLISTER Offers his solution to getting Potts into the Sabato debate next month :)
--------------------- Letters to the Editor
You listen to WNIS out of Norfolk? The morning guy has the different state politicians on regularly...
Unfortunately I can barely bring in the local stations, let alone Norfolk.
there is something really weird about radio reception in this house.......I can Norfolk, Baltimore, Salisbury, and Ocean City in the car, but I can't even get the Chincoteague station in the house :)
VIRGINIA BEACH — Two Democrats are aiming to take on freshman Republican U.S. Rep. Thelma Drake in the 2006 congressional elections.
SNIP
In next year’s race, Ashe, 36, again plans to make military issues a primary part of his platform, including touting his own military experience. Ashe serves in the Marine Corps Reserve and was recently promoted to major, he said. Since 2002, he has pulled two tours of duty in the Middle East, including Iraq. He also serves as general counsel to a financial services firm in Norfolk.
SNIP
Farlow, 33, has a degree in accounting and worked for an investment banking firm on Wall Street before returning to the Eastern Shore and opening a home improvement business. He worked last year as legislative aide to state Del. Lynwood W. Lewis, D-Eastern Shore, after helping run his campaign.
Ashe was a fairly lackluster campaigner last year.....even though he far longer to campaign than Thelma did, she still took 55%. But with that said, I hope he beats Farlow in the primary........Farlow's a tough cookie.
Democrat denounces right-to-work law
By LARRY O'DELL
Associated Press Writer
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Leslie Byrne said Thursday that while she supports repealing Virginia's right-to-work law, it's not on her agenda because the political obstacles are too great.
The law prohibits requiring union membership as a condition for employment. Byrne said it allows "moochers" to enjoy the benefits negotiated by dues-paying union members.
Her Republican opponent, state Sen. Bill Bolling of Hanover County, said the right-to-work law has broad bipartisan support because it makes Virginia an attractive state for business. Byrne's opposition to the law "is just another example of how far out of the mainstream she is," he said.
Bolling raised the issue in a press release. He said Byrne appeared before the United Mine Workers of America in Castlewood on Monday and was asked if she would support legislation repealing the right-to-work law.
Byrne responded: "Absolutely. I call it the right-to-be-poor law."
*SNIP*
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VA_BYRNE_RIGHT_TO_WORK_VAOL-?SITE=VANOV&SECTION=STATE
It seems like the candidates should have gotten over there for Pony Penning Day.
Here's a form to complete to ask Jerry Kilgore to come to your town. Maybe George Allen will come too!
http://www.jerrykilgore.com/contents/resources/scheduling_request.shtml
Both Kilgore and kaine were here for the big seafood fest back in May.......but if any of them were here pony week - it was done totally without notice or fanfare.
We are attempting to get Kilgore over here next month.
He declined an invitation by the only independent newspaper over here for a debate with kaine, and there was a not really nice editorial piece put on the front page about it.
Rivals clash on right-to-work
Byrne would support repeal of the law; Bolling decries her stance as anti-business
Kilgore subpoenaed in civil case
Republicans' insurer calls other big names in eavesdropping suit
Gee, Jeffie has a bit of a spelling problem????? (from 2cents worth)
I expect professional writers to use proper grammar and spelling. "Stationary" was used in the headline and throughout Jeff Schapiro's article [Times-Dispatch Aug. 6, "Gay-rights advocates target stationary used by Marrs."]. It's "stationery" when referring to writing materials. Maybe the proofreader should be "hanged" for this, not "hung". -- Annie Pelfrey, Henrico
Today's RTD letters to the editor
Not political, but something that does need to be watched:
Kaine Campaigns on Kilgore's Turf
Democrat Hopes to Carve Out a Place in Southern Va.
By Michael D. Shear
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, August 14, 2005; Page C01
STUART, Va., Aug. 13 -- Democratic gubernatorial candidate Timothy M. Kaine campaigned across southwest and Southside Virginia Saturday, looking for votes at sizzling summertime festivals in his Republican opponent's home territory.
The hunt for support began at the Pioneer Restaurant in Marion, where about 50 people gathered for Kaine's town-hall style of campaigning. Using a PowerPoint presentation and sounding at times like a budget analyst, Kaine promised to follow in the footsteps of Gov. Mark R. Warner (D).
Less than two hours later, the former Richmond mayor found himself at Patrick County's Virginia Peach Festival, taking refuge from the heat at The Coffee Break diner in downtown Stuart. He once again embraced Warner's popularity.
"Warner and I have worked hard these last four years," Kaine told a dozen people gathered at the tiny restaurant, which serves 14 varieties of pancakes. "We've reformed the budget to invest historic amounts of money in public schools."
*SNIP*
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/13/AR2005081301236.html
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