Posted on 10/31/2001 8:33:36 PM PST by KQQL
Edited on 07/20/2004 11:45:50 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
A pair of new polls yesterday showed Democrat Mark R. Warner strengthening his lead over Republican Mark L. Earley in the race for the Virginia governorship.
Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research Inc. put Warner in front by 6 percentage points, with 48 percent to 42 percent for Earley. Libertarian William Redpath had 1 percent, and 9 percent were undecided.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesdispatch.com ...
Warner: Phaseout in 2002 is unlikely
BY JEFF E. SCHAPIRO
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Oct 31, 2001
MANASSAS - Sweeping through the birthplace of the no-car-tax movement, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark R. Warner yesterday suggested next year's final phaseout of the unpopular tax will likely be a casualty of the economic downturn.
"Clearly, there is a growing recognition that the state - as most families are - is starting to face challenging economic times," Warner said in an interview after a burger-and-fries luncheon with about 25 supporters at a sports bar.
Warner has long said he would complete the car-tax rollback before the end of his four-year term. However - in a subtle but potentially significant shift - he indicated yesterday on-schedule elimination may be unlikely in 2002 because of the sour economy.
Warner, buoyed by published polls suggesting he has extended his lead over Republican Mark L. Earley, made his remarks in Prince William County, a fast-growing outer suburb of Washington and a crucible in the revolt against the unpopular locally imposed tax on personal cars, trucks and motorcycles.
Jim Gilmore, whose term as governor ends in January, led the first GOP statewide sweep four years ago on a promise to eliminate the car tax. Despite the budget standoff that freed him to advance car-tax relief this year to 70 percent, a full rollback next year could be a fiscal impossibility because of the sharp decline in state revenues.
Eradication of the car tax was the brainchild of Sen. Charles J. Colgan, D-Prince William. In doing away with the levy, he proposed replacing the lost revenue to localities with an increase in the sales tax. Among the co-patrons of Colgan's 1997 initiative: Earley, then a state senator from Chesapeake.
Warner, a millionaire high-tech investor, said as he cruises the state in the run-up to Tuesday's election, fewer voters are pressing him to complete the car-tax rollback next year - a possible sign Virginians are nervous about a possible recession and its impact on state services.
"It's not one of the first issues raised," he said of the car tax.
Warner's allies in Republican-leaning Prince William, including local elected officials, said voters increasingly realize the next governor will be manacled by the declining economy.
"They understand the budget mess that he'll inherit," said John D. Jenkins, a member of the Board of Supervisors. Because of the bleak revenue picture, local voters are willing to wait a little longer for complete elimination of the car tax, even though "it's still a burning passion with people here in the county."
Warner may be poised for a strong performance in Prince William, in part because of his proposal to free Northern Virginia residents to vote on a sales-tax increase to bankroll transportation improvements.
Perhaps the most vocal proponent here of a sales-tax referendum is one of the county's senior legislators, Republican Del. John A. Rollison III, chairman of the House Transportation Committee. Rollison says a local sales-tax increase is the only way to put a dent in the region's backlog of road projects.
Rollison has spoken favorably of Warner's commitment to the sales-tax referendum. In contrast, Earley has vowed to veto the referendum, saying it is a threat to economic recovery. Earley's opposition to the referendum has significantly eroded his standing in Northern Virginia, according to published polls.
Warner, who lives in Alexandria, was reminded yesterday of Northern Virginia's massive transportation problems as his caravan snaked from Manassas along a clogged state Route 28 before turning onto Lee Highway in Centreville, where road work competes with sprawling housing projects.
His day also included a stop in Leesburg, another outer suburb, where he picked up the support of the town's Republican mayor, B.J. Webb. In contrast with recent Democratic statewide candidates, Warner has shown surprising strength among Republicans and independents.
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Dream on , they will never grow up :(
Secondly, the man has already learnt his lesson on how much he needs to respect the Second Amendment ... you should have seen his answer on the NRA questionnaire. He may have voted for a tax increase once or twice (every politician has done this; 'Rats have sometimes voted for tax cuts y'know) but if Warner had ever been in the Legislature he would have a much uglier record.
In other words, Earley is a WHOLE LOT better than Warner. Secondly, after going through all this (in a Conservative state) Earley now knows he can't mess with his Conservative base. He's gonna keep us happy or else he knows we'll slit his throat ...
SO PLEASE GO OUT AND VOTE!!!
The above comes from your profile which was created on October 30, 2001.
Isn't that special you re-register just around election time to spew defeatism.
Oh BTW, if you forgot your first "password" you could have always e-mailed for it. It states so when you log on.
Good question!! Hey Dubyuh, can ya give us a hand over here fer yer long-time buds in the Ol' Dominion?
FReegards...MUD
The Lyin' KlintonKlone Lefty Bastard FINALLY Fessed UP, Virginians!! Your STATE TAXES will go up with Warner in Office because Mark Warner is a Scumbag Lib'ral who actually believes Raising Taxes Makes Sense in a Recession!! Spread the Word...Tell Yer FRiends...VOTE Against the CommieSocialistPinkoLowlife hidden in NewDemocRAT Clothing!! VOTE AGAINST MARK WARNER!!! Your State's Economy will thank you for the next four years!!
FReegards...MUD
BTW...I work off-and-on for the State and believe you me, there's plenty of State Budget FAT to be cut before the Bureaucracy gets anywhere near cutting any meat, let alone bone!!
You, sir, are a Lefty Newbie TROLL who fools ABSOLUTELY no one with yer BS about sitting out Lurkin' fer a year!! Crawl back in yer hole, scumbag!!!!!
Lefties ARE LOSERS...Just like yer boss, Ms. Warner!!
Bring it on...deny it...I'll have you for breakfast!!
BWAHAHAHAHA...MUD
LOL...it really is amazing how ABSOLUTELY IGNORANT the Leftie Trolls are these days, ain't it?! I guess when you sit around all day gabbing with Chimpsters and DemocRAT Underground folks, your mind eventually turns to worthless mush!!
LOL and FReegards...MUD
Hey Coop...freeperferpresident is about to start whining how I'm mean and nasty, since you live up there, do you mind FReepMailin' him fer his address and going by and speaking to him personally?
Nope, you don't, you prefer the KlintonKlone himself!! There's not a principled bone in yer body, scumbag...not one!! Oh...and BTW, tell yer boss Warner to stop wasting his money on the campaign and start saving his money for the legal proceedings that will soon follow were the unthinkable to happen and he get elected. Warner's every bit as sleazy as his Mentor, The EX-Traitor-in-Chief, and folks know where at least a few of the skeletons are buried and Warner SHALL NOT COMPLETE his gubernatorial term before RESIGNING IN DISGRACE!!
So Sayeth the Word of...MUD
The only explanation I have for the one gun a month support was that he, along with a good many legislators, were caught up in the intense media campaign at the time to rid Virginia of its "gun running state" reputation. Remember, Virginia was controlled completely by the Democrats then, and conservatives really didn't have much of a voice. We're stronger today, and I don't think such a law would pass. At some point, I expect it to be repealed.
I, too, was concerned when I first found out about the NAACP membership, and when I had the opportunity to ask Earley about it, I did. He told me he joined early in his legislative career to help him with his constituency in Chesapeake, and more importantly: the local leadership of the NAACP is not liberal like the national leadership. Earley's words at the time were something to the effect, "I don't buy into that cra*p of the national organization. I don't believe 100% with hardly any organization." He convinced me he is not of the mindset of Mfume and the like. When it was discussed here at FR, someone else pointed out that the local NAACP chairman in Chesapeake is a Republican and supported George Allen.
And finally, Earley was chosen by Republican and conservative grassroots activists at the convention, not hand picked by the establishment. I was a Hager delegate, and the simple truth is, more grassroots supporters showed up for Earley than they did for Hager. Earley has a lot going for him and won me over; I see no reason to expect him to be the perfect candidate when we stand to lose much of what we've spent the last decade fighting for.
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