Comments on: Where do we go from here? http://blog.vivianpaige.com/2009/01/13/where-do-we-go-from-here/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:35:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Mark Brooks http://blog.vivianpaige.com/2009/01/13/where-do-we-go-from-here/comment-page-1/#comment-143855 Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:32:16 +0000 http://blog.vivianpaige.com/?p=6220#comment-143855 I have my hands full trying just to keep the local government honest. There is pushback on FOIA, pushback on the direction this county goes in in terms of what kinds of businesses to attract. Pushback when I ask them repeatedly to follow the law.

I know what the root of this problem is. It is the Dillon Rule, which, if overturned would allow Home Rule in Virginia as a whole. However, in an ironic twist, we would also need to ask the GA for permission to do that, and it removes the concentration of power in place right now in that very body.

I wish we had enough people of conscience in the General Assembly, because we would already have an amendment to vote on to get rid of this abomination.

The fact that my county needs to ask the General Assembly for permission for almost everything or to do anything, encourages them to find other, less open ways of doing business. It encourages illegality, when a locality is required to be sneaky rather than smart about its governance.

]]> By: HMR http://blog.vivianpaige.com/2009/01/13/where-do-we-go-from-here/comment-page-1/#comment-143844 Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:36:32 +0000 http://blog.vivianpaige.com/?p=6220#comment-143844 Richman is essentially right. The only way we’re going to have a democratic regionalism is to consolidate the cities, with the consolidation agreement containing a residents bill of rights.
That’s why I believe our primary midterm regional goal should be consolidating the five cities of South Hampton Roads.

In the short term, we should be building a regional political organziation to lay the groundwork for winning the requisite referendum campaign.

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