The Virginian Pilot is reporting that Del. John Welch, a non-voting member of the Hampton Roads Transportation Authority and the General Assembly liason, is going to introduce a bill in the upcoming session to “to change the taxes and fees.”
Sounds a little like campaign season politicking to me.
Welch, if you recall, said he supported an increase in the gas tax to pay for transportation. He did not, however, introduce any bills during the last session that included such an increase. Now, we all know that the Republican majority in the House wanted to be able to say “no statewide tax increase” so a gas tax increase was unlikely to get any traction. However, if Welch truly believed that the gas tax increase was the way to go, and given that his constituents wanted it, he had an obligation to introduce legislation to accomplish it.
He didn’t then, and I don’t expect him to do so if he manages to get past Bobby Mathieson in November.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
I think if we are lucky enough to see gas prices stay below 2.75 per gallon by years end we may see the gas tax get going come January, but if we end the year with it above 3 bucks a gallon we can forget it. Even if the House gets it done, there would have to be a major shift in the Senate as a result of the election to make it happen. Its tuff for anyone to say in a change election, “elect me I will raise the gas tax” so I expect the issue to lie dormat until the other issues create some shake out this Fall. What are Bobby’s real chances of defeating Welch?
I don’t know – with the backlash against the abuser fees, I think folks are ready for an alternative. There have been a number of letters to the editor from people willing to pay a increased gas tax.
As for Bobby – all indications are that he’s going to win.
Funny thing about John-Boy Welch . . . he’s ALL OVER the place on this one. First, he said under no circumstances would he ever support raising taxes. Then, when he starts worrying before the session about getting beat in November, he kisses up to the biz community and proposes a gas tax. Then, when he gets to Richmond, he lets Howell push him around like a peanut and NOT introduce the gas tax. Then, he votes FOUR times FOR the abuser fees, then wonders why Kaine would support them and denounces them. THEN, he announces in the spring that transportation is no longer an issue, but gets himself appointed to the new local authority that is going to raise our taxes and give us tolls. THEN, after everything goes to hell and blows up in his face and leaves him looking stupid, he gravely announces: “I’m going to Richmond and introduce legislation to fix this.” I guess he was wrong about transportation no longer being an issue.
Thanks for the offer, Johnny Boy, but you’ve done MORE than enough. Stay home and let someone else fix your mess.
It’s not hard to make John Welch look stupid. All you have to do is, well, look at John Welch. Them taxes and them road plans sure is hard work.
Not only did John Welch do nothing at all about his much-ballyhooed gas tax increase, the plans that were introduced, all by Democrats, were killed in the Finance Committee. John Welch was on the, you guessed it, Finance Committee, as well as the Transportation Committee.
Sitting in traffic for hours on every trip northward, as I had the opportunity to do once again yesterday, is a great opportunity to ponder the need for leadership in the General Assembly.
Excellent post, Pat Nixon!
Vivian “all indications”? Ha ha ha. Maybe in the circles you travel in Norfolk.
What’s next? Ya gonna tell us how Bob McIver is setting the district on fire with his promises to raise taxes?
Um, no, Brian. And since you’re working for Welch now, you know that he’s in a precarious position.
sez who
Sez anybody familiar with Virginia Beach. The problem is, usually you could parade a candidate around to make speeches, and knock on doors, to make up a deficit like Welch’s. Unfortunately, Welch is so clueless and inarticulate and grammar-challenged that this only helps his opponent. A real quandary, which could have been avoided by simply selecting a qualified candidate in the first place. But don’t expect that from Beach Republicans.
Brian, the district has favored democrats for a while now, and the only reason Welch still has a seat is because no one thought to recruit anyone to run against him in 2005, when he would have been blown out like a candle. And judging by the rending of garments and gnashing of teeth you’re expounding over on Bearing Drift, as well as by the fact that you’re naive enough to compare the 21st to Bob Purkey’s district, it sounds to everyone here like you don’t know Thing One about the people who live in that district. You’re in the uncomfortable position of having to court democratic voters, and frankly Brian, you’re really bad at that. Not your fault, necessarily; the political landscape in that part of Virginia Beach changed faster than you did. The fact remains, you and Welch are out of your depth.
The only plausible reason if Bobby doesn’t win is if his staff runs an incompetent GOTV operation.
I think what anon said can be used for the race next door in the 83rd as well.
I think people have to look deeper in the 21st than simply just this abuser fee issue. It easier to be the challenger in this environment with regard to this issue then actually being on the hot seat and having to cast the vote. My delegate voted for the fees and I support her because it brought neccessary funding for on eof our major city bridges across the James River. In light of recent events thats critical to us regardless of the abuser fee issue. Had she voted no to the fees bill than she would have been voting no to getting the bridge enhancement project through. Bobby needs to bring more to the table than the abuser fees. He is a former policeman and yet has not really articulated (to my knowledge) a positon on illegal immigrants and violent crime and why not nearly enough localities in the Beach area are particpating with ICE in the programs for training law enforcement. I would think that safety and security would be huge issues this Fall and his knowledge would be a strength but as of yet he not flexing muscle. Bobby has also not articulated if he supports life at fertilization which was in a House bill last session or his position on birth control access as well. There are quite a few issues coming this session in addition to the transportation mess that could have great impact moving forward. If he treats this election as merely a referendum on transportation he may come up short. Aren’t Welchs coffers pretty full for this battle.
“Sez who” . . . . some more of that deep thought and snappy repartee that have come to characterize Brian Kirwin and his extremely limited and stunted political resume. Having his head tucked safely away somewhere near his waist, Brian hasn’t had the opportunity to check some of the polls that have come out. Even a Republican poll shows Welch in deep doo-doo.
As Larry Sabato recently remarked: “It’s a bad year to be a Republican.”
Want more proof? Why doesn’t John-Boy find a position and stick with it? If he really isn’t in trouble, stick with something. But nooooooo . . . not John-Boy. He is a human weather vane, and that requires him to keep changing directions until he finds a position that will get him out of hot water and possibly re-elected.
Fat chance. And if you want to see something that was priceless, get a picture of John-Boy on the stage with the rest of the Authority last Thursday night. That pinched, uncomfortable look on his face made you think he was posing for a laxative ad. He knew he was sitting — literally — on the hot seat. You can’t vote for abuser fees and a leaky transportation plan like John-Boy did and expect people not to notice the hypocrisy.
And what is Welch’s solution? Hiring some blind puppy like Brian to go out here and defend him, which is sad. Watching Brian hump Welch’s leg in public and on the blogs like a chihuahua on crack is so funny it’s almost sad.
Maybe if Marty Williams had won, Brian could go work for him. Oh wait . . .that’s right. He WAS working for Marty.
Damn, Pat, you’re good!
Of course, your tone belies your confidence. There are so many factual errors in these comments, it’s hysterical. Of course, Vivian and her commenters can throw sticks and stones at me and talk about polls (that never get produced, ya notice?).
Besides, when Vivian says something that she can’t prove, she ducks anyway.