Lots of stuff going on out there.
Looks like the Dems won’t have 60 in the Senate after 2010 elections. Not that 60 got us anything, but Tuesday brought the news that Sen. Byron Dorgan (ND) and Sen. Chris Dodd (CT) will retire. Dems will likely retain Dodd’s seat but Dorgan’s will probably go to the Republicans.
Commerce nominee should step aside, McDonnell says no. Seems I’m not alone in thinking that Commerce secretary nominee Robert Sledd shouldn’t serve on corporate boards while also in the government. (1, 2, 3) The problem is that neither Sledd nor Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell see any conflict of interest here. I can only hope that the Senate P&E committee does – and rejects the nomination.
When is an endorsement not an an endorsement? Businessman Scott Rigell, one of a number of candidates for the Republican nomination to challenge Glenn Nye, held his campaign kickoff at the Westin Hotel last night. Acting as MC for the program was Jeanine McDonnell, daughter of the Gov.-elect. But also there? The Gov.-elect himself. Sometimes, if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is a duck.
Competition comes to Norfolk for May council elections. Of the six seats up for election (the five small wards plus the mayor), right now only one – Ward 2 – is unopposed. At least four candidates are currently in for the open seat in Ward 1, two are challenging the incumbent in Ward 3, and a single challenger in Ward 5 and the mayoral race. Norfolk has discovered competition. And that is a good thing.
Democratic Unity Rally in Virginia Beach Friday. An event, honoring the Democratic candidate in the 8th Senate District, Bill Fleming, will be held this Friday from 5pm to 6:30pm at the Contemporary Art Center of VA (2100 Parks Ave.) A couple of names on the email caught my eye: Brian Moran and Creigh Deeds. Woah! Is this the Unity Rally that should have taken place last June? (I hear Terry McAuliffe is out of the country.)
So what’s on your mind? Consider this an open thread to talk about whatever.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Oh – and I forgot about the latest on John Amiral, the guy who ran against Paula Miller in the 87th. Seems he has surfaced. WVEC ran a story here and wrote a blog post about it.
That’s just mindboggling, if true.
Oh – it’s true. And it gets worse: McDonnell says anyone in his cabinet can continue to serve on boards.
My question: he’s nominated Terrie Suit to a cabinet position. Can she keep her lobbyist job?
I mean “true” as that they really don’t see the conflict (cf. just don’t care).
Ah, ok.
That is nice to hear about the “Unity Rally” this Friday at the Contemporary Arts Center of Virginia.
It sounds like a fun event for everyone to attend.
As for the McD Cabinet, if he was serious about cost containment, he would simply leave some of those positions empty, or eliminate them altogether. The idea that Mr. Sledd pledges to serve without pay, if he can stay on corporate boards, would be a red flag, no matter which Party was considering the deal.
Are you going to the Unity Rally?
I called Glenn Nye (The Congress Guy) and talked with cute girl Erin, who said that Glenn would be there and I talked with John Miller’s office to get him to attend.
I talked to the DPVA in Richmond about promoting the event. Apparently the email didn’t receive the wide dissemination that similar events usually get.
DPVA’s I-T guy said that they would be getting some more stuff up on their website for Bill Fleming, “soon.”
(Guys, the election is NEXT TUESDAY!)
Will I attend? Yeah, I plan to crash the the party with a few drunken surfers, singing,
“McWaters is a slimy health insurance gatekeeper dude!”
Rigell also has donated over $10k to Jeff McWaters. It is one of McWaters’ largest donations.
http://www.vpap.org/candidates/profile/money_in_donors/34313
Yeah, McWaters & Rigell are long-time friends. No surprise there.
Received my business personal property tax information/filing papers from Norfolk yesterday. They ask for a depreciation schedule. Well, since I do a Sec. 179 straight line depreciation, all my business equipment is fully depreciated the year in put it in service. No way says the city. They will tax you forever as long as you are using the equipment. The rate is based on 40 percent of the purchase price. Not on a 5 or 7 year depreciation schedule as the IRS does. The Feds gave state and localities the ability to tax as they see fit. What can we do as small business owners? Seems like nothing.
Vivian – care to chime in on this?
I think the 40% after a certain period of time is excessive as well, even though it is beneficial in the early years. For example, a computer isn’t worth 40% of its value one year, let alone 10 years down the road.
It appears that the basis for personal property tax valuation is supposed to be fair market value. And according to the Norfolk code:
That is included in Sec 24-3 paragraph (2).
Now, as to what we can do: get in front of City council and ask them to include in the ordinance specifics about the valuation.
Richmond (pdf) for example, doesn’t use a flat 40% rate. Norfolk shouldn’t, either.
There is much drama occurring with Senator Dodd’s seat. Now that he is stepping down, I’m interested in seeing who the Democrats will put up. I’m hoping that the Republicans will put forward Peter Schiff who is anti-bailout and is pushing for a platform that involves balancing the budget, but so far he doesn’t have strong backing from the Republican leadership. No surprise there.