Well, thank goodness. We are going to have places where people can stop on the interstate to go to the bathroom again. Whoever wanted to close those in the first place must not have realized what an inconvenience that was to have people get off the interstate and spend money in localities. Heaven forbid we should encourage people to get off the interstate and create tax revenue, create jobs, generate new businesses.
And look, all it cost us was a bunch of teaching positions, a lot of health services, resources such as battered women’s centers, mental health, all of that stuff that is useful to all those lowly citizens. We’ve got our agenda right. We’re gonna save all that money and put it into keeping the flow of tourists and trucks going on routes that bypass most of the state.
Now the world knows that we put toilet paper up there higher than educating our children. We put public toilets about the needs of our elderly and ill.
Thank goodness there were no cuts in the budget affecting all those big businesses though. Heaven forbid that should happen. We would look un-American!
Oh, yeah….I think it is time to contact all of those Delegates, Senators, and the Governor to let them know exactly how proud we are of making sure that our priorities are in order.
Okay, enough sarcasm. I have never been as disgusted with government in Virginia as I am right now. What I see is a great big political game being played at the expense of citizens. The “I will not raise taxes” statement is coming home to roost. If any resources are going to be available to help with education and social/health services, it is going to have to come from localities. That means the lower populated areas are left hanging out to dry. That means the education of our children will be compromised. Local Free Clinics will be stripped of funding. It means that those very services that allowed the seriously ill to remain in their homes will be stripped away and they will be forced into nursing homes or hospices to live out their lives at a higher cost. Those higher costs will shift to increased insurance rates for everybody because the insurance companies sure aren’t going to donate services or eat the costs.
How about a different way to save money. How about all elected officials give up one year’s salary to start with and see what difference that makes.
Starving the poor while filling their own plates full is not what I voted for…how about you?
Sorry if this has been a bit disjointed, but I am just too angry to think straight right now. Something needs to be done and the only thing that can be done is to contact your representatives and let them know what you think.
To find out who your legislators are: http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform
House of Delegates Phone List: http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/MWebsiteTL?OpenView
State Senator Phone List: http://sov.state.va.us/SenatorDB.nsf/$$Viewtemplate+for+WMembershipHome?OpenForm
If you need other ways to contact them, call me 540-382-6431 and I will help you find what you need if you can’t locate it on the Virginia General Assembly website.
Write the contact information down on 5 sheets of paper and give them to five other people and ask them to call as well. Please do not be silent on this. Every one of us knows at least one child or adult who will be negatively affected by these budget cuts. Do it for them even if you are not directly affected…today. “There, but for the grace of God, go I.”
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Being a state worker, I can tell you that I am not happy about the upcoming cuts once again. I’m not looking forward to 10 days non-paid leave, and a cut in benefits. I am not happy that there is such a large cut to public education either.
I know you are upset about the rest areas, but I for one am happy they are back. Not for me. I have no problem getting off an exit to use the restroom, but being that I travel on I-81 extensively, I am happy that the truckers have a place they can pull off and rest. I don’t know if you’ve seen it, but since the rest areas closed, many of the places off the interstate have posted “no trucks allowed” signs. They cannot handle large numbers of trucks, so the truck drivers are forced to continue to drive until they find a place. I’ve been in several near misses with trucks from swerves, or them unable to see my car, or whatever other reasons over the years I’ve travelled up and down I-81. I am glad that they will have a place they can pull over to rest, and aren’t endangering people on the interstates due to fatigue.
I’m not really against the rest areas. What I am against is having to give up education, social services, health services, and school breakfast/lunch programs (among many others) when the rest areas are given a higher priority. All of these are important, including the rest areas, but I am not at all sure that I would have put rest areas above all of those others. I just don’t see the problem with increasing taxes if that is what it takes to get things done. Of course, the Federal Government has cut money coming out to the states, now the states will cut coming to local jurisdictions. But that is where the buck stop. Once the local jurisdictions have had to cut money for services, then services will be cut. Then, it will fall upon citizens to try to pick up the slack. Unfortunately, the impact of that will be a lot harder for the Western end of the State of Virginia because of the lower incomes. More rural areas means that services will feel the affect far more than more densely populated areas.
I am saddened by the plan proposed by our newly elected Governor of Virginia. I didn’t vote for him, wish others hadn’t voted for him, but do feel that since he was elected on a platform that pretty much stated what he was going to do, it isn’t fair to criticize him. I am disappointed in our citizens that they accept funds being cut for the mentally ill, mentally retarded, homeless and our education system. I am disappointed that what is being proposed appears to benefit the have’s and punishes the have-not’s. When are we going to quit resenting the poor and worshiping the rich? The trickle down policies only work for the ones in control.