Gloucester, VA Board of Supervisors Budget Work Session, April 10th, 2014.

Gloucester County, Virginia Board of Supervisors Budget Work Session meeting for April 10th, 2014.  At least the video starts out with a rather interesting story and I have to go along with the BoS on their decision with proper funding to the free clinic.  What stands out in these videos is that everyone seems to think that money is available for everything and comes off of some magic tree that has no effect on anyone or anything.  Higher taxes mean less money for the economy and lower means for people to take care of themselves and or even be responsible for themselves.  One of the many failures of our local education system to point out to students and a long lost concept.

  Let's see if we can simplify the entire matter.  Everyone should work but not expect any pay whatsoever.  Everything and anything any of us should get should be dulled out by the government.  No one has a say in what and or how much anyone gets at any time for any reason.  You should be told how to live and where to live and even if you are allowed to continue to live.  If this is the future everyone want's we are well on the way there now.  Any questions?

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Gloucester, VA BoS Budget Meeting Video, April 2nd, 2014

We are behind on posting these meetings due to some other work contracts.  Gloucester, VA Board of Supervisors Work Session Budget meeting from April 2nd, 2014.

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Governor McAuliffe Statement Following Senate Passage of His Budget Bill

English: VIrginia State Senate (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Governor Terry McAuliffe released the following statement following the Virginia Senate’s vote to pass Senate Bill 5003, the budget bill the Governor introduced at the beginning of this special session:

“Today the Virginia Senate acted in bipartisan fashion to pass a balanced, responsible budget that funds a number of priorities that will make life better for the Virginia families we serve. When I introduced this bill, I asked members of the General Assembly to put politics aside, offer their ideas for compromise and pass a budget. That is what the Senate did, and the budget they passed offers Virginia state employees a two percent raise, funds payments to families that lose a loved one in the line of duty, and includes a market-based plan to use our federal tax dollars to close the health care coverage gap.

“Now it is the responsibility of the House of Delegates to take this budget bill up, make their amendments and pass it so that legislators from both chambers can get to work negotiating a final product in a conference committee. As House leaders have said repeatedly over the past few weeks, Virginians are awaiting a budget. It is now up to the House of Delegates to put politics aside and act on the bill that is before them so that we can get Virginians the budget they deserve.”

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Governor McAuliffe Announces $4.75 Million Funding For Water Project in Buchanan County

Seal of Buchanan County, Virginia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

~Project will provide public water to 267 households ~

RICHMOND ─ Governor Terry McAuliffe announced today that the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME) will administer a federal grant totaling $4,750,000 to provide public water to a community in Buchanan County affected by past coal mining practices.  The water project has been selected for construction funding under Virginia’s Abandoned Mine Land (AML) FY14 Grant to be released in April 2014.

“I am pleased to announce the funding of the fifth phase of the Hurley Regional Water Project in Buchanan County,” said Governor McAuliffe.  “I commend the initiative taken by the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors to submit the application to bring clean public water to a total of 267 households.”

Hurley Regional Water Project Phase V - Buchanan County Board of Supervisors: The Hurley project represents the fifth phase of construction for the extension of public water service into the Hurley area of Buchanan County, Virginia. The project includes the construction of a water storage tank and a pump station. The funds will also pay for the replacement and upgrade of water lines to make this extension of public water possible and to provide an opportunity for future extensions.

Reclamation fees paid by the coal industry have funded the replacement of over 8500 domestic water supplies that were adversely affected by mining that occurred prior to passage of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.  In addition to providing needed public water supplies this project also creates a number of construction jobs to stimulate the local economy.

Funding for the DMME’s water supply replacement projects is through reclamation fees paid by the coal industry.

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Gloucester, VA School Board's Appalling Pleas For Additional Funding - Video

This is the video from the March 24th, 2014 budget meeting.  Right around 36 minutes, after Brenda Garton, County Administrator, gave her presentation for the 2014 - 2015 budget, a student comes up and gives an absolutely appalling speech requesting additional money from the taxpayers, claiming old outdated textbooks, and a lack of paper for copying as some of the claims as well as teacher raises are much needed.  Though the student was well spoken, he was very poorly educated in the area of economics and it was a disgusting display of pure ignorance in our view.

  There is nothing complicated about budgets, economics and or government until bureaucrats decide to make it so.  The nihilistic socialist agenda spewing from the mouth of the student shows clearly that we have seriously digressed in the areas of economics and government oversight.  The Kiser has put this county into higher economic burdens and now we get to see with great delight, the horrible outcome of his oversight in the extraordinary appalling speech from the young man whom has no idea what he is talking about as he lacks the education to understand and we can not blame this young man for such.  We must look at those in charge of education.

  Let's be specific with his complaints.  He states what he claims are facts and figures that DO NOT ACCOUNT for areas such as shrinking enrollments, higher expenditures at the school board level that have little or nothing to do with the education of the students, subsidized lunches for school administration as well as higher levels of security for school board administration than they are willing to provide students with.  Bloated areas of expenditures in the school board that have little or nothing to do with education.

  Let's address the textbook issues.  Children are not coming home with textbooks.  If the textbooks are outdated in the school, direct the questions to the school board and NOT the board of supervisors.  The school board budget never uses it's full amount in any given year for textbooks that is allocated from what we have seen.  We are mortified here with this.  We can all thank The Kiser and the school board.  And this kid wants to become a teacher?  Says he won't come back here to teach?  Thank God.  He already lacks the education and shame on the school system for producing such a disgusting product of pure nihilistic filth.

  The folks that continued to come up, kept overlooking all of the above issues.  Lower enrollments.  No increases within the community showing expected increases in enrollments.  The Kiser closed one school when he could have used that school for relocating students from the old Page school.  The money wasted building the new Page Middle school instead of rebuilding the old Page site.  That was millions of dollars that were left on the table.  Does anyone understand simple economics or are we looking at the continued product of The Kisers really nihilistic socialist schooling. platform?

  At least the second speaker pointed out flaws in Brenda Garton's bloated budget which needs some very serious adjustments as well on the downward trend.  If anything, these meetings showed a need to get back to basics in education for everyone.  Simple economics is step one.  Let's look at the works of one of the first and real economists, Adam Smith.



 

Wealth of Nations - Adam Smith from Chuck Thompson

That's 667 pages of back to basics.  You can download this book for free from our slideshare site.  It's all very simple and easy to understand.  If the school board needs more money, let them take it out of the extra money they have cost us all building a new school in the swamp the county didn't need.

  Way to much oh poor me.  Guess what, the taxpayers are also saying poor me.  These folks are failing to realize who they must get their money from.  The taxpayers, not the board of supervisors.  The taxpayers DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY folks.  Did you hear that?  the taxpayers DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY.  YOU ARE NOT ASKING THE BOARD FOR MONEY.  You are asking the county taxpayers for money.  Hello!!!!!!  Anyone home?

  We just could not stand to listen to anyone else wine about how they want the Board of Supervisors to give them taxpayer money.  It's not their money school board.  It's the people of the county's money.  It's just infuriating.  

On a final note, we really want to thank the Board of Supervisors for recording and producing these videos so we can see what kind of outrageous nagging they must sit through from very ignorant people.  Our hats off to the Board of Supervisors for having to deal with such nonsense and still try and maintain decorum.   

Public Safety Officials Support Swift Passage of Governor McAuliffe’s Budget

Leaders in Virginia’s public safety community announced their support today for Governor McAuliffe’s proposal to invest $17 million in savings from closing the coverage gap to support the Line of Duty program. The Line of Duty Act provides state-funded disability and death benefits for state and local public safety officers or their beneficiaries due to disability or death resulting from the performance of duties.

Statement from the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters:

“The Virginia Professional Fire Fighters (VPFF) urge members of the General Assembly to pass Governor McAuliffe’s budget as quickly as possible. Governor McAuliffe’s budget is balanced, responsible, and provides critical funding for the Line of Duty Act, which supports firefighters, first responders, and others who put their lives on the line every day to protect Virginia’s communities.

“As primary emergency medical services (EMS) providers for many of our fellow citizens, VPFF members are all-too-familiar with the negative impacts of the coverage gap. By also including a 2 year pilot of accepting federal dollars to expand healthcare coverage to up to 400,000 Virginians, Governor McAuliffe’s budget will keep our citizens healthier, our neighborhoods safer, and our economy growing.

“It is imperative that members of the General Assembly come together to pass this budget, which our public safety officials depend on to ensure strong, safe, and healthy futures for all Virginians.”

Statement from Paula Miller, President, Virginia Public Safety Foundation:

“Governor McAuliffe has sought to engage Virginians in a necessary conversation that is central to our society: how will we care for our first responders and their families when they are injured or killed in service to our communities? His proposal to invest $17 million in the Line of Duty Act Fund and re-engage the Line of Duty Act work group to update state policies and funding mechanisms to provide for our public safety officers and their families is welcome news. I applaud Governor McAuliffe for his leadership on this important issue. I look forward to working with him to ensure that this conversation results in reforms that reflect our commitment to providing for those who face danger every day to keep us safe and contribute so much to making this the best state in which to live, raise a family, and do business."

Governor McAuliffe Releases FY2015-16 Budget as Special Session Begins

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

McAuliffe budget closes health care coverage gap, invests in key priorities

Richmond, VA – As the General Assembly begins its special session today, Governor Terry McAuliffe released a two-year budget for the legislature to consider and pass in order to conclude its work for the year. The Governor’s budget is based on the budget introduced by his predecessor at the beginning of the legislative session, with 104 amendments that reflect the Governor’s priorities, including using Virginians’ own federal tax dollars to close the health care coverage gap.

“This budget is balanced and responsible, and it reflects the pressing urgency to take action to use our own tax dollars to cover up to 400,000 Virginia families over the next two years,” said Governor McAuliffe. “By accepting those dollars and realizing the hundreds of millions savings we will reap in this budget by closing the coverage gap, we will also be able to increase Virginia’s commitment to state employees, teachers, first responders, and many other essential functions of our state government.

“At the urging of Republicans in the House of Delegates, I have agreed to introduce a two-year pilot program to close the health care coverage gap so that we can provide coverage now, and reevaluate at the end of those two years. This proposal gives Virginia the flexibility to ensure that the program works for our citizens and our budget before moving forward. And I am pleased to announce that the federal government’s Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has advised Virginia that we can end the program without penalty if it does not serve Virginians well over those two years.

“Passing this budget, which closes the health care coverage gap and invests in our core priorities, is the right thing to do for Virginia families. I am eager to get to work with Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate to find common ground so that we can end this stalemate, pass a budget and bring our federal dollars home to help 400,000 people access care that is essential to healthy and productive lives.

“Now is the time to put politics aside and act for the good of the families we serve. Virginians have waited long enough.”

Below are highlights of the Governor’s budget:

Closing the Healthcare Coverage Gap:

ü  2-Year Pilot, with federal approval to withdraw if necessary

ü  Up to 400,000 Virginians Covered

ü  $225 Million in Net Savings

ü  Bring Our Taxpayer Dollars Back to Virginia

ü  No Permanent Obligation

New investments in the McAuliffe Budget:

ü  $100 million in the Virginia Health Reform and Innovation Fund for future healthcare costs

ü  $76 million as a reserve payment for the Virginia Retirement System

ü  2% salary increase for state employees, K-12 teachers and support personnel, college and university faculty , constitutional officers and state-supported local employees

ü  $17 million for Line of Duty Act

ü  $8.9 million for mental health

ü  $7.1 million for land conservation

ü  $7.4 million for pre-K funding

ü  $5.4 million for the cost of competing

ü  $3.2 million of “Hold Harmless” funding for schools

ü  $4.8 million for extended school year grants

ü  $5.1 million in unappropriated balance

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Gloucester, VA Board of Supervisors Plan On Recording Budget Sessions

Great news for everyone in Gloucester County.  The Board of Supervisors have decided to record the upcoming budget work sessions and make them available on their website.  We will port those videos onto this site so that the videos will be a bit easier to find.  Going through the county website can be rough as it is large and cumbersome.

  That is not a complaint as the county site is loaded with a goldmine of information once you know how to get around the site and find what you are looking for.

Now the budget work sessions are open to the public as we reported on earlier.  In an effort to create better transparency the board has also decided that moving forward in years to come, this will continue to be the case.  It is important that everyone in the county is able to see both how and where our tax dollars are  being utilized.  When you know and understand where the needs for the county are, you have a better appreciation for what the county is doing.  It also opens up areas of questions that may need addressing.  Maybe one person viewing the budget for the first time will be able to see ways to save the county a good deal of money by just making minor changes or maybe major changes need to be made and those changes could very well be justified.

  We won't know until we can see how everything is presented to the board and then take the time to properly analyze the information.  Maybe we can ask the right questions that the board or others never thought to ask.  Two heads are better than one.  But with more people getting involved, we have more chances of saving all of us money in preventing higher taxes and maybe even a chance at lowering our taxes.

  We want to thank the entire Board of Supervisors for making the right decision here and opening up these sessions for all of us to see.

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