Showing posts with label January. Show all posts
Showing posts with label January. Show all posts

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Governor McAuliffe Announces Revenue Collections Declined 3.4% in February

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A Solid Gain in Withholding was Offset by Subpar Collections of the Sales and Insurance Premiums Taxes

RICHMOND- Governor McAuliffe today announced that state general fund revenue collections declined 3.4% in February.  There was a solid gain in individual income tax withholding but that was offset by declines in retail sales, insurance premiums tax and recordation taxes. The Governor noted that February is not generally a significant month for revenue collections and percentages can vary accordingly. 
Collections of payroll withholding taxes grew a solid 6.6 percent in February.  Collections of sales and use taxes, reflecting January sales, fell 12.7 percent in February.  The first significant snow storms since December 2010 occurred in January probably affecting sales tax receipts due in February. Also, the State Corporation Commission issued insurance companies refunds in February this year versus in January of 2013, distorting total monthly revenues.  Finally, recordation taxes from real estate transactions were down 38.4 percent, as severe winter weather dampened home sales. 
Speaking to the revenue trend, Governor McAuliffe said that withholding receipts posted a solid gain, perhaps reflecting more positive news on the labor market front.  However, he noted that the weak sales tax performance was probably influenced by the severe weather conditions this winter.  The Governor further indicated that going forward much will depend on final income tax payments due on or before May 1.  “My goal is to keep job creation up” he said.  “If that happens, I am hopeful that other variables such as sales tax collections will improve.”
On a year-to-date basis, total revenue collections fell 0.8 percent through February, lagging the midsession annual forecast of 1.0 percent growth.  Adjusting for the accelerated sales tax program and the 0.125 percent sales tax transfer required by the provisions of HB 2313, total revenues grew 0.3 percent through February, trailing the adjusted forecast of 2.1 percent growth.  Collections of payroll withholding taxes – 63 percent of General Fund revenues – increased 3.0 percent, slightly ahead of the midsession annual forecast of 2.9 percent growth.  Sales tax collections – 18 percent of General Fund revenues – have declined 4.9 percent, slightly trailing the annual forecast calling for a 4.4 percent decline.  
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Saturday, January 11, 2014

Gloucester, VA Board of Supervisors Meeting Video, January 2014

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Mom Loses Sons in Fire, Helps the Homeless Wavy TV Story

GLOUCESTER, Va. (WAVY) - After losing her three children and mother-in-law in a fire, a Gloucester woman is giving back to the community that helped her during her darkest hour.

Grogan knows all about loss. On a bitterly cold night in January, fire erupted inside her Summerville Road home.

"The nightmares have gone for the most part," Grogan added. "I had one a couple weeks ago, and it was really bad."

A nightmare isn't even the word to describe what she went through. She was saved from the burning home, but her four loved ones weren't as lucky. Seven-year-old Thomas Grogan, 2-year-old Michael Grogan and six-month-old Gabriel Grogan were killed; their grandmother, Virginia, died after running back into the burning home.

"In my mind, I knew they were gone when nobody came out [of the burning home] after me," Grogan said.

The home was destroyed, but Jessica is rebuilding her life. Part of that, is giving back to a community that helped her husband and her when they had no one else.

"When the fire happened, we were only given three days in a hotel by the Red Cross, and we had nowhere to go," Grogan added.

Grogan and her husband were essentially homeless.

"It only takes one person to change somebody's life," she said.

Jessica, along with a couple friends formed a group inspired by the idea of creating a change. They started a Facebook page called "Make the Homeless Smile." They hope to convince people everywhere to get out and help a neighbor, the same way neighbors helped her when she had nowhere to go.

"There are homeless people everywhere," Grogan added. "You don't know what the situation is, and it happened to them."

For Jessica, the cause is near to the heart. It's also about finishing what a seven-year-old started.

"Little Tom, he was my angel," she said. "Even when he was here, he was an angel in disguise."

In his short time on Earth, Thomas learned the meaning of giving. Jessica says he helped his father ring a charity bell one Christmas. He also donated his piggy bank to help victims after Gloucester was hit by a tornado.

"If a seven-year-old can do it. grown ups can do it too," Grogan said.

This mission by Jessica and her group is really just beginning. They are holding an event September 28 -- that's the day they want everyone to get out and do something nice for someone else.

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Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Consent of the Governed

Open Letter to the Citizens of Gloucester County Virginia


Thank you Gloucester County for the continued support by speaking out in the Board of Supervisors meeting and to our elected officials, letting the county know about the personal use of public vehicles, not allowing the county to walk all over us, and this site.

The Virginia Constitution was written for us to limit the government intrusion into our lives.  Have you ever read the Constitution of the United States?  How about the Constitution of Virginia?

Article 1 Section 6.  Free elections; consent of governed.  “…cannot be taxed…without their own consent… or bound by any law to which they have not, in like manner, assented for the public good.”

Reading Section 6 of the Virginia Constitution one must wonder if the Gloucester Board of Supervisors have violated this Article by passing the school bond last week?  The Board of Supervisors work for us and are accountable for their actions.  As I pointed out in previous letters; that the Board of Supervisors do not appear uphold their oath of office.  They had lip service to not raising taxes.  This board will be replaced in January with three new members; taxes will not be considered until after the New Year and the new board will tell us they have no choice but to raise taxes.  The school bond can still be stopped and should be stopped until the county can show where the missing money is hiding?  Who in their right mind would build a permanent large structure on swamp land when they own adequate land that is suitable?  They appear to continue to violate their oaths of office and should be held personally accountable.  We have not consented to, "The Monument to Stupidity", as they are building.  If a school is needed why not build it correctly?

Further violations:
1        The county attorney told the board in the February Board meeting he was working on the Animal control ordnance prior to Mr. Thompson providing input. Why is Mr Thompson finding continued violations of this section of the county code in August?  Is Mr Wilmot not capable of understanding that it is his job to ensure the county complies with state code?  Is the job to hard for him? Or does the Board know they are in violation of the Virginia Code and using the county ordnance that violate State Code to terrorize the citizens of the county?  Based on the actions of this board and past boards is it of the county’s best interest to consider anyone for the future board that has previously been involved in county positions?  Nay!  We need new people on the board that look out for all of the county's good and not just a few.

2        A.  Promoting Senior Animal Control Deputy to Chief Animal Control Officer is questionable based on county and Virginia procedures for hiring.  Why the rush?
B.  The number of issues that has been brought to the board about Animal Control and their practices.  Was this done to get the County sued when Steve Baranek continues to do what he does best?

Continue to talk to your representative in the county; let them know you do not like what they are doing and you expect them to do the right thing for the public good.  Continue to photograph and report violations of Gloucester County employees disobeying the law (remember to be safe while taking these pictures and not endanger yourself or others).

I am not a lawyer and cannot give legal advice.  Our founding fathers were not lawyers either they were men of all walks of life and used common sense in their laws.  Our County, Commonwealth, and County are governed by the rule of law not by kings, queens, and wanna bees.

“For the Common Good. “

Sincerely,
Alexander James Jay

P.S. Ms. Theberge we saw what you did after the meeting ended last week before the camera turned off.  You wonder why you were not reelected?  That was the action of a petty dictator not a leader in the free world.
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