Recent Posts
Vivian J. Paige
Return To Blog Listing
I learned a lot about politics as the result of my run for City Treasurer. This blog is my way of staying in touch with those who supported me and reaching out to those who did not.
The primary focus of this blog is Norfolk politics. Of course, yo
Recent Posts Tagged With 'Local'
McDonnell: change budget cycle
I just received an email from Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell in which he discusses the need to change the budget development cycle to odd-numbered years. The Governor made his proposal with only 28 days left in his single four-year term, carrying out his o...
Senate passes healthcare reform bill
In an early morning session, the US Senate voted 60-39 in favor of healthcare reform. All 58 Democrats plus two Independents supported the measure while all of the Republicans voted against. Republican Senator Jim Bunning from Kentucky was absent fro...
Norfolk council: Does money grow on trees?
The economy is in the tank. Norfolk is facing a $39 million shortfall. The light rail starter line is 41% over budget, requiring an additional $38 million to $40 million to complete this once-again delayed project. The Commonwealth is facing a $4.2 b...
Kaine’s budget proposal link
Given the weather around the Commonwealth (although not here in Hampton Roads), perhaps you’d like to spend some time perusing the budget Governor Tim Kaine put forth yesterday. The details can be found here. Or you can use this break from poli...
Governor’s budget: no car tax
I just watched the last of Governor Kaine’s budget presentation to the money committees. One of his proposals is to eliminate the car tax reimbursement that the state pays to the localities and which costs the state approximately $950 million...
9500 Liberty: a quick review
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever does. — Margaret Mead I attending the screening of 9500 Liberty Tuesday night and as I watched the film, the above quote...
Military Spouses Residency Relief Act: it’s gonna cost us
An article in Monday’s newspaper about the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act (MSRRA) struck me, at the time, as a case of missing the forest for the trees. The act, passed on Veterans Day, will extend residential benefits to spouses of mili...
Norfolk Councilman Williams not running
According to a story posted on PilotOnline, Ward 1 council member Don Williams will not run for re-election. “This is my Christmas present to Rose,” he said. “She’s had three serious bouts of cancer and a recent case of pneumonia. She’s hea...
Where is Amiral?
87th House district Republican candidate John Amiral has left town and owes a pile of people money, including WVEC, the station that aired this story. The biggest question I have: how in the heck did Amiral end up owing media outlets? Have they ch...
Reminder: 9500 Liberty screening tonite
Just a reminder that the screening of the movie 9500 Liberty will be at 7:15pm tonight at the Naro in Norfolk. In case you want to know a bit more about the movie, check out this review. In this film, an anti-immigration blogger in Prince William Cou...
Norfolk council: do your job!
“I am reluctant to pull the council into this. But if we can help resolve this, we will try.” The above quote came from Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim in an article today regarding the latest turf battle between Norfolk Commissioner of the Rev...
9500 Liberty film screening in Norfolk Tuesday
9500 Liberty will have a screening Tuesday evening at the Naro in Norfolk. Prince William County, Virginia becomes ground zero in America’s explosive battle over immigration policy when elected officials adopt a law requiring police officers to que...
Warner roundtable on women on combat
Senator Mark Warner held a roundtable in the Norfolk Main Library this morning to hear from military women and representatives of various veteran support groups on the issue of combat stress. Last month, Warner sponsored legislation directing the U.S...
Smigiel: A new choice. A new voice.
The first candidate to announce for the upcoming Norfolk council elections in May was Tommy Smigiel, who is taking on incumbent Randy Wright in Ward 5. Smigiel, a former Virginia Teacher of the Year, has hit the ground running. He’s got his web...
Support expansion of state health care benefits
The articles last week on the proposal by outgoing Governor Tim Kaine to expand health care benefits of state employees didn’t tell the whole story. Now that we have the proposed language for the changes, hopefully some of the commentors will...
Virginia Beach, Chesapeake shenanigans
No longer can South Hampton Roads residents point to Norfolk for the follies of its elected representatives. Add Virginia Beach and Chesapeake to the mix. In Virginia Beach, Dan Lowe, the school board member representing the Bayside district, resigne...
Warner & other freshmen on health care reform
According to a press release, senator Mark Warner is leading a freshman group of 11 Senators on health care reform issues. The eleven freshmen are Sens. Mark Begich (AL), Michael Bennet (CO), Roland Burris (IL), Kay Hagan (NC), Ted Kaufman (DE...
Without a mention of “macaca”
Who doesn’t remember S. R. Sidarth, the young man whose recording of then-Senator George Allen brought the word “macaca” into the consciousness of every Virginian in 2006 and brought down the Senator’s re-election campaign? ...
Portsmouth sheriff threatens removal of courthouse security
For the second time this year, Portsmouth Sheriff Bill Watson has threatened action in the city in a dispute over compensation. Earlier this year, Watson threatened to suspend services provided by inmate work crews unless his deputies received raises...
Update: sentence reduced in Craigslist robber case
In an earlier post, I asked your opinions on the sentence of a robber who used Craigslist to lure victims. The man was sentenced to five life terms. Due to his cooperation in the investigation, his sentence has been reduced to 33 years. Interesting i...
Exhibit #9,9999,999 on VA campaign finance reform
Brian over at Bearing Drift brought up an issue that I had been thinking about in conjunction with last Saturday’s Republican canvass. Although I don’t live in the 8th Senate district, I was as inundated with TV and radio ads as anyone ...
Deadline to Get Square is today
If you owe back taxes in Virginia, the deadline is today to take advantage of the amnesty. The Virginia Department of Taxation has an excellent website set up to handle the filing of returns, including links to the old forms, as well as the payments....
Vote Wilson December 5
The election to select the next Senator from the 8th District may be scheduled for January 12, but the real election will take place tomorrow, December 5. With no Democratic candidate, the voters in the 8th will choose their representative in a Repub...
Kaine proposes extending state health benefits
Governor Tim Kaine is proposing to extend state health care benefits to “other qualified adults” living in the households of state employees. Under the proposal, adults without health benefits who share a home with an insured state worker...
RHIP: Let him fly the flag
Col. Van T. Barfoot (Joe Mahoney/RTD) There is a saying in the military that “rank has its privileges.” As a corollary to that, I often say that age has its privileges. I think both apply in the case of 90-year-old Medal of Honor recipien...
Rings around the moon
Last night, the talk on Twitter was about the moon. These two pictures were taken about midnight, when the moon was directly overhead. (Click to enlarge.) I can tell you – the pictures don’t capture the way things looked out there. Th...
Where does McWaters stand?
The Virginian-Pilot broke with tradition today with its endorsement in a primary race that is tantamount to election. The winner of this Saturday’s Republican canvass will be the representative of the 8th Senate District in Virginia Beach, unle...
Special elections date set: Jan 12
Governor Tim Kaine announced Monday that the special elections to fill seats in the 8th and 37th Senate districts will be held Tuesday, January 12, 2010. The opening in the 37th, which covers part of Fairfax County, was created by the election of Ken...
Who is Rosemary Wilson?
I guess I haven’t paid nearly as much attention to the Virginia Beach City Council as I probably should have. A quick search on my blog reveals very little about the second candidate for the Republican nomination for Senate in the 8th district,...
Speaker releases House Ethics Panel report
Speaker Bill Howell has released the report of the House Ethics Panel inquiry into Newport News Delegate Phil Hamilton. The report (pdf) is, as expected, brief: since Hamilton has resigned, the panel says it lacks jurisdiction to proceed. In an email...
