$851 million sliced from Va. transportation plan

The social system in our state and across the country needs to be revaluated. Rules need to be implemented wherein those that rely on the welfare system should not be permitted additional or extended assistance if they bare children. Those in the system should be required to work 40 hours per week for the state at some capacity, and those without a high school diploma, should be required to obtain at least a GED. These people could be cutting the grass on the side of state owned roadways, or working at the now closed rest areas, and / or many other positions currently, or formally performed by state employees. Those welfare participants arrested and convicted on drug charges should be booted from the system. Finally, all welfare cases should be looked at individually, and a realistic time limit should be imposed on their participation. Welfare was never intended to be passed down from generation to generation, and bringing children into the life of a housing project is not admirable, and certainly should not be a financially rewarding. Being financially dependent upon others is not a disease or an illness that people have no control over and it should not be treated as such.

If the truth were widely acknowledged, our officials and legislators, of all parties over a number of years, are directly responsible for much of the current shortfall in “transportation” funding. Money obtained from taxpayers specifically for “tranportation” has over the years been systematically diverted to social programs that “buy” votes.

While some very modest increases in some taxes might be desirable - but only if there is a legally-enforceable mandates that transportation money be “off limits” for other purposes - there are myriad opportunities to make better use of existing infrastructure through the adoption of alternate work schedules, satellite offices nearer where employees live, “telecommuting”, and carefully planned staggered work hours. Available money, then, should be used primarily for maintenance rather than futile attempts to build more and more roads where little open space remains to “shoe horn” them in without seizing property from homeowners.

While not politically correct, there simply are too many government programs, agencies, and entitlements. Before raising taxes, these should and must be pared significantly, and fraud, abuse, mismanagement, and malfeasance dramatically reduced. Available funds must be spent only where they demonstrably provide a necessary benefit on a cost-effective basis.

“Transportation” takes hits because professional political operatives know that it is an emotional, “hot button” issue that, when effectively exploited, frightens taxpayers into blindly accepting unnecessary tax increases so that more money can be funded to politicians’ “give-away” programs which garner them votes so they can remain in office.

Why is it always transportation that takes the hit? Why are we not reading the numerous social give away government freebies are being cut the same amount? After all the transportation system covers all Virginians. Not just a minority of people that will always have their hand out for a government freebie.

Cut $425 million from the social programs budget and restore $425 million to transportation. Of course the democrats will lose a lot of the entitlement recipient vote but the Commonwealth will have money for some transportation needs.

These are just numbers.  They’re not all that important.  Bob promised to reopen the VDOT rest stops 90 days after taking office.  He and Pat have prayed together about it.  That’s all I need to know.