1st Dist. Chairman Blasts HB 6055

As the representative of Prince William County on the First Congressional Dist. GOP Cmte., I wholeheartedly endorse these sentiments myself.

Dear Republican Members of the House of Delegates:

This is written after consultation with members of the First Congressional District Republican Committee, the only District encompassing both HR/Tidewater and Nova.

You are considering HB6055 which is such a disappointment. Much time and energy has been expended in trying to redefine or otherwise sugar coat what are in fact taxes or to reestablish agencies rejected by both the voters and the courts. Had that same amount of time been spent on trying to find a solution to the underlying problem, we all would have been better served.

At this point in our history, the price of energy and the subsequent lifestyle changes it has caused, with the resulting institutional, manufacturing and trade changes, show that you are dealing with yesterday’s problems – not today’s and not tomorrow’s.

Should this bill pass, you all will suffer at election time because the problems will not be solved and neither the Press nor your fellow Republicans will let you forget. More importantly, those of us in leadership roles in getting out the vote have seen volunteer participation both decline and turn against us due to your past legislation in this area.

Should you go down this path again, we can expect more of the same, with the first casualties being John McCain, and Jim Gilmore.

The continuing disruptions which will result from the cost of energy make it imperative that you all review our transportation, commuting, educational, and trading models before money gets thrown at problems no longer relevant to the Commonwealth’s present and future.

We have supported you in good times and bad. This, however, may go beyond anyone’s ability to justify or support in good conscience. It violates the pledges most of you took and it violates the Common Creed we as Republicans profess.

Turn up your sleeves and start dealing with the problems we are facing today and will be facing tomorrow. That is why we worked so hard to put you all in the majority. Your past actions, divorced from our common beliefs, are why you are barely in the majority, and why we have lost the Senate. Put Kaine and the Democrats on the defensive. Make us proud and vote this bill down!

Yours truly,

Thomas E. Foley
Chairman,
First Congressional District Republican Committee