From the desk of Mike Rothfeld …
I figured this deserved a full dissemination. . . so I’ll post it online and forward it as well. Pretty convincing I’d say, and a good read for anyone remotely interested in what’s going on in Richmond.
The politicians at the State Capitol in Richmond are at it again.
No, they won’t directly raise your taxes this year: The surplus is too big (now over $1 billion), House elections too close, and last year’s record-breaking tax hike fight too fresh.
Still, there are plans to raise “fees” and tax new entities (like satellite TV). And the stampede to raise gas taxes next year has already started in order to “fix” transportation (as if pouring more money into that sewer of waste will achieve any more in the future than it has in the past).
But what is more distressing, is the charade by Speaker of the House Bill Howell to push a bogus repeal of the car tax. The fact is it won’t repeal the car tax and, more importantly, Speaker Howell knows it will not pass the Senate.
Please read on to understand what is really up.
As a leader in the fight to make Virginia a freedom-protecting, low-tax leader of our nation — and to make the Republican Party a party that practices these principles, not just talks about them — you should know what’s going on behind the rhetoric from Richmond.
Last year, politicians hiked our taxes a whopping $1.4 billion and stopped the phase out of the car tax. The key maneuver was Speaker Bill Howell’s twisting the arms of four anti-tax Republicans (Cole, Janis, O’Bannon, Louderback) to not show up to kill the tax hike in committee. Once the tax hike reached the House floor, Howell knew 17 Republican turncoats would vote with Democrats to pass the tax hike.
Now, Speaker Bill Howell and House Republican leaders are pushing a bogus plan to “clean the skirts” of the 17 Big Tax Republicans who voted to raise our taxes last year.
The so-called “Car Tax Repeal bill” actually doesn’t eliminate the car tax at all, because the bill only phases out the car tax over the next six to ten years — IF the economy is good.
But more importantly Speaker Howell & Co. know any legislation to continue the car tax cut (promised back in 1997 by Jim Gilmore) is dead on arrival in the state Senate. Governor Warner opposes it too, of course.
So don’t buy it, my friend.
It’s a trick play to let some of the 17 Big Tax Republicans (many of whom are about to get Republican Primary challenges) cast a meaningless vote to lower taxes to use in their re-election campaign literature!
You should see right through it.
I’m writing you today, because I know you’re someone who cares about the future of Virginia and will do something to safeguard our freedoms and act to protect taxpayers, our families and our values. That’s why you are on this list with other of Virginia’s most influential and conservative political activists.
You may know me as a political consultant, a conservative Republican activist, or as a candidate.
In 2003, I ran in the Republican Primary against Senate President John Chichester, campaigning to put taxpayers and families ahead of the demands of Big Government and special interests, and to stand 100% for the unborn.
I did not win. But I stood firm for principle and a political rule I recommend to you and all conservative activists: As much as possible, politicians MUST pay a price for bad behavior (e.g. voting for bigger government, higher taxes, continuing the abortion slaughter, trampling gun rights).
When I ran for office, I asked whether the Republican Party would be committed to lower taxes and limited government.
Or would we become a party that merely, “Tries to run the machinery of big government a little better than the Democrats?”
Since there is no chance of passing any repeal of the car tax this year, the politicians should act to return the ENTIRE surplus to the taxpayers and NOT increase spending even one dime.
Since 1998, the politicians in Richmond have hiked state spending more than 47%.
And the current Virginia budget has billions more than was required to keep up with inflation, population, and school and college enrollment since 1979.
Yet there are virtually no calls from Democrats or Republicans to rein in government spending. In fact, they talk incessantly of NEW and INCREASED spending.
To pay for it, according to the Virginia Club for Growth, taxes in Virginia have been increasing 20% faster than incomes since 1979.
I’m asking you to tell Speaker Howell, your Delegate, and your Senator to refuse to spend 1 penny of the $1 billion surplus and send it ALL back to taxpayers and families.
For convenience, I’ve added a link to the complete list of legislators with
contact numbers here: http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/MWebsiteTL?OpenView and at the bottom of this e-mail.
Yes, many will probably ignore you … or whine about the “needs” and “core services” that are in “crisis.” But, at last, they may begin to sniff the wind of a grass-roots rebellion to business-as-usual.
And please, make plans to join me and many others in working to defeat some of the 17 Big Tax Republicans in primaries this Spring. More on that in the next few weeks.
I hope you agree, NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL TO COME TO THE AID OF THEIR PRINCIPLES!
Stay tuned … I’ll keep you informed.
Best regards,
Mike Rothfeld
President
SABER Communications, Inc.
101 Washington Street
Falmouth, Virginia 22405
PS. If you want no more communication from me, email back and say so. I’ll respect your wish.
PPS. The 17 Big Tax Republicans are Preston Bryant, Jr. (Lynchburg), Charles Carrico Sr. (Grayson County), James H. Dillard II (Fairfax), William H. Fralin, Jr. (Roanoke), Robert R. Hurt (Pittsylvania), Riley E. Ingram (Hopewell), S. Chris Jones (Suffolk), Daniel W. Marshall III (Danville), Joe T. May (Leesburg), Harvey B. Morgan (Gloucester), David A. Nutter (Christiansburg), G. Glenn Oder (Newport News), Robert D. Orrock Sr. (Spotsylvania), Harry J. Parrish (Manassas), Thomas Davis Rust (Herndon), Edward T. Scott (Culpeper), and Robert R. Tata (Virginia Beach).
For the list of all VA Delegates phone numbers and e-mail addresses go to: http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/MWebsiteTL?OpenView