Economy

With the USA sending as much as $700 billion overseas to buy foreign oil, conversion of cars, trucks, buses, post office delviery vans, to North American natural gas is very important.  One of the biggest obstacles is the lack of filling stations.

Virginia could add to existing rest stops along the highways and other locations to fill up natural gas vehicles, to help encourage this transition.

Since natural gas evaporates into the air if it gets loose, there is no problem with leakage into the ground. 

As an attorney I listened to a Prince William County General District Court Judge explain in more eloquent terms than I could the horrible mistake made by the Virginia General Assemly on this problem.  I was aware of it, but not in the sharp, clear, forceful terms confirmed by this GDC judge in Prince William.  (I'm terrible with names or I would name names gladly).

Christmas and New Year's Day are both on Thursday this year.  Those 2 days should be the only paid time off for the state's employees.  Do not give the 2 Fridays as paid time off.  If an employee wants to take Friday off, then they can use vacation time.

This is a fiscally responsible approach to use my tax dollars.

This can save MORE than the dangerous mercury light bulbs.  These days, any Lowes or Home Depot can sell you a motion-sensing light switch which will turn the lights OFF after there has been no motion for a period of time.  NOTE that you can ADJUST the period of time.  (Anyone can do it.  You just lift up the cover and swivel a screw with a screwdriver.)  So there is NO reason for anyone to resist this.  The lights then come on again automatically when motion is detected (assuming the light is otherwise switched on).   All you have to do is turn off t

One of the best places to put wind power turbines is in the sea.  But for both construction reasons and envrironmental reasons it can be problematic to sink huge towers into the sea bed.

One of the best places to put wind power turbines is in the sea.  But for both construction reasons and envrironmental reasons it can be problematic to sink huge towers into the sea bed.

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To reduce the price of gasoline for everyone, reduce the demand for gasoline and diesel. Immediately convert all City buses and State vehicles (other than police) to natural gas.

Talk of budget cuts does not seem to include monthly payments to VITA [new computers could be bought every year for the cost of this "service"], rent paid to DGS, EVA [the cost of this fiasco has been passed on to state agencies by vendors understandably, but this cost taxpayers more in the end]. Also legislators get paid a salary and per diem and for the past several years have not been able to accomplish things in a scheduled session. Perhaps it is time to pay them for services rendered.

If times are tough as they say they are right now, sacrifices might have to be made. Cutting state employee benefits…only temporary…in order to get though this economic crisis. However, my suggestion (and I know this suggestion isn't going to be favored at all) is that state employees will still get to keep their jobs, health/vision insurance, dental insurance, and still contribute to retirement. Only the other things, like holiday pay, vacation pay, sick leave pay, would be frozen and not earned/paid.

The current grant opportunity for small scale biofuels production in Virginia is $0.10 per gallon for all gallons over 2 million.  The Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco has 3 license tiers for producers:  Under 10,000 gallons, 10,000-5000,000 gallons, and Over 500,000 gallons.  We have apparently given big business a free pass on this bill and we need to correct the loophole and show serious support for renewable energy at every level.  Mr.