Most Popular Ideas

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.

Code every state vehicle with a specific alpha-numeric sequence and clearly post a fraud waste and abuse hotline on the back of the vehicle in bold letters.  This will discourage abuse of government authority/vehicles.  Government employees should be required to sign out vehicles, log mileage upon check-out and return, fuel level upon check-out and return, and any potential problems with the vehicle.  This will ensure that vehicles are tightly controlled by a centralized agency and maintenance is up to date and performed properly and efficiently.  Responsibility and acco

 I spent the summer driving Interstate 64 between Hampton and Richmond on a twice-weekly basis, if not more often.  I am really concerned over the number of state police cars I have seen that pull onto 64 (from one of the median turns), while turning on their siren/lights and speeding down the road, only to turn off their lights and drive with the traffic for another 10 to 20 miles.  The number of near accidents that I have seen is frightening (well actually driving 64 can often be frightening!) and I am concerned as well with the message that is sent when this happens.

I went to the University of Virginia Lawschool.  It's been slipping in the rankings.  Does anyone have thoughts as to why this is?

Thanks,

The Post Partisan

If you need to save $10 million in state salaries, don't lay off (or not hire) 150 employees.  Instead, reduce salaries of all state employess, but not by an across-the-board percent, which is regressive like the sales tax and hurts the lowest income earner the most.

Instead, use a graduated percentage reduction like the federal and state income taxes.  For example, reduce salaries of employees earning over 150,000 by 5%, salaries 75,000 up to 149,999 by 3%, and salaries below 75,000 by 2%.  Thus, everybody pays a share in the savings.

Given the large number of personalized license plates one sees on Virginia's roads, it seems this service might not be priced as high as the market would bear.  DMV generally implements and manages fees for services which have been legislatively determined; it seldom has to determine the market value of a service.  In this matter, it could use some expert help.  It should be a simple matter for an economics professor at a state university to work with DMV as a class project to set the price for the service that maximizes state revenue. <!

The car accidents on major highway during morning and evening rush hours cause delay to a lot of people. That is the time wasted because of the direct result of a few persons unattentive driving. I propose that we increase the demerit points deducted for causing the accidents to six points and increasing the fines to those ticketed while being distracted. I am seeing more and more people drinking coffee, reading news paper and talking on the cell phones with out hands free devices. Just an idea.

Increase the cigarette tax to more than $2.75 a pack.

Increase taxes on all alcohol significantly.

I would like an investigation of the Department of Insurance to see whether it has become a rubber stamp for health insurance increases.  My rate with Carefirst BlueCross BlueShield went up 26% this year, and was approved by the Department of Insurance.  When is the last time the Department of Insurance denied a rate increase?  Does the Department of Insurance actually review the books of insurance companies or does it blindly accept what they tell it?  Has the budget for the Department of Insurance been cut so much it cannot properly do its job?  The Department of

Offer a 1 year full ride scholarship to the top 10% of academic performers (in the case of small schools, 3.15 GPA is the cut-off point) in the state of Virginia to ANY state funded school upon normal application and acceptance procedures.  Ensure that this program is promoted by guidance counselors at all public schools.  In the event that the student fails classes once they arrive in college, student is REQUIRED to reimburse the states investment plus 0.5% interest penalty.