Happy New Taxes ... uh ... Year!

Yesterday the local newspapers were full of reminders that the new year brings a raft of new taxes for those of us fortunate enough to live in Virginia. These new taxes, on things as diverse as selling a home, renting a hotel room, and buying, inspecting, registering, or repairing a car, are intended to raise $325 million per year for road and mass transit improvements to help address the horrendous traffic problems we deal with daily.

I'd feel a lot better about it if I thought it would do some good.

Coming on top of the biggest increase in transit fares and related fees in our transit authority's history (which take effect this coming weekend), these taxes represent a huge burden on local commuters and taxpayers. I don't argue that our transportation situation is bad and getting worse, but I think the answer needs to include fees assessed to real estate developers and auto makers, and housecleaning in the bloated and inefficient administration of the transit authority, and routine, reliable funding from the local governments, as well as new taxes and fees slammed on Real People. Of course, I'm not stupid (no matter what everyone says) - I realize that fees levied on developers, car makers, and the like will be immediately passed on to their customers and end up being the same as a direct tax. But, as I've often said in this space before, we need to take a systemic approach to problems. Taxes only address one small part of the problem. It's not fair for developers and manufacturers to get a free ride at our expense.

My Daily Curmudgeon e-mail the other day contained an interesting and appropriate quote for this topic. Henry David Thoreau once wrote that,

"I went to the store the other day to buy a bolt for our front door, for as I told the storekeeper, the Governor was coming here. 'Aye,' said he, 'and the Legislature too.' Then I will take two bolts, said I."

I think I'll head to the Home Depot after work and pick up a gross of bolts.

Turning to happier topics, we had a chance to visit with our daughter and her family yesterday, and to schmooze with the most adorable grandchild in Virginia (we already have Ohio covered by our other grandchildren). Poor Leya wasn't feeling very well, and wasn't in her typical full-cute mode, but even in a bad mood, she can out-cute every other lesser child in the state.

Agnes took the opportunity to provide a little music lesson (nothing like starting early) ...


Poor Leya got pretty well spun up with our visit and didn't want to take a nap - there was just too much interesting stuff to see and do with grandma and grandpa. I did, finally, manage to rock her to sleep ...


Yes, there are some things that can take one's mind off all the other problems of the world.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo