To the Editor:
Del. Jim Dillard's (R-41st) comments as quoted in your article "Taxes Dominate 41st District Delegate Race," were astonishing. Jim Dillard continues to attempt to deceive the public into believing that we have a major budget crisis in Virginia. What we really have is a mismanagement crisis.
First, Dillard claims that he cut $6 billion from the 2002-03 budget. That is simply a lie that he and other tax-and-spend liberals keep repeating. The truth is that state spending increased by $1.7 billion during that period.
Second, Dillard talks about the budget shortfall and claims that "the state simply doesn't have the money to do what is necessary to meet the needs of the citizens of Virginia. These are legal obligations, not do gooder types of things." You also quote Dillard as saying, "We've gone down and found all of the quarters left in the couch, and there aren't any left." Then could Dillard please explain why the state of Virginia is spending more than $700,000 per year — a total of $6 million of my tax dollars and yours over a period of eight years — for a Mixing Bowl information center at the Springfield Mall? And what is the purpose of this center? To educate the public regarding the Mixing Bowl project (information they could get free online at www.springfieldinterchange.com) and give away "freebies" (purchased with my tax dollars!). Is this ridiculous waste of taxpayer's money a "legal obligation" that "is necessary to meet the needs of the citizens of Virginia?"
Obviously, Jim Dillard and the other legislators who allow this type of brazen waste while demanding that we pay more taxes don't understand the concept of functioning on a budget like most of the taxpaying citizens do. Let's begin holding our elected officials accountable for the way they appropriate our money. Let's start with Dillard, who sits on the appropriations committee and should be held responsible for the fact that only 19 cents out of every tax dollar we send to Richmond is returned to our area. That is the real crisis.
We need to elect candidates like Michael Golden who understand that citizens deserve more efficient government, not more taxes.
Bill Peabody
Lynn Golden