What Does Dave Albo Mean By "Reasonable Republican?"

Del. Dave "Abuser Fees" Albo is looking to tax out-of-state corporations while Gov. Bob McDonnell is trying to bring businesses here in order to boost transportation money.  Of course this solves nothing because Virginia's standard for transportation spending is still based on road miles and not overall usage - which means the rest of the states roads look great but there is never enough for us no matter how much we tax.

Of course, Del. Albo (Barley-R) has never had a problem with taxes, fees, or any way for the government to take more of our money or possibly help his law firm.  On top of all this, Albo had this to say when pitching his latest scheme to get more of our money and more control in Richmond:

Albo sent the proposal to his Republican colleagues in the House Wednesday with a note explaining that it is not a tax increase.

"This is not a tax increase on Virginians,'' Albo said. "They've got to vote for this. I can get 51 votes in the House and I'll get every reasonable Republican."

But some conservatives will consider taxing corporations that are currently not taxed a tax increase.

Ben Marchi, state director for Americans for Prosperity, said the proposal will reduce the state's competitive edge and put Virginia's transportation problems on non-Virginians.

"This is a disgusting display of arrogance from tone-deaf politicians who clearly did not hear the voters this past November,'' Marchi said.

Albo has always been looking to get other people to pay for bigger government and the mistakes made by both parties in Virginia.  Instead of fixing the problems, I guess we just want to perpetuate them and have non-Virignians pay for them?  And I can't wait for Albo to explain what makes a "reasonable Republican."

Comments

[Dave Hoffington]

Time for Albo to go. No Conservative is he. Just another pretender.

[local gop]

I find it interesting that you did not post the other side of the story.

Albo points out that this would only apply to companies that do business in Virginia. Just because their physical location is not in Virginia does not mean that they should be exempt from business taxes in Virginia. Albo also makes the obvious (well, apparently not THAT obvious) point that this also serves as a dis-incentive for companies to move into Virginia.

It would generate a hell of a lot more money than selling the liquor stores, of course that will never happen anyway.

Maryland and DC do it, why shouldn't Virginia? What competitive edge would we be losing if EVERY state in the region does it as well? Oh, that's right, money magically falls from the sky in Virginia to fix the roads. I forgot.

Don't want to pay an abuser fee? Don't speed, or drive drunk/recklessly. Seems simple enough to me. Of course it should have been applied to all drivers and not just Virginia residents.

Of course my radical liberal view of being punished for committing a crime or taxing companies that do business in Virginia (gasp!) will be sufficiently met with slews of personal attacks by random first and last name generated comments.

[VA Blogger]

Chris, I'm confused why you brought things like "big government" and "mistakes by both parties" (presumably referring to previous tax increases and a rise in government spending) when talking about Albo's proposal.

It seems pretty clear that Albo is looking to raise revenue for transportation. It's not like he's proposing a new government program, or suggesting an initiative that's best done by the private sector. I think everybody in the state can agree that we need more money for transportation. That need is not borne out of any "big government", and while it is the mistake of both parties, it is not due to any big spending. To the contrary, it's due to too little spending on roads, or at the very best, not enough spending on roads due to too much spending elsewhere.

I get your recent arms-length embrace of the Tea Party, and your almost-but-not-quite attempts at RINO hunting. But if you're going to go after "big government Republicans" (to borrow a phrase from Keith Fimian, appropriately lacking the proper rationale to support it), why go after Del. Albo on an issue meant to raise money for transportation?

And if you're that much against his non-Virginians tax, then what's your proposal to fix roads?

[Chris]

Because the system is flawed no matter who we tax, and I don't trust Dave Albo for anything after his continued embrace of abuser fees. We've tried raising taxes, we tried having unelected regional tax authorities, and now we are going to tax out of state business? None of it works until we can ensure that the manner in which the state allocates the transportation money is based on usage and not mileage of road. THAT has to be the first thing we do . . . the Virignia budget has grown by the tens of millions since 2001 and the roads are still shitty. I drive on them just like you do. And then I come out here to Warren and Shenandoah Counties were I work and the roads are spotless, its maddening.

Actually, my plan is similar to Gov. McDonnell . . . I want to harness our offshore energy capacity and use that money to fund transportation. That makes the most sense because its a new revenue stream with taxing folks during a depression.

But what I know, right? I'm just an uninformed, unreasonable Republican.

@Kyle - If DC and Maryland do anything, I don't want to do it. Those localities are disasters. Maryland has the same transprotation issues as we due with higher taxes, they should be a warning to us.

As for your comment about abuser fees, I'm not quite sure you understand or remember exactly what Albo proposed. People were getting fines of upwards to $2,000 for speeding - and you know how it is here, you need to drive 10/15 mph over just to keep up on some roads. It was an outrageous move by Albo and he still wants to bring them back, and it doesn't hurt him because his law firm handles those cases. Hmmmm. So while its easy for you to snicker "don't speed," when your late for work and suddenly you owe the county $2,000 for a speeding ticket when you pull in $40K only a year, come talk to me there.

[McDaniel may be a skid mark but he predicted this comment]

Don't agree with Chris here or Ben Marchi...Marchi is full of crap as always. In fact I tend to agree with VA Blogger and localgop. But despite that, VA Blogger and localgop...what a couple of skid marks on the blogosphere. I am waiting for the RedNova headline "Check Out Pics from Last Weekend's Vablogger-Localgop Sweaty Manwich/Turd Sandwich." I can't think of any bigger ass clowns than these two...except maybe that Steven Seagal aka bulletproof monk character.

[VA Blogger]

Why would you even group the two of us together?

[VA Blogger]

Chris, you and I, and you and Dave Albo, aren't that far apart on this issue. To rundown:

1) I think everybody in NoVa would prefer to switch from mileage to usage. The unfortunate news is that NoVa legislators don't have fiat power. Such a bill would need to get passed by the entire state, and that won't happen. It's possible with redistricting that the urban crescent will be able to make those changes, but I'm not optimistic. However, that hardly seems like Dave Albo's fault.

2) We also agree about the increase of government spending, and how none of that have gone towards roads. Albo and other Republicans support securing the Transportation Trust Fund. Again, not Albo's fault.

3) Again, you, I, and Albo support offshore energy, and support using that for transportation. The obvious reality, however, is in the wake of BP, it may be a while until such processes even begin, and once they begin, it may be ten years or so until the state actually realizes any revenue from them. Of course that doesn't mean we shouldn't do it, but to count as revenue in 2011 monies that may not arrive until 2025 doesn't help fix our roads.

None of those things make you unreasonable. They're all pretty common-sense measures, and most importantly, they're all agreed upon by all the subjects of this conversation. Unfortunately, for various reasons, those fixes aren't immediately available. While you can hope and wish for a miracle to happen, we still have to drive on these roads. And so while working towards the solutions you prescribed, and others, Albo is also working on this one.

Whether or not you trust him is irrelevant, but its a shame that you just blindly castigate any proposal he puts on the table when he and you see eye-to-eye on a lot more than you're willing to give him credit for.

[Dave Albo]

The bill is NOT a tax increase on any Va corporation. Ben Marchi got it wrong. It actually is a tax cut on some Va businesses. Current law creates the ludicrous situation where a VA company that has employees in VA and provides a service to a VA business or individual, it pays corp tax. However, if an out of state corp that has no jobs in VA provides the same service in VA, it pays zero. So current law is a disincentive to move jobs here. My bill merely fixes this problem by bringing Va in line with the other states. It is NOT tax increase on VA companies. In fact, it will cut taxes on many VA companies that are currently double taxed.

[Chris]

The problem is I'm not even arguing about tax increase or tax cut, the fact is money that goes to Richmond does NOT come back up here. It just doesn't, and nobody is doing anything to change the basic funding formula. So until someone can convince me that the downstate barons that rule the General Assembly aren't just going to reallocate this to themselves, I won't support anything because its more money being wasted.

[VA Blogger]

LOL, so you support *NO* ways at generating revenue until the basic demographics of the state change? That's an interesting position, to say the least. Since Albo has been at the forefront of that fight for 18 years, it's odd that you're trying to beat him up at the same time.

[Rick S.]

Dave,

What about out of state corporations that have offices in VA? What happens to them? They would have taxes now where they didn't before, correct?

[Chris]

OK let me reitirate what I said earlier - I support funding transportation through offshore energy - its the best way to do it, it sepreates it from the regular general fund dollars, and if done correctly could make the whole argument about allocation moot.

I wouldn't take it as much of a compliment that Albo has been in the "forefront" of this for 18 years because for 18 years its gotten worse and worse. Its been tax increase after tax increase and all the revenue just goes down the Richmond toilet. Since in 18 years Del. Albo hasn't figured out how to bypass that and get us our money, I'm not sure pissing off out of state business is worth NOT getting the money we tax them.

[VA Blogger]

You're right, Chris! Surely there's a simple way to convince the rest of the state to vote against their own interests and benefit NoVa's interests! Delegates and Senators vote all the time to send money *away* from their own districts!

Every representative, of either party, Northern Virginia has ever sent to Richmond has fought this problem. So I suppose you're against the entire NoVa delegation then? And will be opposed to the future delegates you wish to replace them with if they can't get it done either?

[Chris]

well since most of the NOVA delegation is Democrat these days I sure wouldn't mind seeing nearly all of them removed.

And once again you think my cricism of Abuser Fee Albo should mean I feel the exact same way about everyone else. Albo lost me with the abuser fees, and I can't trust anything he does or says again after that disgrace. But there is a way to after that and that is elected Republican delegates and senators and working hard to make sure every single statewide elected Republicans owes Northern Virginia. I like the work LeMunyon and Comstock are doing. It can be done, but we need folks who are willing to fight rather than just play the "lets tax more" game. Even if its out of state business. And what about, as Rick asks, out of state businesses with offices here? Are they taxed? What about business that Gov. McDonnell and LG Bolling are going after? Will they want to hear them out of our legislature is looking to tax them before they get here? How many businesses are there that are out of state might just dip out so they don't get taxed when the economy is just starting to finally show some signs of life? How is this smart?

I question your willingness to so blindly follow the lead of a delegate who has been wrong as much as he's been right. As usual, I suspect your political instincts are wrong. Seems to be a track record of that.

[Not Dick Cheney]

"Actually, my plan is similar to Gov. McDonnell . . . I want to harness our offshore energy capacity and use that money to fund transportation. That makes the most sense because its a new revenue stream with taxing folks during a depression."

Chris, that is ludicrous. I think we all know the talk of offshore oil revenue was merely campaign rhetoric of the smoke and mirrors variety by McDonnell. He worked very hard during the campaign not to give a straight answer to the simple and reasonable question of how he planned to pay for the many transportation promises he made during the campaign. It worked beautifully as a campaign tactic but it hamstrings the ability to do something rooted in reality now.

Even if one is a strong proponent of drilling off the Virginia coast and assumes that a favorable split of royalties can be worked out with the federal government and assumes that all legal and environmental hurdles can be overcome expeditiously, it will be after both McDonnell and his successor have left the governor's mansion before Virginia sees the first dime. Our transportation needs can't wait that long.

Or do you think we can do a loaves and fishes type of thing and turn the $500 million from selling the ABC stores into billions to pay for transportation? Assuming the privatization is accomplished.

Albo has made a reasonable proposal. Maybe it is the best answer and maybe it's not. But at least it is realistic rather than the fantasies so many Republicans have been peddling. Attacking the guy for making it seems pretty unreasonable.

I guess that puts you outside the group identified as reasonable Republicans.

[Chris]

I guess so.

[VA Blogger]

Chris, you are the last person in politics, blogging or otherwise, who should accuse others of blindly following the lead of others. When you decide to support somebody, you sell out for them 100%, and take everything they say as gospel without ever raising a critical view, even if it contradicts positions or statements you've made in the past. And you do the same when you decide you don't like someone.

Case in point, you don't like Dave Albo, and therefore the fact that NoVa has been shortchanged by Richmond *must* be his fault. It's simply ludicrous, insane, and borderline retarded.

I don't blindly follow Dave Albo. There are plenty of things he's done I disagree with, including the abusive driving fees. But just because I've had disagreements with him in the past doesn't mean I'm going to reject out-of-hand sensible proposals he makes, or get my panties a bunch when he refers to "reasonable Republicans".

As for this legislation, I don't know all the details of it, so I don't know yet if I support it or oppose it. You apparently don't need all the facts. You just need to know that Dave Albo proposed it, and that he's considered a RINO, and therefore Death to Dave Albo and All Dave Albo Ideas.

If you want to have a serious discussion about political instincts, I'm game. But you should come better prepared than anything I've seen you post in this blog, because its almost all worthless drivel.

[realist]

Am I right when in reading that Albo has been in the legislature for 18 years and he has not singlehandedly fixed the transportation problem?
Now I know who to blame for the cost of education, the decline in my house value, last winter’s snow storm, and the height problem with the pygmies in Africa.
And of course all good conservatives know that “abuser fees” are wrong. Why should anyone pay for their mistakes? We know the basis of conservative thinking is that there is NO personal responsibility, our mistakes are always the fault of government, society or an overbearing parent (or is that liberals?).

And surely we don’t want to “piss off” out of state business because they might not pay taxes? (Oops they currently pay no taxes).

Does anyone truly believe that offshore drilling, wind farms or selling liquor to drunks and minors is a realistic way of solving our transportation problems in the near future?

At least Albo is trying to do something “realistic” to address a portion of the problem without cost to VA citizens. He should be applauded for his actions.

[Chris]

@Spiker - I support who I support based on principles but I've disagreed with my guys (against Ken on primaries and convention fees, for instance).

@realist - why should businesses who aren't here be taxed? And don't be an ass, my only point is that I'm not sure I'm willing to trust the future of transportation spending with the guy who came up with abuser fees. As to your question on the second to last paragraph, its worth a shot. We have tried everything from straight up taxes to created unelected taxing authorities that many (including me) supported because something had to be done. We have to create an independent revenue source for transportation, and I'm willing to try anything that works. But relying on money from people and businesses that don't live here is faulty because a) it could make us unpopular with business, and b) there probably isn't enough money there to build an overpass on 28.

[local gop]

Chris, because those businesses do business in Virginia. Not having a brick and mortar store in Virginia should not serve as a tax haven. Delegate Albo accurately points out that this policy does in fact serve as a deterrent for companies to move physical stores into Virginia and hire Virginians.

I do agree with you that the money going to Richmond is absurd and needs to be stopped. Hopefully the voting blocks will shift to the urban areas and leave the rural areas out of luck.

[realist]

Chris,
When you propose that those who chose to escape taxes by having a business outside of VA at the detriment of those businesses in VA I wonder who is actually being “an ass”.

You profess to be willing to “try anything that works”; But it seems like your caveat is “as long as Albo does not propose it”; and who cares if it may be unpopular with businesses outside of VA?, they are doing nothing to support us and only taking from VA businesses.
One can only wonder if the “abuser fee” issue hit you so hard because you were an “abuser” or do you not like Albo for some other reason (did he date your ex?)

[Dave Hoffington]

Virginia ought to levy a word tax on local gop. There would be a budget surplus in no time.

[Sally May]

Finally, somebody has found some use for local. You go local. Keep on bloviating!

[Brian W. Schoeneman]

Normally, I would be averse to taxing out-of-state corporations, as that simply invites retaliation by other states and could harm Virginia businesses.

But seeing as how Maryland and DC - our two biggest rivals - already do that, I don't think this is that bad an idea.

And, as usual, Local's fan club is out in force. I'm always amazed at the emotions you bring out in folks, Local!

[Charles Kelley]

Del. Albo’s idea to tax companies outside of the state conducting commerce in Virginia is exactly the wrong approach. We ought to be encouraging those from outside Virginia to come here for business, not discouraging them. Whether operating in-state or out-of-state, a tax increase on a business is just that...a tax increase.

If Delegate Albo says he will seek the votes of ‘reasonable’ legislators to support his idea, and some of those same legislators are already questioning the Governor's extensive plan for Virginia to take on more debt to fund transportation, what makes him think there are legislators that will be 'reasonable' enough to vote for a tax increase, especially in an election year and after such a mandate from the people to cut spending in the 2010 elections??

However, if the goal of Del. Albo's legislation is to generate a revenue stream for transportation in Northern Virginia, this is the complete wrong way to go about it. There are over a billion dollars in "mystery" funds just found in the VDOT coffers that haven't yet been fully allocated, a plan on the table from the Governor to fund transportation projects by increasing Virginia's debt, and numerous budget reduction suggestions put out by us last year available at: http://bit.ly/g2tah0. With that said, a tax increase should be the very last resort, if even one at all, when there are a myriad of other options available.

Understandably, citizens in Northern Virginia may be more amicable to a tax increase but a majority of the rest of the state will not be, especially when the tax increase ends up costing them more out-of-pocket and presumably will go to fund transportation in another region of the state. While this may pad the pockets of VDOT and pave the roads of NOVA, it ends up hurting the end users, who are consumers and businesses in Virginia who utilize the products and services these out-of-state business provide statewide. It would seem that a top priority for all elected officials ought to be finding ways to ease the burden on citizens and the businesses from which they buy services, not adding to it, which is a hands-down, textbook example of exactly what Del. Albo is suggesting we do here.

Charles Kelley
Deputy State Director, AFP-Virginia