No surprise – House rejects proposed Kaine tax increase

Chris Graham

   Story by Chris Graham [email protected] A move by House Republican leaders to get outgoing Gov. Tim Kaine’s politically tone-deaf state income-tax increase up for an early vote on the House floor did what it was supposed to do. The House voted 97-0 on Thursday to reject the proposed 1 percent state income-tax hike that…

Legislating in troubled times

Ken Plum

   Column by State Del. Ken Plum www.kenplum.com Thomas Jefferson referred to the orderly transfer of power in government as a “bloodless revolution.” Such a revolution occurred in Mr. Jefferson’s Virginia last week as Democratic Gov. Timothy M. Kaine ended his constitutionally-limited one term, and former delegate and Attorney General Robert McDonnell took the oath…

Sneak Preview: Kaine’s final State of the Commonwealth

Contributors

   Staff Report News Tips: [email protected] Gov. Timothy M. Kaine will deliver his final State of the Commonwealth Address to the Joint Assembly in Richmond tonight at 7 p.m. The address will be carried on local PBS stations, streaming video will be available on the House of Delegates’ website, and text of the entire address…

Kaine requests disaster assistance related to snow cleanup

Chris Graham

  Staff Report News Tips: [email protected] Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today requested federal disaster assistance to reimburse state and local governments for costs associated with the severe winter storm that occurred Dec. 18-20, 2009 and the ensuing power outages. The governor has requested assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse state agencies and…

The Rant | Nice legacy, there, Tim-may

Chris Graham

     Video Essay by Chris Graham [email protected] The buzz in Richmond – Tim Kaine’s 2010-2012 budget is going to include a tax increase. Seriously, Tim-may? Because you know this is going to be your legacy. Some legacy, Chris Graham says today in his Rant. You’re the governor who proposed raising taxes in the middle…

Kaine statement on GOP efforts on financial industry

Contributors

  Staff Report News Tips: [email protected] Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement after Roll Call reported that House Republican leaders, including Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.), met with more than 100 Wall Street lobbyists yesterday to strategize a plan to kill financial regulatory reform:

Focus | ‘One governor at a time’

Chris Graham

   Story by Chris Graham [email protected] With AFP Video “Obviously, there’s only one governor,” and Tim Kaine is the governor of Virginia through early January, and it’s up to Kaine and his staff to put together a proposed budget for the 2010-2012 biennium. Kaine told VirginiaPoliticsToday.com that he met last week with Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell…

Focus | Kaine marks beginning of smoking ban

Chris Graham

Three-year effort leads to statewide ban Story by Chris Graham [email protected] With AFP Video A multiyear effort that began with Gov. Tim Kaine signing in 2006 an executive order banning smoking in state buildings was realized today with the implementation of a statewide ban on smoking in most restaurants and bars. Kaine said today in…

Focus | Kaine offers advice to McDonnell on health care

Chris Graham

Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell doesn’t think health-care reform with a public option is going to be “something that is going to help us in Virginia.” His predecessor recommends that he wait until Congress makes its final call on reform before painting himself into a corner. “What I would say – he’s going to make his own…

The Pulse | ‘Interesting’ week for Kaine, DNC

Chris Graham

The media and Republicans are howling about the gubernatorial-election trainwrecks in Virginia and New Jersey spelling early doom for the agenda of President Barack Obama not even a year into his term. It’s Tim Kaine’s job as Democratic National Committee chairman to put a silver lining in the smoke clouds. I asked Kaine after a…