Very neat. I have only seen the northern lights a few times in my life.
Our weather is still holding out. What wonderful December days!
Who is going to the Christmas Parade?
Hopefully Lafayette will bring back some pictures.
101 Thoughts to “Open Thread………………………………………………………….Saturday, December 3”
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Harsh words from George Will on the Repug candidates, especially Newt
George Will: ‘You can associate many things with Mr. Gingrich, but wisdom isn’t one of them’
Published: 12:17 PM 12/02/2011 | Updated: 12:18 AM 12/03/2011
Conservative pundits have been lining up to voice their frustration over the possibility that former Speak of the House Newt Gingrich could become the 2012 Republican presidential nominee. And you can add Washington Post columnist George Will to that list. He appeared on Laura Ingraham’s radio program Friday
“Ask yourself this: Suppose Gingrich or Romney become president and gets re-elected – suppose you had eight years of this,” Will said. “What would the conservative movement be? How would it understand itself after eight years? I think what would have gone away, perhaps forever, is the sense of limited government, the Tenth Amendment, Madisonian government of limited, delegated and enumerated powers — the sense conservatism is indeed tied to limitations on federal authority and the police power wielded by Congress — that would all be gone. It’s hard to know what would be left.”
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2011/12/02/george-will-you-can-associate-many-things-with-mr-gingrich-but-wisdom-isnt-one-of-them/#ixzz1fSjt80fL
Romney and Gingrich, from bad to worse
George F. Will, Saturday, December 3, 12:26 AM
Republicans are more conservative than at any time since their 1980 dismay about another floundering president. They are more ideologically homogenous than ever in 156 years of competing for the presidency. They anticipated choosing between Mitt Romney, a conservative of convenience, and a conviction politician to his right. The choice, however, could be between Romney and the least conservative candidate, Newt Gingrich.
Romney’s main objection to contemporary Washington seems to be that he is not administering it. God has 10 commandments, Woodrow Wilson had 14 points, Heinz had 57 varieties, but Romney’s economic platform has 59 planks — 56 more than necessary if you have low taxes, free trade and fewer regulatory burdens. Still, his conservatism-as-managerialism would be a marked improvement upon today’s bewildered liberalism
Gingrich, however, embodies the vanity and rapacity that make modern Washington repulsive. And there is his anti-conservative confidence that he has a comprehensive explanation of, and plan to perfect, everything.
Granted, his grandiose rhetoric celebrating his “transformative” self is entertaining: Recently he compared his revival of his campaign to Sam Walton’s and Ray Kroc’s creations of Wal-Mart and McDonald’s, two of America’s largest private-sector employers. There is almost artistic vulgarity in Gingrich’s unrepented role as a hired larynx for interests profiting from such government follies as ethanol and cheap mortgages. His Olympian sense of exemption from standards and logic allowed him, fresh from pocketing $1.6 million from Freddie Mac (for services as a “historian”), to say, “If you want to put people in jail,” look at “the politicians who profited from” Washington’s environment.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/romney-and-gingrich-from-bad-to-worse/2011/12/02/gIQArsM3LO_story.html?hpid=z2
Those are pretty harsh words from a conservative pundit.
More harsh words from conservative pundits
Mitt vs. Newt
Charles Krauthammer, Published: December 2
Two ideologically problematic finalists: One is a man of center-right temperament who has of late adopted a conservative agenda. The other is a man more conservative by nature but possessed of an unbounded need for grand display that has already led him to unconservative places even he is at a loss to explain, and that as president would leave him in constant search of the out-of-box experience — the confoundedly brilliant Nixon-to-China flipperoo regarding his fancy of the day, be it health care, taxes, energy, foreign policy, whatever.
The second, more obvious, Gingrich vulnerability is electability. Given his considerable service to the movement, many conservatives seem quite prepared to overlook his baggage, ideological and otherwise. This is understandable. But the independents and disaffected Democrats upon whom the general election will hinge will not be so forgiving.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/mitt-vs-newt/2011/12/01/gIQAtSfOIO_story.html
@Starryflights
“Repug candidates”
I do not call Democrats insulting names, and am often critical of those in my own Party, but would appreciate the same respect and cordiality from my friends on the other side of the aisle that I accord them.
On a lighter note, I never miss the parade-then-lunch-then-getting-our-tree day.
One time – beautiful showing of northern lights
in Tok, Alaska.
How was the parade? Anyone?
@punchak, I saw them in Ironia, New Jersey once. I saw them in Virginia once. Very rare in VA.
I marched in the parade in Richmond, accompanying the UNOS float. Since I’m from New Orleans, I CANNOT just “walk” a parade.
I danced. I ran. I yelled. I got the crowd to dance and compete in “Merry Christmas!” challenges with the other side of the street and their neighbors down the block. It’s amazing how hard it is to get kids to use their “outside” voice nowadays. I’m hoarse. My knees downright hate me. I’m tired, even after my nap.
And I can’t wait until next year.
As for George Will….he sure was a Gingrich supporter in the 90’s.
Since he doesn’t like the top tier….I wonder who he would suggest be the candidate and if they are NOT the candidate….he needs to work to get them to run.
Otherwise….he needs a nice cup of STFU at this stage of the game. He’s just trying to sell columns and its gotten harder since William F. Buckley is no longer around.
Since immigration enforcement is a federal matter and states cannot enforce immigration laws, will the Feds now sue California, or is it only when states try to stop illegal immigration that they Feds sue?
http://azstarnet.com/article_48fae88f-aedc-59ee-b117-d97c19d9fb94.html
@Cargosquid
Is there video of you doing this? I will post it as our star attraction.
There probably is…but I didn’t take it. I saw a lot of little cameras pointed my way.
The parade was wonderful, as always, and full of spirit. People must have come from all over to see it. What a great crowd yesterday!
Osbourn High School’s Marching Band uniforms are old and tired. They have been around since the ’90s, and are really worn and past their prime. It would be awesome if the kids could get out there and look sharp, especially when they’re in band competitions with some of the larger and better-funded school systems around here. Here’s a way to help, courtesy of the Pepsi Refresh Project 2012: All you have to do is vote daily to give OHS a chance at $25,000 to purchase new uniforms. Please do it through the actual website and not the Facebook page:
http://www.refresheverything.com/search/?q=Osbourn
The parade is not near the size it once was. Geesh, why am I suprised by that.
Osbourn is desperate need of new uniforms. Speaking of Osbourn….What did you think of that eagle perched on the reindeers antlers?? I told my mom about it last night. She bitterly replied. I am YELLOW JACKET, forget that Eagle crap. OP taking the school mascot and trophies is still a topic that can fire up those old yellow jackets. I will gladly go vote for OHS.
Sincerely,
A Stonewall Jackson Raider
Moon,
I didn’t take pictures yesterday. I was at the parade with a very heavy heart. It was the first time in my entire life that I didn’t go to a parade from grandma’s on Tudor Ln. I’ve always sat on the steps across from the Presbyterian church at Fairview Ave & Center St. with my grandma. Well, NOT this year or ever again. 🙁
The direct URL to vote for new uniforms for Osbourn is: http://www.refresheverything.com/osbournbanduniforms
I love the video they posted.
@Emma
Trying to do this. I can’t get it to send me the email. grrrrrr
@Lafayette
My timer must be off. I thought she passed summer before last.
How did the arse-shaking go? I think our parader tried to clothes line people.
I see both sides of that OHS/OPHS. Don’t tell Lafayette Sr. I was here then. I guess it boiled down to county vs building. There was no right answer on that one. I sure remember the fracas though.
@Moon-howler
She did, but I didn’t go to the parade last year, because I knew I wasn’t ready for it.
They looked really good. Go to my FB wall. I’ve posted video of Friday night at the game and the parade yesterday.
I see both sides to some degree. I just feel a new school in a new building, should have had their own name, mascot and history. Not stealing from Osbourn. I’m glad I can respect the city and county, as I know you can too. It’s just a real shame that some only care about their shining city on the hill, failing to realize that their tiny city is in the county.
Someone would have been pissed any way it went. It really was a lose lose situation. There probably would have been a lot less animus if old Oabourn just kept it all and the new school started over.
Well, it didn’t involve me so maybe I should just shut up.
I saw the Northern lights once, as a young Marine, walking a post in Torpe, Norway.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203833104577072610486727428.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
I liked this article.
BTW, Ron Paul was vindicated.
He couldn’t even wait to be sworn in.
Stewart running for lieutenant governor
Local
By Dan Roem
Source: Gainesville Times
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4 2011
UPDATED SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4 2011
Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart (R) confirmed during an interview on Sunday that he will seek the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor of Virginia in 2013.
“I have made no official announcement, but I didn’t exactly make a secret of it,” said Stewart. “I can’t make an official declaration but, when I make my move… I have not yet decided when to announce or how to do it.”
Stewart has not formed an exploratory committee or began fundraising yet, though he did say at one point, “I’m going to have my own race on my hands” come 2013.
He talked extensively about what message he needs to send for such a campaign and said “yeah” when asked if he was, in fact, running for lieutenant governor and not some other statewide office.
When told the headline for this story was going to be “Stewart running for lieutenant governor,” he laughed and said, “You can read into it what you want.”
Regardless, he said he plans to stay on as county chairman through Election Day of 2013.
“I would resign if I won the seat, but I would not resign before,” said Stewart. “It would probably be November or December of 2013, assuming I’m successful of course.”
Mom, Nice to see you don’t rest on Sunday. 🙂
Now, if Kook wouldn’t take on Bolling and run for Lt. Gov. which is the next logical step for Kook.(logical and his name never seem to be in the same sentence). I’d like to see a Corey/Kook compete for the R nomination for Lt. Gov. I hear cirucus music in my head.
Thanks for sharing the story. Now, find something we didn’t already know.
@Mom
He can’t win statewide. Especially after those of us with with years of experience in both Northern Va and Southwestern Va start talking to our activist friends about Corey’s lies and betrayals here.
@Need to Know
I think NTK wrote up a great analysis on why Mr. Stewart won’t win. I think for me the question is – did my taxes go up or down while he was Chairman? And, I know the answer to that…
@marinm
Thanks Marinm. Corey has conveniently chosen a year that reflects the height of the real estate bubble when the county was collecting so much tax revenue it didn’t know how to spend all the money to compare recent taxes. The fact is that average tax bills have doubled over about the past decade in PWC, which includes most of Corey’s tenure on the board. Data show that Corey is a big spender and tax hiker to serve the interests of his developer contributors. This fact will be driven home conclusively to people at least in Southwest because I will take care of that task personally.
Well, that didn’t take long. Holy cow. That is like marrying someone when your wife isn’t even cold yet.
Well, I am going to be a real nasty Bee-otch and say if the right person had run on the Democratic ticket perhaps we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I can’t really blame Corey for this one. He was a shoe in.
The Democrats need to run a candidate that we can get behind. The election is over and I did nothing to hurt you guys while things were hot. But damn it to hell. Vet your candidates better. We heard the improprieties before we met the candidate. We all have reputations and those reputations can’t be squandered on folks who look like they have been playing funny money with their finances.
I hope the silence from this blog was deafening. It was supposed to be.
Does the Homestead trip bother anyone else but me? That is horribly expensive. We have many people out of work. Not Virginia Republicans.
The few times I have been lucky enough to stay at the Homestead, the oppulence nearly blew me away. I was just glad I was the guest and not having to pick up the tab for myself.
“Mom, Nice to see you don’t rest on Sunday.”
Rust never sleeps.
@MoM
What a great one liner.
@Moon-howler
Moon, as long as someone is not spending my money to enjoy themselves it doesn’t bother me at all. No taxpayer money is involved with this.
The only problem I see is abuse of campaign donations. It’s perfectly legal for big-pocket special interests (oh, let’s say developers) to donate to candidates (oh, let’s say certain supervisors who vote for developer interests rather than those of their constituents) to buy hospitality suites or the best suites at Homestead to stay in during their visits. Paying for accommodations during out-of-town campaign events from campaign funds is legal and I don’t think the law specifies how lavish the accommodations can or can’t be.
Maybe someone who knows campaign finance law better than I do can answer this question – if a special interest buys nice rooms or suites at Homestead and allows favored candidates to stay in them gratis, does that have to be reported as an in-kind contribution? Even if so, there’s lots of ways around it. The company could do a token amount of business promotion and call the whole thing a marketing expense rather than a campaign contribution.
A few days in one of the best suites at Homestead with your family and meals paid for would be as good as a big check for cash to many people.
My family has had vacations there (not staying in the most expensive suites) and completely paid our own way. We took my parents there for their fiftieth anniversary gift. It’s a very nice place. My father was an active Republican and grew up in the mountains (part of the reason for my many western connections) and passed away not long after that trip. We had a great time and he was still able to enjoy it then. My family can’t afford frequent trips (haven’t been in a few years) but have very nice memories of the place.
By the way, we ran into Mark Warner there once when he was Governor. There were no political events going on so I think he was just taking some vacation. It was good seeing our Governor and he was very nice. Out of politeness I didn’t mention that we vote Republican.
Its perfectly legal but it looks bad in tough times. Our own BOCS has scaled down their retreat time and meets locally. Its all perception. If I were a Republican, I would not want to be seen going to something at the Homestead when there are people struggling because of unemployment.
What is wrong with these politicians at least putting forth the image of looking frugal?
I guess I wouldn’t care if Governor McDonnell went there, on his own dime. I would have loved to have bumped in to Mark Warner there. He is one of my favorites.
I haven’t been there in 15 years. It used to be one of my husband’s business accounts.
You heard it here. Everyone can go first class. Some of us just can’t stay as long as others. I am a short stayer myself.
@Moon-howler
Moon, by the way, that’s a great picture of the Northern Lights. I enjoyed seeing it, but got distracted by other things in the thread and forget to say anything.
Thank you, NTK. To me, the northern lights are magic.
That’s been brought up many times. Personally, I don’t have the time or the inclination to hoof it down to Grey Poupon land to kibbutz and drink with people when a simple email will suffice. This is the 21st century, we have more innovative means of communication at our disposal than ever before – adapt or the tar pits are —> that way. Never mind the terrible optics on the venue, as you so aptly point out.
@Cato,
It really is a long haul.
If they went and stayed in Richmond, Roanoke, Hampton, Charlottesville, Staunton, Farmville, Fredericksburg, or any of the cities to pour a little business in to the local economy it would look better. The Homestead is cloistered and elitist. It paints a horrible image.
Today is national repeal day. Prohibition ended today in 1933. Ironically, the state who made it official was Utah. That night FDR warned the people please to not authorize saloons. They did, of course.
http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/wb/301908
Ok, I understand many folks don’t like “Obama Care” and they have
some good reasons, but what is the alternative?
The status quo is coming a part at the seams and we need to find
better solutions PDQ. Gov. Bob should be a leader, not a political hack
on this issue.
You’ve got to read the interview with Corey Stewart in the Gainesville Times.
His points about attending the wingding at Homestead tell all about why it’s
necessary to hobnob and rub elbows with the “bigshots”.
He rented a big suite; said that hundreds of people stopped by to talk to him.
Well, read it and be awed!
Holy cow. Thanks Punchak!
http://gainesville-times.com/news/2011/dec/04/stewart-running-lieutenant-governor/
Corey needs to have George Bernard Shaw get hold of him to work on his ‘cockney’ English. You know, You know, You know isn’t acceptable from grown ups. It sends a signal out saying he has a poor vocabulary. Corey…erase those words from your brain. Don’t say YOU KNOW. No, I don’t know. Tell me. Cut the ignoramous talk. If you are going to represent Prince William County, please come across like a grown up.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/tennessee-family-home-burns-while-firefighters-watch-191241763.html
The South Fulton policy produced precisely the same nightmare scenario last year, when homeowner Gene Cranick–who had likewise failed to pay the $75 annual fee for rural Obion County residents–saw his house engulfed by flames as South Fulton firefighter watched close by. That incident sparked a debate among conservative pundits over the limits of fee-for-service approaches to government.
@Moon-howler
We need to get some “y’all” and “ain’t” thrown in there for good measure.
To start of the Christmas Season
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT2WbneONWw&feature=colike
@marinm
So how do you feel about that, Marin? Should they have allowed his house to burn?
Very nice, thanks for posting that video, Cargo. What do you know about the artist? Does he have other recordings?
@Moon-howler
I think the City and firefighters we’re correct. Lord help the City if they ever ‘forget’ to post a current payment.
Do you really believe that firefighting should be paid for rather than a community service from the public coffers? That isn’t even American! People have always helped each other in times of hardship.
I don’t think people should be given the option. What if that person has children and pets who need rescuing?
@Moon-howler
That’s not an accurate question based on what’s occurring in that community.
A person in danger would be saved. I’m pretty sure they’d save Fido and Fluffy as well (if they safely could)
If people want their property to be provided the insurance that fire support services will respond — pay the fee. If they don’t they assume the risk. It’s just that simple.
Nothings stopping the rural part of that community from creating their own firefighting brigade if the $75/year is too much.
ARROGANCE OR TONE DEAFNESS
You Decide
“An unusually large donation proposal put the spotlight last week on the Rainbow Center 4-H Therapeutic Riding Program. The nonprofit, located at Silver Lake Regional Park in Haymarket, provides therapeutic equestrian activities to residents with physical and mental disabilities.
The controversy began when Brentsville Supervisor Wally Covington (R) announced plans to donate $100,000 from his district’s operating budget. The proposal drew some fire and caused him to rescind his offer to donate the funds, which were to help the nonprofit complete a new facility.
“I think there was misinformation,” said Covington who believes the Rainbow Center funding could come up again during the budget process between now and April.
“We are in the process of working on the budget,” said the supervisor.
He added it could also come back up during the public hearing process later.
“Citizens can come in and petition to add things,” said Covington, bud he added that he will not be the one to initiate that discussion.
After Covington announced plans late last month to donate the funds from his discretionary budget, several people raised concerns.
One was Woodbridge Supervisor Frank Principi (D), who questioned the donation because Covington’s wife, Connie Covington, is the organization’s president, a position she holds as an unpaid volunteer.
Another was John Gray, who ran as an Independent unsuccessfully against Republican Corey Stewart for board chairman.
In an interview Monday, , a self-employed certified public accountant, said his opposition was “not necessarily the amount, but the process.”
“It was entirely the process,” said Gray. “Nobody can say anything against the charity.”
Gray said the donation of county funds “should go through the normal budgetary process. It did not go through the normal vetting process.”
According to Prince William County spokesman Jason Grant, the term “discretionary funds” is “a bit of a misnomer.”
“What each office has is an office budget,” he said.
Each supervisor, like any other government department, has a budget and can earmark the funds – to a point.
But “it’s not really discretionary,” because the Board of County Supervisors as a whole still votes on the expenditures, Grant said, adding that “The board has to vote to budget and appropriate all the time.”
Once Covington’s proposal appeared to be in jeopardy, Rainbow Center Director Debi Alexander emailed families, staff and volunteers on Nov. 29 to ask for their support.
According to Alexander, Connie Covington, has been with the Rainbow Center for about 13 years in various capacities.
“She and her parents, along with Wally, have privately donated close to $200,000 over the years to Rainbow Center,” said Alexander.
Alexander added that the supervisor has extra funds in his district budget “because he does not hire extra staff. He manages his budget carefully so that he can use his discretionary fund to support important capital projects and offer matching fund drives to support schools. He is a hero and a dedicated public servant who deserves our voice of support.”
She’s not alone in that opinion.
Sixteen–old Matt Stieglitz is one of the Rainbow Center’s participants.
“Matt do you like going to Rainbow and riding the horses?” his mom, Gail Stieglitz, asked him last week.
He smiled and nodded his head “yes” because Matt has a rare genetic syndrome called Cornelia De Lange that causes overall developmental delays, speech impediments and poor muscle tone. While he may not be able to participate in sports the way a normal child would, he enjoys riding with a little help from his friends.
What does Rainbow Center mean to his parents who moved here a little over a year ago?
“The world,” said his mom. “We were concerned about Matt because this was going to be a big change in his life. All Matt wanted to know was whether or not there were horses in Virginia, meaning a therapeutic riding program.”
“The physical therapists not only provide the therapy but they are also teaching Matt how to ride and in his last session he was working with Kat Rader and she had him on the horse without all the volunteers around him and he had to physically make the horse start and stop, plus walk it around some poles, said Stieglitz. “He came away from that lesson walking proudly and could not wait to get home to tell about his. That is a treasured rarity in my house.”
In 2010, according to Alexander the center served 60 children and young adults; that number almost doubled in 2011.
Alexander said the center’s new Silver Lake facility has enabled them to take more students so they no longer have a long waiting list. The Rainbow Center operates on Haymarket land owned by the county government.
As the controversy has heated up, supporters have been coming forward to urge funding for the center, whose administrative offices are located on Ashton Avenue in Manassas.
Cindi Stephens’daughter Kathleen has Down syndrome and has been a rider at Rainbow for 10 years.
“We have ridden at many locations over the 10 year span my daughter has ridden … I watched her grow up seeing her older sister ride horses and compete in horse shows,” she said. “Kathleen longed to do the same thing her older sister did; just like ‘normal’ kids do.” But there was “no place willing to let her ride due to her disability.”
Stephens’ said Connie Covington pointed her toward the Rainbow Center and its program “was and is a lifesaver.”
Kevin Cole, owner of Ennis Electric Company and a supporter of the Rainbow Center, also spoke out, writing a letter to supervisors urging them to vote in favor of Covington’s proposed $100,000 donation.
The vote, however, never took place. Due to the conflict, Covington withdrew his proposal last week before his colleagues could put it to a vote.
But a deal may still be worked out. Covington on Monday, that he thinks the operating budgets and carryover of funds will be discussed by the board.
“Our disabled community doesn’t always receive the support,” he said. “We spend a lot of money on soccer fields, athletic fields that these kids can’t participate on.”
@Moon-howler
I think they should have put the fire out and then sent them a huge bill. You can also attach a lien to the property.
@MoM
I would say arrogance AND tone deafness.
I can make a plea for children to fit in to many different categories that would pull at your heart strings. They would not be included in that list of 60. When we use public funds for charities you want to serve as many people as possible.
That’s great if the Covingtons, Kevin Cole and others want to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars of THEIR money to Rainbow Riding. Good on them.
Hands off the public coffer. Just getting that land from the county is huge. Then there is the $33,000 a year from the budget. How many other charitable organizations get that much money from the county? Let’s bring all that out in the open too.
How many other charitable organizations get over $5k a year at the expense of the county.
Meanwhile, Wally needs to put the public checkbook away. These supervisors are getting too damn much of OUR money if they have this much left over.
After reading that article, I am going to say we need to end discretionary funds immediately. 2 cops could be hired with Wally’s slush fund. Cops serve everyone in the county.
I haven’t posted — I don’t live in the county, I respect the Covingtons and the service they’ve given to their community, I think a lot of Rainbow Therapeutic Riding as my daughter volunteered there as a sidewalker years ago and I saw their work up close and personal.
But I have a question that I haven’t seen addressed — isn’t this all connected to 4H? Isn’t 4H part of the govt thru Virginia Extension Service? Isn’t it govt giving money to a govt extension okay? Rainbow has 4H in it’s title, it’s office is in the Ashton Ave govt plaza. I read Michael Shannon’s column in the N&M this morning and he made it sound like Supervisor Covington gave $10K so the “Healthy Youth Council” could go to Blacksburg for a conference, and why couldn’t they spend those conference dollars in PWC — isn’t that 4H going to the 4H convention in Blacksburg — 4H central? I know when I took my son down to VA Tech for orientation in the summer there were 4H directional signs all over the place. That’s their hub. It’s a research center. Go to the VCE website and search on “therapeutic riding” and you’ll see a dozen therapeutic riding centers throughout Virginia, all part of the 4-H program.
http://www.ext.vt.edu/index.php
Cindy, the entire question has never been about Rainbow Riding as a worthwhile organization. Obviously it is. The question is who pays for it and how much.
I don’t know what their connection is to 4-H. Perhaps they could provide that information. I think that a program called Rainbow Riding used to be a part of 4-H locally many years ago.
I was a member of 4-H club when I was growing up. It started out under the auspices of the Dept. of Agriculture and is probably still supported by both federal and state funds.
The question in Prince William County becomes how do we divide limited resources among deserving organizations. Obviously there are some of us that want to see a more transparent process as well as more equal distribution.
We are currently speaking of an organizaton that is building on 45 acres in a prime area in Prince William County for free or may a dollar a year. The acreage would cost a million dollars. This organization also gets $33,000 from the budget. Taxpayers called a halt to them receiving any more county money without more transparency and a definable award process. This really shouldnt be about the Covingtons or Rainbow Riding. It should be about how public money is used.
If they can’t/won’t pay $75 a year how does putting a lien on the house solve anything?
What if all the rural residents then decide – why pay the fee when they’ll do it for “free” and I only get tagged for payment if I sell OR have my kids satisfy the lien if I die and try to deed the property to them. Do we pay the firefighters with IOUs as well?
Cindy, good observations all and spot on! One of the things I have watched in the nonprofit world is the one element of a larger organization distancing itself from the parent in order to either reap more funds or to dodge the bullet in budget cuts or to make it easier to work the politicos. 4-H and all its various targeted programs with other names such as “Healthy Youth Council” is Virginia Coop Extension and all are based at VT. As I recall, one of the four “H” in that clover is “health”.
WC’s comment – “Our disabled community doesn’t always receive the support,” he said. “We spend a lot of money on soccer fields, athletic fields that these kids can’t participate on.” – is most amusing given the Grizzlies thing. But this is also the second Supervisor who has made a statement about the disabled community. Supv. Jenkins, when the $1million to Arc of PW came up for vote, said similar words that the disabled citizens must be supported. And yet, two other primary nonprofits serving all of the Prince William Area fight tooth and nails for recognition by the BOCS. One applied for a development grant through the PWC Office of Housing & Community Development ($245,000) in order to get a new building and was turned down. Being very involved with both the Aging & Disability communities, that one just slays me.
@Ray, I am not sure what you are saying. Wally certainly voted for the Grizzlies to get their fields as his was a yes vote for Avendale invading the Rural Crescent.
What were the two organizations that were turned down? It seems to me that a little publicity might help them. Most of these things fly under the radar. That is what we are organizing to do a little better job with. Transparency.
What irks me even more are Mr. Cole’s (a member of the Rainbow Committee, un-noted in the article) comments urging the Supervisors to allocate the $100 grand, particularly given the following letter he wrote to the Gainesville Times.
Rainbow Center controversy draws ire
Editor’s note: the following is an open letter to Woodbridge Supervisor Frank Principi (D).
I just read the “Washington Post” article that cites you as the source of the “concerns” relating to Supervisor Wally Covington’s proposal to donate $100,000 from his district’s discretionary funds. (We all know Frank wasn’t the real source) Because you are “concerned” about some impropriety on Mr. Covington’s part, he has withdrawn his donation proposal. Thanks to you, parents will be pushing wheelchairs through a gravel parking lot to get their children to therapy. (and what about the rest of us destroying our vehicles on the Silver Lake access road)
Without a doubt you know that your accusation is false and baseless or you would’ve volunteered some evidence to back up your claim. That means that there must some other underlying truth driving your accusation. (Quite the stretch you presumptuous A-hole, would you say the same if Stirrup had been blamed)
One possibility is that, to paraphrase the Bard, you may be “protesting too much” for a reason. The only other possibility that I can think of is that you think it is expedient to politicize the services received by disabled children. (and this letter doesn’t accomplish just that)
I would hate to think that your district’s discretionary fund distribution needed to be investigated, so at the next Board of County Supervisors meeting I’ll look forward to hearing your heartfelt apology for politicizing the therapy that children with disabilities receive and your support for reinstating the donation proposal.
By the way, 21 of the 82 Prince William County school students that receive therapy at this facility live in your area. Perhaps you would like to make a donation? (so that’s $4761.90 in subsidies per PWC student, I wonder what the breakdown per kid for the soccer fields is)
Kevin R. Cole
What is it, 60 or 82 students? This number keeps jumping around to serve someone’s political purposes. People other than Frank Principi called the question on this one. Elena and I questioned the expenditure as did a number of people of the Republican persuassian.
You don’t need to pave an entire parking lot. Have a drop site and side walks. Furthermore, the potholes start after access to Rainbow Riding. Yes, I have been out there checking it out.
Again, this isn’t about Rainbow Riding. Its about how tax money is spent. How much do the parents pay for their kids to go riding? I could never afford to give my kids riding lessons. They are very expensive. If I didn’t have to pay county taxes, I could have.
I certainly didn’t approve of how Grizzly soccer fields were acquired either. Any money for soccer fields should be acquired through parks and rec (and parent and private donations).