Jody Lee
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Kaine’s Baffling Appeal To Repeal
Posted On:Jan 10, 2008
Is it just me or is the governor a little trigger-happy on the idea of getting rid of these fines? Why the hurry, especially when the fines punish only those citizens found guilty of endangering others on the roadways with their dangerous driving? We are not talking about fining nuns for being boring dressers – we are fining bad drivers for not following the rules of the road.
Something smells funny about this.
Posted by Jody Lee Back to the blog »
Reader Reactions
Posted by ( Blaine ) on January 11, 2008 at 10:23 am
I applaud Gov. Kaine for calling for the repeal of this ill conceived law. I do not applaud the fact that he is not giving the real reasons.
The main purpose for this law was never to improve highway safety. That aspect of the law was just icing on the cake to make it look good. If highway safety was the main objective they could have drastically increased the existing fines for the more serious offenses and nobody would have objected.
The main purpose from the beginning was to come up with a way to fund transportation needs. By law the fines are required to be used for specific purposes, predominantly education, and transportation is not one of them. Therefore they had to invent a special “fee” that they could use however they wanted.
It was Gov. Kaine himself who ammeded the original law to apply it only to residents of VA and exclude non-residents. This made the law discriminatory at the very least and perhaps a violation of the equal portection clause of the constitution (as has been argued in court).
Discrimination in any form is wrong. Period. It is no more right for a safe driver to say “this law is okay because it only discrimantes against residents who are abusive drivers and I’m not an abusive driver” than it is for a white resident to say “it’s okay to pass a law that discriminates only against black residents because I’m not black.”
The ill conceived invention of a “fee”, the discriminatory nature of the bill, legal questions, and outrage by numerous voters are the real reasons Gov. Kaine is now calling for it to be repealed.
Repeal this law. Come up with a legitimate way to fund transportation needs that includes all uses of VA highways, both residents and non-residents. If you want to improve highway safety stiffen the existing fines for the more serious offenses. Additional funds for education could actually come in handy.
Posted by ( jewel ) on January 14, 2008 at 6:45 am
one area that we need to let our voices be heard in is the Welmont req to build in the area. JCMCH has mnopolized health care in the area long enough. Long time waits in the emergency room is just one concern. Prices and staph infection are also big in the equation. LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!! LET WELMONT IN!!
Posted by ( Arizona Web Design ) on May 16, 2008 at 9:59 am
I can make up my own mind and don’t need their opinions. If I want entertainment, then I’ll read a book, choose a movie, or listen to some music....