Bob Hull's Richmond Report

Summertime

This is the slow time of the year at the Capitol. There are very few legislative meetings this time of year and state administrators are generally out-of-town on vacation.

But, there will be some activity next Monday as the joint “money” committees meet to hear from the Governor.

This is the annual presentation of closing of the books, as of the June 30 end of the fiscal year. We have always used conservative budgeting principles.

Because of structural problems over the long term with our tax structure, the General Assembly increased several taxes during our special session this spring.

Yet, tax collections actually came in stronger in late spring than anyone had anticipated and we finished the year with a budget surplus.

While not as large as some of the surpluses we had during the Clinton years when business was booming, this is a reflection of the strong business environment in Virginia.

No New Programs

You can thank Governor Warner for that as he pushed two years ago to make such “super-deposits” into the fund.

That, in turn, helps strengthen our hands with the bonding agencies that reinforced our triple-A bond rating after the special session.

Also, 10-percent of the revenue surplus is dedicated by law to the Water Quality Improvement Fund and another large part of it will go to a state building maintenance fund.

So, the actual surplus available to be carried forward for spending in the next fiscal year is $13.1 million. Oh, yes, there will be jockeying for that money next year.

“Dishonorable and Dishonest”

I agree with Senator McCain. After all, service members do not give themselves these awards. They are given by the military services and confirmed by superior officers.

Interestingly, there is a Virginia connection to this controversy. The leader of this “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” group is Roy Hoffman of Chesterfield County.

A retired rear admiral, he was a naval captain in command of the squad of Swift boats, including the one commanded by Lieutenant jg. Kerry.

It seems that this might be a bit of pay-back. It seems that Hoffman was described in a Kerry biography as a “cowboy commander” who advanced his career by sacrificing his men.

It was in May that this group was formed, the same month that the book, “Tour of Duty,” was to come out as a paperback.

I think there is another aspect to this, too. It is part of the culture wars that continue to this day between social conservatives and progressives.

While Kerry volunteered for duty in Vietnam and served with distinction, he came back home to lead the “Vietnam Veterans Against the War” group.

They were considered by many in those days to be traitors. I think that Admiral Hoffman and his cronies continue to harbor that view.

I think that it is time to bury that hatchet. It is about time that people realized that dissent is an American right, not a social wrong.

But, if that is your complaint, do not call into question anyone who laid it on the line and whose gallantry was acknowledged by his country.

After all, Senator Kerry is the only one of the four men running for the top spots this year who served in the active military.