Letters to the Editor for Thursday, October 15, 2009

Taxes, elections and LU

Candidates forum in 23rd District race is set
The League of Women Voters Lynchburg will sponsor a forum featuring the candidates for the 23rd District House of Delegates seat, Scott Garrett and Shannon Valentine, on Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. in the Community Room of the Lynchburg Public Library.

This forum is for the public at large. Everyone is encouraged to attend and bring written questions for the candidates.

The Lynchburg League of Women Voters, formed in 1958, has held non-partisan candidate forums since 1960. We work to encourage informed and active participation in government.

Democracy is not a spectator sport. This is your opportunity to hear from the candidates. Plan to attend.
JOANNA H. HARRIS
Chairwoman
Voter Service Committee
Lynchburg League of Women Voters

LU’s political clout
I am writing, having just read the Oct. 10 article, “LU to show its clout in ’09 election.”

In the news story, Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. states, “Liberty has no interest in running the city of Lynchburg, but we’d like to have a little more freedom to grow and expand without approval and without restriction.” He later states, “We believe that students would be neglecting their responsibility as citizens if they did not exercise their right to vote.”

I must say this article has made me curious as to how much responsibility Falwell is asking of his students.

For example, has he asked that their parents no longer claim them as dependents? Has he asked them to register their cars in the city of Lynchburg (the city can’t bear the cost, financially or with manpower, to check this out)? Has he asked that they claim Lynchburg as their legal place of residence for state and federal tax purposes?

Our forefathers fought hard against taxation without representation. Not bearing the responsibility of taxes in the city and still voting in the city elections is granting the students representation without taxation. Are these students going to vote onto City Council representatives who will push for the interests of Liberty University over the interests of the taxpaying citizens of this city? After they graduate, will they remain in Lynchburg to see the actual results, good and bad, of their votes, or will they move on, never giving Lynchburg a second thought?

I will agree, LU has been good for Lynchburg, and I believe the members of City Council realize this. However, without paying their portion of the costs, through taxes, Liberty’s students shouldn’t get to change the way the city makes its decisions.
ELIZABETH M. AUSTIN
Lynchburg

The true record
I have read letters to the editor recently that included many statements about Del. Shannon Valentine’s record. The letters prompted me to do my own homework, and I wanted to clear up what appears to be a misunderstanding.

First, Del. Valentine never stated or intended to raise taxes. She did complete a questionnaire designating which revenue sources should go towards transportation needs. She believes that transportation dollars should be protected in the Transportation Trust Fund and she has co-sponsored legislation to do just that.

She voted against the “death tax” in 2007 and against the gas tax in 2008. In fact, she co-sponsored 13 bills that would have cut taxes for Virginia families. She also voted to balance the budget by cutting programs and not raising taxes.

For anyone interested in learning more, go to the General Assembly’s Web site. Believe me, I was very impressed.
DIANA L. WRIGHT COLEMAN
Lynchburg

Advice for voters
I offer some advice for your readers.

If you think George Bush did a great job as president for eight years, think George Allen and Jim Gilmore were fair, non-partisan governors and think Pat Robertson is a thoughtful-minded advisor; then by all means, you should vote Bob McDonnell for governor.

I insist you do! My vote, however, will be for Creigh Deeds.
RICHARD JONES
Forest

A dirty word
Since when did “taxes” become a dirty word? The answer: Since the Republicans at all levels made it a dirty word by making objection to taxes a centerpiece of their case for election.

In a democracy such as ours, taxes, as set by our democratically elected representatives, are the lifeblood of our society. Our schools, police and fireman, our roads and highways, our sanitation facilities, much of our health care — all these and more depend upon our taxes.

As citizens we should insist upon having the best of such services, instead of opposing efforts to assure the funds required to accomplish this.

The issue is clearly delineated in the Oct. 8 editorial in The News & Advance, “Public school needs exceed Virginia resources.”
WILLIAM F. QUILLIAN JR.
Lynchburg

For Valentine
Low-income, working families in the 23rd District would not find Scott Garrett working in their best interests based on his voting record on City Council.

In 2008 and 2009, he voted against funding for the housing authority and voted twice to oppose low-income housing developments. Garrett voted against a measure that would have supported capping the interest rates on payday loans and was the only vote against providing funding for property tax relief for a proposed elderly and disabled program.

Our city will grow and prosper when we leave no family behind in the pursuit of better housing and jobs. We should be judged not by the beauty of our lavish neighborhoods but by the stability of our working-class communities.

Those of us fortunate enough to have more than just the bare essentials in life, need to give back to our community in a way that improves the quality of life for our entire community.

Shannon Valentine’s efforts to improve our community long before she became involved in public office laid the ground work for her success in putting partisanship aside in her efforts to represent all of us in the 23rd District. A vote for Valentine for House of Delegates is a vote to improve all of our lives.
ROBERT KNODEL
Lynchburg

For Valentine
Four years ago, the voters of Lynchburg and Madison Heights elected Shannon Valentine to represent them in the House of Delegates.

They based their decision not only on her outstanding résumé (B.A. in economics from the University of Virginia, Phi Beta Kappa, education for ministry degree from Sewanee, Sorenson Institute for Political Leadership, associate vice president of a major corporation and her work to improve Lynchburg’s inner city housing through the Neighborhood Development Foundation and Habitat for Humanity), but also on less tangible but equally important qualities — her compassion, her honesty, her sense of fair play and her obvious commitment to the welfare of the people of this area. She has more than justified the faith we have placed in her.

The challenger for her seat in the legislature has made much of the fact that he is a surgeon. Surgical skills, though, do not necessarily equip one for governance. It is important to know that more than 100 physicians in this community, myself included, believe that Valentine’s life experiences and personal qualities (not to mention four years’ experience in the House) trump those of her opponent. She has the support of the Medical Society of Virginia PAC and was awarded the Individual Distinction Award by the MSV Alliance for her promotion of health education and quality of care through legislation.

Valentine is a truly outstanding human being. It is not often that we have the opportunity to be represented by someone of her character and qualifications. Please join me in voting for her Nov. 3.
JAMES W. WRIGHT
Lynchburg