Bolling Campaign Releases Connaughton Quote
The Bolling campaign has discovered and released a quote from 2001 in which Connaughton said of the No Car Tax campaign which Gilmore was continuing in the final days of his administration:
My gut reaction is this could be catastrophic for localities. We would need to analyze this and the potential impact on our budget," said Connaughton (R-At Large).This quote is from an article entitled "Gilmore Renews Quest to Kill Car Tax; Long-Term Fiscal Impact on Va. Worries Warner, Local Lawmakers"; R.H. Melton. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: Dec 18, 2001. pg. B.01.
This will be ample material for more negative direct mail pieces from the the Bolling campaign. Look for them in your mailboxes shortly.
posted by Lighthorse Harry at 1:25 PM
8 Comments:
It's fascinating to watch the Bolling crowd shift into high slime mode as their lead in funding, petitions, name recognition, and energy vanishes. Of course the quote is exactly what any rational local government leader would ask confronted with a potential loss of substantial revenue. I guess somehow it's supposed to sound bad, but the issue at that time (2001) was whether the state would step up to cover the losses for essential local services. Connaughton's point about Richmond is that they take (or propose taking) from localities with one hand, while not being candid about impacts on local services. The shell game aspects are fairly apparent to anyone who works at the local/state interface. This is a legitimate issue that doesn't get much attention.
So far, Connaughton seems to be resisting responding forcefully to this kind of gimcrackery from Bolling (including direct personal attacks alleging "dishonesty"). I'm told that Reagan's his icon and he takes the GOP Eleventh Commandment seriously. But the question is whether he can stay his hand indefinitely.
2:12 PM
Oh No!! Bolling thinks!! He considers issues!!
2:14 PM
Sorry, I mean Connaughton! We still cant have a politician that considers the issues before deciding on a course of action, whether it is Bolling or Connaughton. So until Connaughton releases evidence of Bolling using considerably more deliberative power than Connaughton, Bolling it is!!
2:17 PM
very funny, anon. I do hope we aren't in a race to vote in theguy who's least analytical about public policy matters, but there may be a shred of truth in your omment.
3:22 PM
Seems like a reasonable and candid thing to say. Is Bolling trying to make Connaughton look good?
6:53 PM
I'm on both Connaughton's and Bolling's email lists. I get a pretty regular diet of email from Bolling and an anti-tax PAC formed to support him. Lots of emails talking about Connaughton lives for tax-raising. I've already seen an email using this quote from Bolling.
8:34 AM
Candid and reasonable are just the words I'd use to describe the way Connaughton approaches hot-button issues like taxes, the budget, and urban sprawl. Has anyone ever heard Sean Connaughton try to dodge this Car Tax issue or totally hide behind the slogan like you'd expect a statewide candidate to do? No! He's always straightforward and always maintains a level-headed and deliberative attitude. When pressed about the car-tax at a Chesterfield County breakfast in February (I think it was Feb.) Sean didn't cave in to the people in the crowd who really wanted that blanket statement, chosing to respect those in the crowd who were there to take the time to hear about genuine problems caused to localities. He did give one blanket statement though- Prince William will not reinstate the car tax- Sean Connaughton cuts taxes when he's got the ability to do that. LG may not be a fiscal czar of VA, but it will give him a mandate to bridge the gap between the GA and the localities to make sure we're taking less money out of the private sector of the Commonwealth and putting it back in the best way. That's a whole different side of the equation of governing which not a single other statewide candidate could even hazard to claim.
2:35 PM
There he goes again!
I guess Bolling's one of those nasty Conservatives who utilizes the illegitimate tactic of using another person's own words against him.
Oh, foresooth!
10:25 AM
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