Live Blogging the Loudoun County General Assembly Delegation Town Hall Meeting 1/4/12

7:00pm – Phil Tran is in the house.
7:01pm – …so are George Allen campaigners collecting petition signatures.
7:09pm – Joe May calls the meeting to order.
7:10pm – Seated left to right: David Ramadan, Tag Greason, Mark Herring, Joe May (center), Tom Rust, Barbara Comstock, Randy Minchew.
7:11pm – Introductions
7:12pm – Dick Black and Barbara Favola are absent because they are in Richmond for orientation for first term members. Joe May gave no explanation for Jim LeMunyon and Jill Holtzman Vogel’s absence.
7:13pm – Citizen asks for restrictions on eminent domain in Purcellville. He wants to update a plan that has been in place since 2005.
7:17pm – Citizen from Lansdowne wants to nullify Openband’s franchise and to see if the Attorney General can look into an antitrust lawsuit. He also wants timed traffic lights and widen certain streets. Finally, he wants to repeal the car tax.
7:20pm – Priscilla Godfrey wants more money in the school system citing growing class sizes and increasing enrollment. She wants funding for computers in light of the SOLs moving away from pencil and paper to computers. SOLs use tremendous school resources for weeks and slow down the education process for those not taking SOLs as all computers are occupied.
7:23pm – Citizen is concerned about Medicaid waiver cuts.
7:28pm – Citizen wants to restore funding for equipment for individuals with disabilities. She also wants to explore statewide standards for homes accommodating individuals with disabilities.
7:31pm – Fred Morrison wants the General Assembly to do “absolutely nothing.” He says that quite sternly.
7:32pm – Citizen wants full funding for VRS. He also wants Metro completed. He will support certain tax increases to make it happen. He wants the government to stop discrimination on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, etc. He also wants more restriction on guns so that Virginia will not look like the “Wild West.”
7:35pm – Citizen from Purcellville brings up quick take eminent domain concerns. Addressing Minchew directly, she wants “public purpose” to be changed to “public use.”
7:37pm – Another citizen from Purcellville brings up the same concerns. He also wants to create a regulatory body to work on FOIA abuses by the government.
7:40pm – Citizen wants Metrorail completed. She wants Dick Black to rescind his bill placing restrictions on the construction of Metrorail.
7:41pm – Citizen from Sterilng Park is talking about food banks and support for faith-based charitable organizations.
7:43pm – Editor’s Note: I am typing this entire post on my iPhone. The Government Center does not have open wi-fi so I cannot use my computer. This article will persist to the extent based on the performance of my thumbs.
7:47pm – Citizen who is a Muslim wants the government to stop scapegoating Muslims for political gain. He cites the discrimination faced by David Ramadan in his election.
7:51pm – Eyeball attendance count: 65
7:52pm – Citizen from Lansdowne brings up concerns on water rates.
7:54pm – Citizen from Purcellville brings up concerns about eminent domain and references an opinion by Ken Cuccinelli.
7:59pm – Citizen is against the privatization of the ABC liquor stores. He says that the ABC stores provide a great revenue stream to the government and says that privatization of liquor sales will create social decay and increase crime.
8:02pm – Citizen wants full day kindergarten.
8:07pm – Mark Nelis talks about the land preservation credit. He also brings up concerns about Lyme disease citing family members who are suffering from the disease.
8:13pm – Citizen wants a bill passed for private individuals and businesses to voluntarily utilize energy saving measures through the PACE program.
8:16pm – Citizen brings up traffic concerns.
8:18pm – Town Hall meetings are an American institution. Another American institution is the Orange Bowl and that will start in 11 minutes. Let’s wrap this up, folks!
8:22pm – John Grisby from Lovettsville is against the meals tax.
8:24pm – Dave LaRock is upset that Joe May is not a supporter of HB-2 and other bills prohibiting the use of PLAs in the Metrorail project. He is also against Metrorail in general.
8:28pm – Aren’t you all impressed by my ability to type on an iPhone with proper spelling and grammar, more or less?
8:32pm – Citizen wants to expand gun rights.
8:33pm – People are starting to leave. Are they going to watch the Orange Bowl?
8:34pm – By the way, this is a listening tour. No Senators or Delegates are commenting on constituent concerns or defending their bills and records.
8:35pm – The inner cynic in me says that the Members of the General Assembly are taking notes on which constituents agree or disagree with them so they can keep that in mind for their reelection. They can save on postage if they trim their mailing list.
8:38pm – Same aforementioned citizen who is a Republican expressed anger at the Republican Loudoun Board for considering the meals tax and hotel tax. He is now talking about guns in airports.
8:40pm – My boy Jeff Salmon, newly appointed Loudoun County Planning Commission member, just walked in.
8:43pm – Citizen is criticizing MWAA. He is also against Meteorail.
8:53pm – Charlie King starts by expressing his respect for the Members’ sacrifice to serve even though he does not agree with them at times. He talks about the homestead exemption.
8:59pm – Citizen talks about the “Tim Tebow Bill” (my words, not hers). She wants homeschoolers to be able to play high school sports at public schools. She is, however, against the homeschool tax credit.
9:06pm – “Committee will rise.”
9:08pm – I was just told by an elected official that I write like George Will.