Day Two (UPDATED)

Some maneuvering, some scuttlebutt, and the constitutional amendment to keep transportation funds (Senate version of HB6001) in transportation died in a Senate committee (UPDATE – I was way, way off on this – had the wrong amendment); no other action so far on the nine bills that I have blessed, FWIW.

First, the bad news (besides above): A “Senate finance subcommittee” (WVIR-TV didn’t mention its name) “advanced two proposals that would raise Virginia’s gas tax.”  The Finance Committee as a whole will take them up tomorrow.

The worse news: According to Garren Shipley of Northern Virginia Daily (author of the View from Cheap Seats Blog), “On the House side, a number of legislators say there might be 51 votes for some kind of gas tax hike, depending on the fine details of the proposal, with Democrats peeling off a handful of vulnerable Northern Virginia Republicans.”  It appears there are still some folks in the GOP that haven’t learned the lesson of Election 2007.

There is some good news: From what Shipley hears, “Senators tell me there aren’t 21 votes for a gas tax hike, sought by Democratic leaders in the Senate, nor are their 21 votes for Kaine’s taxes and fees.”  Something tells me, however, that the Senate disarray won’t last very long.

Then again, the tax hike I thought had the best chance of getting out of the Senate (Saslaw’s gas tax) may have hit a major roadblock - Mark Warner (Washington Post).  It may take more time than I thought for the Democrats to sort out their plans . . .

. . . which only makes it easier for Howell to “save the day” with a return to HB3202.