The BOCS shoots itself in the foot
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William H. Westhoff
Published: June 12, 2008
Board of County Supervisor members are limping. They used their “budget-is-tight” gun to kill financially insignificant programs that aid seniors and troubled kids and in so doing, they have shot themselves in the foot.
For instance, the BOCS is closing the Manassas Senior Day Program.
They complain its subsidy of $230,000 a year is too much of a budget strain and that it competes with a private business.
First, it is nuts to think governments do not compete with private businesses; it is done at the federal, state and local levels all the time.
Experienced legal observers, such as the county attorney, should explain this fact of life to Board of County Supervisor members who try to blow the competition smoke in our eyes.
Second, how much strain does this program really put on the county’s billion dollar plus budget?
The Manassas Senior Day Program subsidy would cost about 1/20th of 1 cent per $100 of appraised real property value. For the average single family home owner it is about $1.77 per year or less than
1/2 a cent a day. Compare that tiny amount to the social indifference being shown those citizens and families who use and need the respite care of this program.
It is not about competition nor the subsidy amount. It is about the marked indifference to human priorities that citizens see in their supervisor’s decision. It is that deep gut feeling that says “Its just not
right.”
WILLIAM H. WESTHOFF
Woodbridge
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( willow703 ) on June 27, 2008 at 6:22 am
Chris,
You ask, “Is it so hard for an individual to go through the legal process of becoming a legal immigrant ...?“
It is when a law-unto-itself regime, such as the one currently in power, will arrest you, drug you & deport you even as your case is being considered by the courts.
This country has never tried members of an out-of-power administration for violations of constitutional & human rights. Perhaps it is time for the courts to decide whether, when writing the Bill of Rights, the writers were referring only to “citizens” or all “persons” within the jurisdiction of the government of the United States.
I submit that, because the first known use of the word “citizen” in English writing was in 1380, more than 400 years later, native speakers & writers of the English language were referring to all persons within the jurisdiction of the government of the United States.
The Supreme Court has nine amendments left.
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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on June 26, 2008 at 10:19 pm
I realize you can sponsor an individual, as i have said on many occasions i do understand Immigration law. That still makes it illegal to hire them, house them and transport them before that process. Can you truthfully say you followed the law in that respect. Probably not. Is it so hard for an individual to go through the legal process of becoming a legal immigrant instead of foisting the burden on someone else. Then again most illegal immigrants remain so and invite their friends to come, sans documentation<illegal aliens> as you liberals like to say. LOL Chris Cummings
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Posted by ( raywilliams ) on June 20, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Uh Chris, is this the same Federal Law that allows me to sponsor an illegal immigrant for his papers to become a Documented Resident, to work, earn money and pay taxes? I thought you were against Federal Law. One day you’re against the Law, the next day you support it. No wonder you’re so hard to debate - its a different you everyday.
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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on June 19, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Ray i can not believe how naive’ you are “Immigration Law” is part of Federal Law and has been. LOL. Chris Cummings
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Posted by ( raywilliams ) on June 17, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Well Chrissy, I guess you’ll have to explain Immigration Law to me and how Immigration Law trumps other Federal Laws. Because my take is we use the law that applies to the current situation, not some other situation that may have transpired earlier.
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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on June 17, 2008 at 11:50 am
Ray are you so naive that you don’t understand “Immigration Law”? Why am i not surprised? LOL Chris Cummings
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Posted by ( raywilliams ) on June 16, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Gee Chris, we have immigrants in this country. Some are here legally and some are here illegally. How would like me to differentiate between them? And what makes one a legal immigrant? Generally, if they have documentation papers provided by and accepted by the federal government, they are deemed “legal” in the eyes of the Feds. I understand this may not fly in your mind, but then you’re nobody an immigrant needs permission or approval from.
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Posted by ( willow703 ) on June 16, 2008 at 1:28 pm
barnum,
Do the feds work, send them the bill, then publicly announce their failure to pay?
That would only work if the feds had a sense of shame. That is the first sense most politicians lose.
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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on June 15, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Actually blue doggette it speaks to the greater availability of the many private groups that can and do do it cheaper. LOL. Chris Cummings
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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on June 15, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Ray quit twisting the terms illegal alien and legal alien around, its a slap in the face to intelligent hard working legal immigrants and heck yes i am proud that the Resolution is having such a positive effect on the PWC community. Chris Cummings
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