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Local bills range from tax breaks to gun sales
January 09, 2008
The bills up for consideration in the next two months include restrictions on dogfighting and smoking, tax relief for seniors and slashing rates on payday loans. Voters in the Tri-Cities re-elected a slate of veteran legislators in November, all of whom are dealing with a shift in power because of the Democratic majority in the state Senate.
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has unveiled an agenda for the third year of his four-year term headlined by a proposed smoking ban at restaurants. He also wants to require instant background checks on sales at gun shows, something already done during store purchases.
W. Gerald Massengill of Dinwiddie, former Virginia State Police superintendent and chairman of the Virginia Tech Review Panel, supported the checks.
"I strongly believe that in today's world of automation there is no excuse for guns to be in the hands of those who are not eligible," Massengill said in a press release.
Attorney General Bob McDonnell outlined his priorities Tuesday, calling for aggressive penalty increases for fighting involving dogs and other animals, increased oversight of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and screening of inmate databases for illegal immigrants.
Local lawmakers are pitching their bills on issues big and small. Dels. Rosalyn Dance, D-63rd, and M. Kirkland "Kirk" Cox, R-62nd, are co-sponsoring a bill to cap payday lenders to a 36 percent interest rate. Payday loans are short-term, but carry much higher interest rates than other lenders can charge.
"I think payday lending is just usury," Cox said. "They're just taking advantage and using people."
Dance wants to increase the fees and late fees cities can charge for vacant buildings, and to add four members to the Virginia State University board of visitors. Cox is co-sponsoring that bill.
"This is coming directly from our board to help the workload, especially on the committees," said Tom Reid, a VSU spokesman.
Del. Riley Ingram, R-62nd, has also filed animal-fighting legislation in the wake of Michael Vick's high-profile case. Ingram's bill would increase penalties for fighting anything but dogs from a Class 3 to a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Much of Cox's agenda is focused on veterans and mental health services. He wants to boost the availability of mental-retardation waivers that allow families access to a wide variety of services. With today's waiting list of 3,900, Kaine's funding of 75 slots is too low, Cox said. He wants to add 800 slots at a cost of $22 million per year, closing the gap in about six years.Source : http://www.zwire.com
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THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE SECURING OTHER DEBTS AGAINST YOUR HOME. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED,
IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER DEBT SECURED ON IT. |
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