January 16. 2009
Senator Mark R. Herring
Delegate James R. LeMunyon
Virginia General
Assembly Virginia
General Assembly
P.O. Box 6246
3296
Willow Glen Drive
Leesburg, VA 20178
Oak Hill, VA
20171
Dear Jim and Mark,
From what I read in the newspapers, it appears that
your current session with be heavily concentrated on the Virginia State budget.
According to the Washington Post on 1/15/10, titled, "Humility Becomes Incoming
Governor", the article states that you are facing a potential budget gap of
$4.2 billion over the next two years. This is astronomical! It
is now time for a budget review to be conducted based on zero based
budgeting concept whereby you review every single program, division, branch and
effectively reduce the budget without harming the education budget and perhaps
finding more funding for transportation. This is not a new concept. When
Governor Rick Perry inherited a $10 billion deficit from the previous Governor of Texas
George W. Bush, he realized that Texans did not want an income tax so he was
forced to carefully scrutinize the budget item by item to ferret out redundant
or outdated programs and after a short time was able to secure a $2 billion
surplus in the Texas budget. It always seems like most politicians take the easy
way out and simply raise taxes. This is described in my first attachment titled,
"Taxes are never enough". I respectfully request that you ask for a complete
budget review, similar to zero based budgeting concepts, at the beginning
up this session.
According to the Fairfax County Taxpayers
Alliance ( www.fcta.org ), from 1998 through 2007 (a
ten year period) the state budget jumped almost 100%. The budget went from $17.6
billion to $35.1 billion, an increase of $17.5 billion. During that period,
inflation averaged around 2% per year while the budget rose 8 to 10% each year.
According to the Washington Times dated 11/11/09, titled, "Va. budget up 74%
since 2000". The article stated that the Joint Legislative Audit and Review
Committee showed that the state spending jump of 28% when adjusted to account
for inflation and population growth from fiscal 2000 to fiscal 2009. This is
very alarming! It should be obvious to the General Assembly that the state
budget spending is out of control! With all of this excessive spending,
transportation funding in Northern Virginia remains woefully inadequate. Why is
that?
The second attachment titled, "Virginia
Retirement System (VRS): A generous system! is most revealing! Virginia
state employees do not contribute into the VRS. Virginia is only one of
five states that permits this luxury. Our neighboring states have their state
employees contribute 5 to 6% of their income into their retirement systems. In
2008, the State contributed $2.148 billion into the VRS. Isn't it time for
fairness and equity? It is now time to put newly hired state employees on the
state retirement system and have them contribute 5 or 6% of their income with
matching contribution from the State. If the budget is as desperate as some
portray, then why not request all State employees to contribute to the VRS at
the beginning of the new fiscal year?
In an article from the Washington Times dated
1/6/10 titled, "Webb and Warner owe Virginia an apology",presents a possible
disaster to the Virginia budget when the final health care bill is passed by
Congress. The article stated that both Senators Webb and Warner passed the
Senate version of the national health care bill which would add 262,000 people
to Virginia's Medicaid rolls expecting the Commonwealth of Virginia to
pick up the new gigantic tab! As you should know, Virginia already spends about
$7 billion or 1/6 of the annual state budget on the state Medicaid program. This
new Federal health care bill would increase enrollment federally mandated
Medicaid by 30%. This is appalling! It is now time for you both, along with your
friends in the General Assembly, to go to both Senator Warner and Webb and
demand an explanation as to why they are shafting the citizens of Virginia with
potential unnecessary additional costs. Senator Webb was quoted as stating,
"His vote would not create a cumbersome overly bureaucratic system and his vote
would be contingent on eliminating proposed Medicaid cuts, excluding abortion
coverage, and ensuring fair and equal treatment". Senator Warner stated, "He
would only vote for the final bill if convinced it will lower the deficit". Do
you really believe that? You must find a way to rein in the Medicaid costs which
have been soaring in recent years.
Last, but not least, I have written letters before
to members of the General Assembly urging them to appoint an Inspector General
and set up an Office of the Inspector General (OIG).This suggestion appears to
fall on deaf ears. I understand that Virginia has the Auditor of Public Accounts
Office that performs independent audits. This is not adequate for a state with a
budget of over $36 billion per year. I encourage both of you to pursue
establishing an OIG. The OIG, in Federal Government Departments and Agencies
performs not only independent audits but also conducts inspections and
investigations leading to prosecutions for fraud/ and or corruption. Such
activities lead to improved integrity and accountability. It encourages the most
efficient, effective, and economic use of resources and ultimately improves
management. The OIG prevents and detects waste, fraud, abuse, mismanagement and
corruption and identifies vulnerabilities and recommends constructive,
meaningful solutions. In Federal departments and agencies, the OIG has saved
billions of dollars! I encourage both of you to pursue this for the benefit of
the taxpayers.
I look forward to a written reply to my
letter.
Sincerely,
Charles R. McAndrew
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