"Piggish on America"-- A look at Virginia's spending

This one comes a little late, but I was just flipping through last Sunday’s Richmond Times Dispatch last night, when I came across this great commentary by Delegate Frank Hargrove.

Delegate Hargrove has been involved with the Cost Cutting Caucus, and he and his office are often a source of insight and innovative cost-savings ideas. In Sunday’s Commentary section, he busts a number of myths about the “budget crisis,” and really gets to the heart of the problem.

Why is a tax increase necessary when the state budget is in surplus? It seems the government's appetite for spending is insatiable. No matter how much of the people's money is confiscated through taxation, some politicians dream of more. Manufacturing a crisis is the primary tool employed by the big spenders to convince the public of the "need" to donate more of their hard-earned money.

It is a good read, and Del. Hargrove is able to break down several key myths about the state of state spending. The article really underscores the importance of the Cost Cutting Caucus and legislators who are committed to bettering the way the state operates, not just selling the public on ever-growing state “needs.”

~whitney