The past few days, the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce has been organizing for next Tuesday evening, April 6, a town meeting on the budget impasse.
Sen. John Chichester (R-Stafford), leader of moderate Republicans calling for a modest tax increase, and Sen. Edd Houck (D-Fredericksburg) have already agreed. The Speaker of the House Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg) and the leader of the anti-tax forces, had not. According to one source, this afternoon Howell told the Chamber he couldn’t come to any meeting next Tuesday because the House would be called into session at 5 p.m. on that day.
And who do you think is calling this unusual session? Mr. “I-can’t-hear-you-or-see-you-because-I-have-my-head-in-the-sand” Speaker!
Reportedly, the Chamber has asked the Speaker for other dates. If you’d like to call the Speaker to ask that he face the music, his office in Fredericksburg is (540) 371-1612 and in Richmond, (804) 698-1028. His email is Del_Howell@house.state.va.us , his fax is (804) 786-6310 and his “constituent” line (though he doesn’t seem to want to hear from constituents now) is (800)-889-0229.
Anybody know his home address and phone number?