Why did Abbitt, Hogan, Landes and Saxman vote No on the tax hike but Yes on the car tax cap?
Why did Petersen, Rust, Jim Scott and Shannon vote Yes on the tax bill but No on the car tax cap?
Why did Hamilton not vote on the tax bill and vote against the car tax cap?
Why did Orrock vote for the tax hike but didn’t vote on the car tax cap?
Why did Frederick vote against the tax hike but didn’t vote on the car tax cap?
Why did Reese and Callahan desert the “maverick” GOP group on both votes?
Why did May and Orrock join them?
Why didn’t Shuler and Weatherholtz vote on either measure?
Votes by Petersen, Rust, Jim Scott and Shannon can be explained by geography. They represent Fairfax where the car tax cap hurts. Guess is that, since the vote wasn’t needed to put the cap on the car tax, the Governor and Democratic leaders gave them a pass on the car tax vote. I don’t think anyone of them would have scuttled the deal by casting a deciding vote against the cap. (Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites voted for the Senate’s compromise tax bill that included the car tax cap but voted against the cap when the Senate voted on the stand-alone measure. For voters, I’m sure she’ll highlight the former vote.)
Reese and Callahan may have had similar reasons, knowing their votes weren’t needed. But to voters they’ll argue they were against the tax hike because it went so far beyond what they voted for in the original HB 5008. They’ll also say they protested the continuation of the estate tax. Both represent high net worth constituencies.
Hamilton argued that the ¼-cent sent directly to localities wouldn’t be used for property tax relief.
“That’s a sham,” Hamilton said. “There’s nothing that does local tax relief in here, that’s kind of disingenuous as far as I’m concerned.”
I think Hamilton is also mad that his ideas (local option sales tax) weren’t considered.
Orrock, who voted against the less costly earlier version of HB 5018, heard an earful at a rescue squad event last weekend and he decided that a compromise was better than a shutdown. But then maybe he was just in a hurry. “Del. Robert D. “Bobby” Orrock Sr. (R-Spotsylvania) said he’d vote for the tax bill, but only if the vote took place by 5:30 p.m., when he had to leave to deejay a radio show.”
May was also worried about a shutdown. “I voted for it because while I was really opposed to any tax increase, I’m even more opposed to not having a budget,” May said. “It was my belief that we were down to that point.
Frederick? Any speculation as to his reasoning would suggest he could.
Abbitt, Hogan, Landes and Saxman? I haven’t a clue.
Shuler and Weatherholtz, please phone home.