The 17 or so “mavericks” in the House are expected to help pass a “compromise” budget today. I’ve written before that my view is there are only a couple of real mavericks in the group; the others simply understand real politick.
Last night, 350 people showed up at the Waynesboro City Council budget hearing to advocate for more school funding.
Waynesboro’s population is just under 20,000. If the same proportion of citizens showed up at Fairfax County budget hearings, which already consume three nights with at least 60 speakers a night, there would be nearly 18,000 trying to cram into the county’s “board room.” It would be considered a revolution in the state’s most populous county. If the state cuts more funds for education, it may come to that. But it’s already happening in places like Waynesboro.
Listen to Waynesboro city resident David Dixon, as reported by the Augusta Free Press:
“I realize that some very difficult decisions need to be made by this city council. And I realize that the lack of leadership in Richmond is not making your job any easier. But the school system is facing the same kind of challenges that you are. And for the school system to be able to move forward, it’s going to need to get the level of funding that is necessary to allow it to meet the growing needs of the community.”
What does a recognition of the lack of leadership mean for the GOP in 2005?
Listen to school-board member Waynesboro’s Jonathan Lovelady, a school board member and pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church:
“This political posturing at the expense of our children has to stop. My hope is that every child, black or white, rich or poor, living in the Philippines or in Pelham, in the Tree Streets or on Rosser Avenue, every one of them, will have the opportunity to succeed.”
The problem for the GOP may be that just about everyone of those kids has a parent who can vote.