| Dimensions sues Prince George's again
Dimensions Healthcare System has filed a second lawsuit in Prince George's County Circuit Court asking, once more, for the full $14 million the hospital system said it's owed in county funding, county officials said. County officials said they were notified Friday by the county's law office that Dimensions filed another lawsuit reclaiming its right to $14 million in county payments, despite a previous ruling that the county had no obligation to pay $12 million of it. .
Road Funding Scheme Under Attack
Transportation-funding legislation passed by the Republican-controlled General Assembly and signed into law by Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine is under fire on several fronts as opponents to various provisions have begun filing lawsuits.After several years of squabbling about whether additional money is needed for the state road and transit system and how to provide that money, a group of Republicans laid the groundwork for the transportation funding package and Kaine made adjustments that appeared to satisfy state lawmakers as well as local elected officials before it was enacted. However, as the law has been analyzed, opponents identified new concerns and some judges have refused to implement some provisions.Two specific areas of the legislation have been targeted: one that allows the assessment of abusive driver fees as high as $3,000 in addition to criminal fines, with the fees going to statewide transportation projects; and the other that allows regional authorities in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads to impose taxes to be used on regional transportation projects.Battles are being waged from multiple avenues.Last month, as promised, the Loudoun Board of Supervisors filed a brief in Arlington County Circuit Court challenging the constitutionality of the tax-raising authority of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.Last week, a Henrico General District Court judge rejected the constitutionality of the abusive driving fees.
School Board chairman blasts governor over funding
There was sharp criticism of the governor Monday night when the Bozeman School Board approved a $46 million budget that adds full-time kindergarten classes and covers employee pay raises, but doesn't have enough money to hire math specialists or replace retiring teachers at Bozeman High. Board Chairman Carson Taylor said he's "extremely disappointed" in Gov. Brian Schweitzer and the 2007 Legislature for not providing Montana schools with enough money to make improvements, particularly in a year when the state had a $1.7 billion surplus."Frankly, the most depressing thing, in a year when we have an incredible surplus, is we're not talking ... about innovation," Taylor said. "The parsimony about education budgets in this state is going to come back to haunt us."Taylor said the state needs major tax reform and "the governor ...
Conservatives Upset At Republicans Over Transportation Law
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Anti-tax activists behind a wide-ranging court challenge to the new transportation funding law on Tuesday called for punishing Republican lawmakers who supported the measure, even if it means backing Democrats this fall. Aiming scathing and sometimes personal swipes at House and Senate GOP leaders who brokered the transportation compromise, representatives of groups usually allied with Republicans called the law "a horrible piece of skullduggery" that could cost the party control of the legislature. "So who's the winner politically in all of this? I would say Governor Kaine and the Democrats," said John Taylor, president of Tertium Quids, an organization of anti-tax libertarians and conservatives who advocate cutting government. He and other speakers at a news conference predicted a voter backlash against Republicans responsible for the 2007 Transportation Act with its daunting surcharges for abusive drivers and regional taxing authorities to underwrite road projects in Hampton Roads and the Washington, D.C., suburbs, Virginia's most populous and congested areas.
Sheriff Gobble Lawsuit Case Set For Nov. 20
The case in which Bradley County Sheriff Tim Gobble filed suit against the county, alleging inadequate funding of his office, has been set for Nov. 20.
Circuit Court Judge John B. Hagler will convene the trial at 9 a.m.
The parties in the case met Monday in a scheduling conference with Judge Hagler.
Deadlines were set on the taking of depositions and filing of motions.
County officials contend they provided adequate funding to the sheriff, giving that office a higher increase than any other office.
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Mee hires controller
Mee Memorial Hospital in King City on Thursday announced a key addition to its finance department, three months after loan problems triggered a multi-million-dollar lawsuit by Rabobank. Sandie Bowen was hired in June to become the King City hospital's controller and started July 9. Bowen held a similar position with the finance department at Ridgecrest Regional Hospital in Ridgecrest for the past 19 years. She said Thursday she has a tough job ahead of her. .
Homeownership Rates Continue to Slip
The Census Bureau released figures last week showing that the country's homeownership rate had fallen for the fourth consecutive quarter, to its lowest level since 2003. The news lent statistical ballast to the fear that the subprime mortgage meltdown, which is seeping into the prime market, could be undermining federal housing policy that, for the past 20 years, has relentlessly encouraged and promoted the American Dream. .
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