Kevin drove down to Northern Virginia tonight to help send off one of our bloggers who is about to head to the Middle East - and not as a tourist.
As a bonus, Kevin also got some quality time with one of my favorite politicians, Eugene Delgaudio, who does for politics and government what you all do here for photography.
So, his plan is to insure Loudoun's already underfunded school system continues to not provide educational opportunities similar to those in other Northern Va jurisdictions (I love how derisively he said "Manadrin Chinese", God forbid kids have an opportunity to learn the language of another country), I take it that he has an intense dislike for all longtime Loudoun residents who don't want to see their countryside destroyed by unchecked sprawl that neccessitates more taxes, more spending, etc... which he also derides. I don't get how you can be against massive spending increases, and be for allowing unchecked growth in the west that will require billions to fund sewer, water, schools, and other services. Where does the money come from? I find it ironic he's fighting to protect Sterling's suburban lifestyle as though it's a God-given right to live that way, but he's also railing against those in Hunt Country who wish to preserve their life style. Just as he doesn't want condos all over his community, they don't want their's turned into another nightmare like South Riding.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm with him though on the crowded house thing. That band hasn't done anything for us in a long time.
Tom, you obviously don't live in Sterling so pardon those of us who do for discounting most of what you have to say. Eugene is looking out for his district, thank goodness.
ReplyDeleteThe school system eats up 75% of the county budget and, last time I checked, was doing a pretty questionable job in this district. I don't know anyone sensible here who thinks throwing more money at it will fix it. The private school on Dranesville road educates a student for $5,000 a year compared to $13,000 a year at, say, Sterling Middle, and parents are not afraid to send their kids to the private school.
Eugene should keep doing exactly what he has been doing.
Don't forget ESOL.
ReplyDeleteNo worries about a little vitriolic debate, Tom! Do you think "Mandariiiiiin Chineeeeeese" was playing to the right's fear of China's rising significance?
ReplyDeleteI don't know Eugene Delgaudio but from what he talked about when I met him, a little controversy goes a long way.
The language issue is one I gripe about. Efforts to make English the "official language" of an area, restriction of other languages, that crap pisses me off.
I think the point is the schools not doing so well in turning out English speakers - which was the main point of Eugene's statement in the speech. We're spending more per student and getting less. He's not trying to restrict other languages, he's been saying too much of the massive amount sent to the public schools is not giving an appropriate return on the dollar.
ReplyDeleteThis comes from the July 1st Leesburg Today-in his speech Eugene was against high density development in Sterling, but look he's getting thousands from the developer and a goat statue so it's all good:
ReplyDeleteSupervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling) is supporting the project despite his repeated objections to "density packing" in eastern Loudoun. Leinberger has contributed $10,599 to Delgaudio's election campaigns over the past five years. Delgaudio did request one concession from Leinberger's team: to install a memorial statue of the Phantom Billy Goat of Bartholomew Drive, a goat that wandered around the area for years until being struck by a vehicle. The developer agreed.
"They'll sacrifice all of their principles for anything cashable
ReplyDeleteI do believe it's terrible."
---Morrissey