Category Archives: Fiscal Freedom

(UPDATED, 9:02 p.m. Wednesday, with the bill number).

Amid a turbulent Statehouse debate over social justice in education, Idaho lawmakers have introduced a new proposal dealing with nondiscrimination in public schools.

The legislation, House Bill 377, would bar public schools from spending money for certain purposes it deems discriminatory. Those purposes include compelling students to adhere to any of three tenants the bill argues are often found in critical race theory.'

They are:

The legislation is an apparent rewrite of House Bill 375, a bill targeting sectarianism and critical race theory that was abruptly yanked from consideration Tuesday just a day after it was introduced. Unlike the original, HB 377 makes no mention of sectarianism.

This bill establishes education and fiscal policy for the state regarding dignity and nondiscrimination in public education, said Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, as she presented the proposal. It includes also fiscal policy prohibiting the use of monies for prohibited purposes as described in the bill.

Horman is one of a group of conservative legislators who has voiced concerns over public schools spreading social justice activism and critical race theory to students.

Assistant Minority Leader Illana Rubel said, I feel that theres just an imaginary problem to some extent being addressed here. I really dont think we have a problem in our education system such that we need to be putting conditions on funding, etc. But given that this will have a full hearing in committee. I will reluctantly vote to introduce. But again, I dont understand the basis for why were going down this path at all.

The House Ways and Means Committee, comprised mostly of House leadership, voted to introduce the bill, with Rubels fellow Democrats on the committee, Lauren Necochea of Boise and Sally Toone of Gooding, dissenting. The House Education Committee will take up the new bill Thursday morning, according to Horman.

Rubel questioned a piece of the proposal that would prohibit schools from directing or compelling students to personally affirm, adopt, or adhere to the three tenants it decries.

Im wondering what problems debate teachers might have or really in any class where they try to encourage that classroom discussion by assigning students to one side or another, said Rubel, D-Boise.

Said Rep. Julianne Young, R-Blackfoot, Youll notice the word personally adopt or adhere to. So, this is not just a role play. This is not just a debate where were obviously taking turns taking different sides.

The proposal comes out of a House thats killed three major education budgets this session over social justice concerns. In killing the states K-12 teacher salaries budget, discontented representatives vowed not to pass the $1.1 billion bill until intent language restricting social justice education is added to law.

Since then, no such intent language has been codified, and no other education budget bills have seen a vote.

Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachins new indoctrination task force is ramping up its search for communist, socialist and social justice-slanted teachings in Idaho public schools, her office announced Wednesday.

One of our primary goals with this task force is to give concerned citizens a voice regarding education in Idaho, McGeachin said in a press release. If you, your child, or someone close to you has information regarding problematic teachings on social justice, critical race theory, socialism, communism, or Marxism, please provide us with as much information as you are comfortable sharing.

She began forming the Task Force to Examine Indoctrination in Idaho Education earlier this month, echoing concerns about social justice education pronounced by fellow hardline conservatives in the Legislature and by the Idaho Freedom Foundation, a conservative libertarian group.

One of those lawmakers, Rep. Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird, will co-chair the task force, saying she intends to root out critical race theory and bolster Americas core values in the position.

McGeachin announced the task forces founding a day after Giddings and Rep. Ron Nate, R-Rexburg, made a failing attempt in the Joint-Finance Appropriations Committee to insert $4,000 into her office budget to support the indoctrination group. That budget has since been sent back to the drawing board after both complained to the House of a separate cut to McGeachins budget, which trimmed her staff funding from three employees to two and a half.

Meanwhile, McGeachin is conducting interviews as she recruits more members. She plans to hold meetings monthly in May, June, July and August and announce the forces full membership in the coming weeks.

The big education budgets are going nowhere fast, but on Wednesday, Idaho schools received a payday approaching $9 million.

Thats because the Idaho Lottery will continue to offer the Powerball game until 2022.

It had looked like the Idaho Lottery would need to drop Powerball in August, after lawmakers balked at allowing the state to take part in an international lottery including the United Kingdom and Australia.

The international lottery is now on hold, which means Idahoans will be able to continue to play Powerball.

We believe that international sales of Powerball are inevitable and Idaho law will have to be changed in 2022 for players to remain able to enjoy the worlds most popular lottery game, state lottery Director Jeff Anderson said Wednesday. We will continue to responsibly work with the Idaho Legislature, our players, and our retailers to ensure Idahoans have the freedom to enjoy Powerball in Idaho.

Powerball delivers about $14 million in annual dividends to public schools and the state Permanent Building Fund; the schools share comes to $8.75 million.

Idaho has been part of a multistate Powerball compact since 1992.

This story is developing and will be updated throughout the day. Idaho Education News reporter Kevin Richert contributed.

Reporter Blake Jones covers the politics and policy of Idaho's K-12 public school system. He's a lifelong Idahoan, and holds degrees in Creative Writing and Political Economy from the College of Idaho. Follow Blake on Twitter @jonesblakej. He can be reached by email at [emailprotected]

Read the rest here:

Legislative roundup, 4.21.21: Anti-sectarianism bill gets a rewrite; McGeachin's indoctrination task force takes shape - Idaho EdNews

Mister President,

Members of the Security Council,

Allow me to begin by wishing all Muslims of the world a blessed Ramadan.

I brief you today as Palestinians and Israelis are immersed in consequential political and electoral processes. Preparations continue for the Palestinian Legislative Council elections, scheduled for 22 May, while Israelis are engaged in efforts to form a governing coalition after the elections held on 23 March.

These developments may have significant implications for the prospects for advancing peace in the months ahead.

The holding of credible elections in Palestine is a crucial step towards renewing the legitimacy of national institutions and reestablishing Palestinian national unity. I encourage international support to these efforts.

The UN has engaged regularly with the Palestinian parties and the Central Elections Commission (CEC) to facilitate preparations for the elections and will continue its support for the election process. To date, the CEC has performed its duties with professionalism and integrity, enhancing trust in the electoral process. In particular, I welcome the CECs efforts to plan for and implement special measures to ensure safe voting in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also underscore the critical role of election observers to ensure respect for the results of a credible and transparent process.

Mister President,

The candidate registration period concluded on 31 March. On 6 April, the CEC announced that all 36 registered electoral lists were approved. On 11 April, the CEC announced that of the 231 objections submitted to the CEC against registered candidates, 226 had been rejected, four withdrawn and one accepted. The Electoral Court upheld CEC decisions on 18 appeals brought before the Court. This concludes the legal process to challenge electoral lists. Final lists are expected to be published on 30 April, the start of the official campaign period.

I emphasize that any disputes should be resolved in a peaceful manner and through official legal mechanisms.

All sides must provide for and protect the right of Palestinians across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza to participate in credible and inclusive Palestinian elections, as well as to stand for elections, free from intimidation. In particular, I urge all parties to refrain from any arrest, detention or interrogation based on freedom of opinion, freedom of expression or freedom of association.

Mister President,

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose a formidable threat throughout the OPT. I am seriously concerned by the significant rise in active cases in Gaza where the daily infection rate is reaching its highest level since the onset of the pandemic. In the West Bank, many hospitals remain at or near full capacity. My colleague from OCHA will brief after me and will provide greater detail on this situation.

As the socio-economic impact of the pandemic has significantly exacerbated a seemingly never-ending fiscal and economic crisis in both the West Bank and Gaza, support for the Palestinian Governments response must continue to be a priority.

The Palestinian Government vaccination campaign, which officially began in the West Bank and Gaza last month, continued throughout the reporting period. The Palestinian Ministry of Health has received over 300,000 vaccine doses to date. Israel has continued its efforts to vaccinate segments of the Palestinian population in the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem, as well as over 100,000 Palestinians holding permits to enter Israel.

I welcome all efforts carried out thus far to vaccinate the Palestinian population, but the process needs to be accelerated and more vaccines are needed.

Mister President,

In a positive development, on 7 April, the United States announced plans to restart its economic, humanitarian, development and security assistance to Palestinians, including some USD 150 million in funding for UNRWA.

I welcome the resumption of US support, including to UNRWA. I appeal to all Member States to remobilize support to UNWRA, whose services are not only a lifeline for millions of Palestine refugees but are also critical for stability throughout the region. Funding the UN response is the fastest and most efficient way to address urgent needs in the OPT.

Mister President,

On 5 April, the Palestinian Government adopted the second National Action Plan on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325. I welcome the efforts of the Government to translate international frameworks into commitments and actions. I reiterate UN support for the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Palestine.

Mister President,

The demolition and seizure of Palestinian property throughout the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem continued during the reporting period. OCHA will provide details on relevant developments shortly. But allow me to reiterate my call upon Israel to cease this practice, in line with its obligations under international law, and to allow Palestinians to develop their communities.

Mister President,

On the basis of an Israeli law, passed in 1994, which bars activity in Jerusalem by the Palestinian Authority without prior approval, on 6 April, ISF shut down a meeting related to Palestinian elections at the Ambassador Hotel in East Jerusalem, calling in for questioning the hotel manager as well as the director of the Fatah office in Jerusalem.

Mister President,

Daily violence also continued throughout the OPT.

In Gaza, on 24 March, Israel Defense Forces fired some ten missiles at what it said were Hamas targets, in retaliation for a rocket fired towards Israel the previous day. On 15 and 16 April militants in Gaza fired two rockets towards Israel. The rockets landed in open fields, causing no damage or injury. In retaliation for each incident, IDF fired at what it said were Hamas-linked targets in the Strip. No injuries were reported.

In the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, clashes, attacks, search and arrest operations, and other incidents resulted in the death of one Palestinian, and injuries to 29 Palestinians, including five children and one woman. Eight Israelis, including one woman, were injured in the course of these events.

Since the beginning of Ramadan, there have been repeated clashes between Palestinians and ISF and Israeli civilians in and around Jerusalems Old City, leading to injuries and arrests. I call on all sides to take steps to de-escalate tensions and maintain calm.

On 6 April, Israeli security forces (ISF) shot and killed a 45-year old Palestinian man at a checkpoint set up during an ISF operation in Bir Nabala village, north of Jerusalem. The man died of his injuries and his 35-year old wife, also in the vehicle, was injured. ISF initially said that the man had attempted a ramming attack, an account disputed by the mans wife and eyewitnesses. ISF opened an investigation into the incident.

Meanwhile, settlers and other Israeli civilians perpetrated some 20 attacks against Palestinians, resulting in eight injuries and damage to property. Palestinians perpetrated some 20 attacks against Israeli settlers and other civilians in the West Bank, resulting in seven injuries and damage to property.

I underscore that all perpetrators of violence must be held accountable and swiftly brought to justice. I reiterate that Israeli security forces must exercise maximum restraint and may use lethal force only when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life. Particular care should be taken to protect children from any form of violence. In addition, the indiscriminate launching of rockets towards Israeli population centers violates international law and must stop immediately.

Mister President,

Turning to the region, on the Golan, the ceasefire between Israel and Syria has been generally maintained despite the continued violations of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement by the parties, leading to increasing tensions. UNDOF continues to liaise with both parties to remind them of their obligation to respect the terms of the Disengagement Agreement and prevent escalation of the situation across the ceasefire line.

In Lebanon, a new government has still not been formed, delaying implementation of crucial reforms and related international support, which are urgently needed to address the ever-worsening socio-economic situation and growing humanitarian needs.

In the UNIFIL area of operations the situation remained tense, including due to incidents of weapons pointing between the Israel Defense Forces and Lebanese Armed Forces across the Blue Line. UNIFIL remains engaged with the parties to contain incidents and defuse tensions, including through its liaison and coordination efforts and robust presence on the ground.

Mr. President,

In closing, I wish to emphasize that expectations for the holding of elections in Palestine are high and come after a long wait of almost fifteen years. Since my last briefing, a growing number of young people are expected to participate in shaping their political future and having the opportunity to vote for the first time.

In recent interviews conducted by UN Women with youth in Gaza and the West Bank, one young woman, whose view was not unique, said the following: Although I am not into politics, I am a member of this society and want to have a voice. Even if those I vote for do not win, at least I will have exercised my right to vote.

The successful completion of inclusive Palestinian elections is a critical step toward renewing democratic legitimacy of the Palestinian Government. These elections should also pave the way to uniting Gaza and the West Bank under a single, legitimate national authority, which would be an important step towards reconciliation and could advance Middle East peace.

The path forward will not be easy and will require political courage from all sides. Despite the myriad challenges, we remain focused on the goal of advancing a two-State solution an independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian State living side-by-side with Israel in peace and security in line with UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements.

It is crucial that the international community, and particularly the Middle East Quartet, signal a way forward towards an end to occupation and the achievement of a sustainable peace. This includes creating a clear political horizon and encouraging practical steps by all sides to set the stage for a successful return to negotiations.

The United Nations remains committed to working, through the Quartet and with other regional and international partners, to support Israelis and Palestinians in these efforts.

I thank you.

View original post here:

Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question (as delivered by UN Special Coordinator Wennesland),...

ARLINGTON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--D.R. Horton, Inc. (NYSE:DHI), Americas Builder, announced today that its Board of Directors (the Board) has appointed Dr. Benjamin (Ben) S. Carson, Sr. as an independent director effective April 20, 2021. Dr. Carson was also named as a member of the Nominating and Governance, Audit and Compensation Committees. The appointment of Dr. Carson expands the size of the Companys Board from six to seven directors, six of whom are independent directors.

Most recently, Dr. Carson served as the 17th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from 2017 to 2021. At HUD, he led the agency in many innovative programs focused on advancing economic opportunity; providing safe, fair and affordable housing; spurring reinvestment in communities; reducing homelessness; assisting and promoting self-sufficiency to underserved and vulnerable populations; and helping disaster victims, while emphasizing fiscal responsibility and reductions of regulatory barriers. During his tenure as HUD Secretary, Dr. Carson also led the collaboration of eight federal agencies to establish the White House Council on Eliminating Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing.

Dr. Carson is a world-renowned neurosurgeon who prior to serving as HUD Secretary was involved with more than 15,000 surgical procedures and was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, more than 70 honorary doctorate degrees and the Spingarn Medal, the NAACPs highest honor. Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Carson contributed to the field of medicine through the thousands of surgeries he performed and the many leadership positions he held, including serving as Director of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions from 1984 to 2013 as well a Professor of Neurological Surgery, Oncology, Plastic Surgery and Pediatrics at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions from 1999 to 2013. Dr. Carson also previously served terms on the Boards of Directors of both the Kellogg Company and Costco Wholesale Corporation. He received his B.A. from Yale University and his M.D. from the University of Michigan School of Medicine.

Donald R. Horton, Chairman of the Board, said, I am pleased to welcome Dr. Ben Carson to our Board. The Company will benefit greatly from Bens intellect, life experiences and leadership skills, including his recent experience as HUD Secretary. Ben has been actively involved in programs directly related to U.S. housing, including homebuyer education and the need for affordable housing to improve the quality of life for families in America. We expect Ben to bring new perspectives that will enhance the effectiveness and composition of our Board.

About D.R. Horton, Inc.

D.R. Horton, Inc., Americas Builder, has been the largest homebuilder by volume in the United States since 2002. Founded in 1978 in Fort Worth, Texas, D.R. Horton has operations in 90 markets in 29 states across the United States and closed 71,168 homes in the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2020. The Company is engaged in the construction and sale of high-quality homes through its diverse brand portfolio that includes D.R. Horton, Emerald Homes, Express Homes and Freedom Homes ranging from $150,000 to over $1,000,000. D.R. Horton also provides mortgage financing, title services and insurance agency services for homebuyers through its mortgage, title and insurance subsidiaries.

See original here:

D.R. Horton, Inc. Appoints Benjamin S. Carson, Sr. as New Independent Director - Business Wire

Sandeep Dikshit

Deputy Editor

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar may have been expressing the anxiety being felt by the South Block over the zigzag course taken in foreign policy by the Biden administration when, in a span of one week, he twice declared that the Quad will never become an Asian NATO.

It now emerges that when the first-ever Quad summit convened by US President Joe Biden on March 12 was waxing eloquent on the launch of a landmark partnership with India to further accelerate the end of the Covid pandemic, the White House was doing the exact opposite.

A fact sheet after the Quad summit spoke of undertaking shared action necessary to expand safe and effective Covid vaccine manufacturing in 2021. But the on-ground situation in Washington was vastly different. Indian Ambassador to the US

Taranjit Singh Sandhu was at the same time telling the Biden administration that its invoking of the Defence Production Act has affected vaccine production in India due to a shortage of cell culture media,

single-use tubing assemblies and certain chemicals.

The end-game of enticing India into a Quad grouping with military teeth had already been jolted when the US Navys USS John Paul Jones sailed unannounced into the Indian exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on April 7. The freedom of navigation sail could have been brushed under the carpet like the US Navys many such earlier forays.

But for those who might have missed out on this brief India-US scrimmage-that-wasnt, the US Seventh Fleet helpfully put out a press release that declared its warship sailed inside Indias EEZ, without requesting Indias prior consent.

The US Navy did clarify that its Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs) are not about one country, nor are they about making political statements. But if the US

professes to place India in the

top drawer of its allies, why was there no prior word to the Indian Navy or its liaison officers posted in several of the US Navys Asian outposts? Otherwise, the Indian Navy would not have reacted with a counter-press release that stated the US warship was tracked as soon as it entered the EEZ, about 130 nautical miles west of the Lakshadweep Islands.

On March 18 and 19, in stark contrast to its public image of going for an all-out war against Beijing in supply chains, defence build-up and high technology, Bidens two top foreign policy czars, Tony Blinken and Jake Sullivan were closeted with their Chinese counterparts for two days in Alaska.

The opening lived up to the public billing of an extremely upset US trying to pressure China on all its vulnerabilities Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet, South China Sea et al. In fact, it was an unprecedented diplomatic dust-up. But the opening exchange did not appear to materially affect the rest of the meeting. A senior administration official told me that the moment the cameras left, the Chinese side went back to business as usual, working through the list of issues on the agenda, including non-proliferation and Iran, said an Atlantic article.

As is well known, China already has a substantial handle on the US economy which has kept its

citizens satiated with debt. The fiscal dependence the US owes over $1 trillion to China can shake the economy if it is suddenly dumped. The trend to lean on China had spiralled during the Obama years when Biden was his second-in-command.

The US presidential elections, during which candidates are closely scanned for character flaws, saw the peddling of Hunter Bidens business deals with China (besides Ukraine) by the pro-Trump media. The Biden team dismissed most of it as Russian disinformation but it is incontrovertible that Hunter flew with his then Vice President father to Beijing in 2013. While there, he also shared a cup of coffee with an investment banker and was on his companys board 12 days later.

There is no evidence that the US foreign policy was influenced by the deal, but the charges cut to the bone. Joe Biden had to promise during the Presidential stumping that no one in his family will hold a job with a foreign corporation or government.

This incident, however, leads to the assumption that the US under Biden might not be thinking of a zero-sum game against China, as is being fondly imagined in many quarters in India. The vaccine dust-up apart, the Quad merely renewed the long-pending promise of meeting acute Indian strategic interest in critical and emerging technology by setting up a working group. This leads to the apprehension whether the current contradictions between the US and China have a temporary character? The Donald Trump-Mike Pompeo duo, which put the Quad in high gear, in contrast had an existentialist fear of China putting an end to the American exceptionalism that has ruled the world after World War II.

There is certainly a vacuum as multilateralism has fallen short. This has led the trend to move towards groups of countries that can work together. But Bidens national security policies premised on a growing rivalry with China are grating with the on-ground situation. This may have led Jaishankar to issue two clarifications within a week about India seeing no dividend in forming a military block with the Quad in the Indo-Pacific.

Originally posted here:

The unpredictable course of US policy in Asia - The Tribune

D.R. Horton, the largest homebuilder in the U.S., appointed former U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson to its board of directors.

D.R. Horton appointed Carson as an independent director effective Apr. 20, 2021. Carson was also named as a member of the Nominating and Governance, Audit and Compensation Committees. The appointment of Carson expands the size of the companys board from six to seven directors, six of whom are independent directors.

Donald Horton

The company will benefit greatly from Bens intellect, life experiences and leadership skills, including his recent experience as HUD secretary, said Donald Horton, D.R. Horton chairman of the board. Ben has been actively involved in programs directly related to U.S. housing, including homebuyer education and the need for affordable housing to improve the quality of life for families in America. We expect Ben to bring new perspectives that will enhance the effectiveness and composition of our Board.

Carson was an award-winning former neurosurgeon, who entered the political realm as former president Donald Trumps opponent in the primary race for the Republican presidential nomination in 2015. However, some parts of the housing industry expressed concern when Carson was nominated for HUD secretary due to his lack of experience in housing.

But in its announcement, D.R. Horton applauded Carsons achievements in housing when he served as HUD secretary.

At HUD, he led the agency in many innovative programs focused on advancing economic opportunity; providing safe, fair and affordable housing; spurring reinvestment in communities; reducing homelessness; assisting and promoting self-sufficiency to underserved and vulnerable populations; and helping disaster victims, while emphasizing fiscal responsibility and reductions of regulatory barriers, the company stated. During his tenure as HUD secretary, Dr. Carson also led the collaboration of eight federal agencies to establish the White House Council on Eliminating Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing.

Prior to serving as HUD secretary, Carson was involved with more than 15,000 surgical procedures and was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, more than 70 honorary doctorate degrees and the Spingarn Medal, the NAACPs highest honor.

Throughout his career, Carson served as director of the division of pediatric neurosurgery at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions from 1984 to 2013, as well a professor of neurological surgery, oncology, plastic surgery and pediatrics at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions from 1999 to 2013. Carson also previously served terms on the boards of directors of the Kellogg Company and Costco Wholesale Corp.

Email Kelsey Ramrez

Excerpt from:

Ben Carson joins board of directors of largest homebuilder in US - Inman

The European Parliament is expected to call on the Maltese government to continue deploying all the necessary resources to bring to justice all those implicated in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, but also those linked to all other cases she brought to light before her assassination.

In a draft resolution seen by Times of Malta and which is expected to be put to the vote on Wednesday, European parliamentarians are due to express their deep concern about the latest revelations in the investigations into the assassination, particularly the possible involvement of government ministers and political appointees.

While acknowledging the progress made in the murder investigations, despite the delay, MEPs denounced the repeated offer and use of presidential pardons in the context of the murder trial. They stressed that testimonies offered for other crimes should be very carefully assessed and should not be used to evade full justice for murder.

The resolution notes, however, that a presidential pardon and plea bargain were two of the elements that led to the arrest in November 2019 of one of the individuals suspected of commissioning the assassination.

The resolution was drafted following the debate held last month at the request of the European Peoples Party.

Co-signed by all seven European Parliament groupings, including the Social and Democrats which Labour MEPs form part of, the resolution outlines a series of concerns EU parliamentarians have about Malta and calls on the Commission, among other things, to investigate whether Malta is compliant with EU anti-money laundering laws.

It reiterates that the Maltese government must consider the fight against organised crime, corruption and the intimidation of journalists as of the utmost priority.

Protect the media, judicial independence

MEPs particularly refer to serious and persistent threats to the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights, including questions on the freedom of the media, the independence of law enforcement and the judiciary from political interference and the freedom of peaceful assembly.

While praising the governments progress in relation to the rule of law through the implementation of some of the recommendations of the European Commission, the Council of Europe and the Venice Commission, they are expected to encourage the government to continue to pursue endeavours to strengthen its institutions.

The MEPs will also welcome structural reforms proposed by the government following the Commissions findings in its 2020 Rule of Law Report on Malta, notably deep corruption patterns, noting that the Commission should use all the tools and procedures at its disposal to ensure full compliance with EU law on the efficient functioning of judicial systems, the fight against money laundering, banking supervision, public procurement and urban planning and development.

They reiterate their call for the full and continuous involvement of Europol in all aspects of the murder investigation and all related investigations and welcomed the continuation of the public independent inquiry into the Caruana Galizia murder. They said all recommendations stemming from the inquiry ought to be fully implemented.

In their resolution, the MEPs stress that all allegations of corruption and fraud, especially at a high political level, should be investigated and prosecuted with the appropriate rigour, including in relation to the possible involvement of foreign actors.

On media freedom, the MEPs stress that the government should take further action, including through long-term legislative and policy measures, to address existing concerns related to media freedom and the independence of public media from political interference as well as the increasing use of hate speech on social media.

They call for the protection of investigative journalists and whistleblowers and for the protection of the personal safety, livelihoods and independence of journalists and whistleblowers to be ensured at all costs and at all times.

They will also urge the commission to propose EU anti-SLAPP legislation to protect journalists from vexatious lawsuits since investigative journalism should receive particular consideration and financial or fiscal support as a tool serving the public good.

Independent journalism costs money. Support Times of Malta for the price of a coffee.

See the original post:

EP resolution to urge government to continue to seek justice - Times of Malta

On 19 April, the Union government liberalised its vaccination policy which would come into force from 1 May. In the third phase, vaccine manufacturers are given more flexibility in deciding price of their doses, half of the supplies will go to the Centre while other half to states and open market and everyone above 18 years of age will now be eligible to get a jab.

The Modi government has faced a three-pronged attack on the new vaccine policy so far:

First, the centre is being accused of being unfair to poor by not giving vaccine to everyone for free and allowing vaccines to be sold at Rs 600 in the open market.

Of course, those who are making these allegations are forgetting the fact that 50 per cent supply is going to the Centre and the rest will be divided up between States and the private hospitals.

It means very little quantity will go to open market and at least 50 per cent of the available vaccines from the Centre will continue to be available for free.

If the States also decide to subsidise, then 70-80 per cent of the total vaccine supply will be given for free in India. The rest of the people are middle class and rich folks who can easily afford to pay for it. One wonders if the Opposition wants to also champion subsidising the rich just to follow the opposition dharma of criticising anything the government does.

Second, the freedom given to vaccine manufacturers to decide prices for vaccines is being criticised.

Its not difficult to understand the rationale behind the move. The current price of Rs 150 per dose that the Centre was paying to Serum wasnt sustainable for it had to give half of the money as royalty to AstraZeneca.

Still, Adar Poonawalla must be lauded for taking a huge risk in stocking up tens of millions of doses before they were approved and then selling more than 12 crore doses at such cheap rates.

But now, the need is to rapidly ramp up production to meet the huge upcoming demand for vaccines in the 18-45 age group.

Its unwise to expect manufacturers to scale up production while making losses. The only way was to provide financial support and have a liberalised pricing in place.

Thanks to the efforts of the Centre in the past week, SII should be able to increase its production from 6.5-7 crore doses per month to 10 crore doses in May and then to 12 crore doses from June. Similarly, Bharat Biotech will increase its production from 1 crore doses per month currently to 6-7 crore doses by July and to 10 crore doses per month by September.

This wouldnt have been possible without the change in pricing policy by the government.

Third, the governments opposition in every sphere (politics, media, academia, cinema, etc) spread misinformation that Serum will charge state governments Rs 400 per dose and Rs 150 from the Centre. The propaganda around this continued until Poonawalla himself clarified that Rs 150 price tag was only for initial supplies and both the Centre and States would be charged Rs 400 from 1 May.

Even if we take the scenario where Serum charged the Centre a lower price of Rs 150, who wouldve benefited? The vaccines being procured by Centre are going to the States anyway. This is a classic case of mindless opposition which does more harm than good.

The fourth charge against the Centre is that it has left States to their own devices in procuring vaccines and paying for them. With other criticisms falling flat, the opposition-ruled States are doubling down on this aspect.

Ironically, when the Centre was controlling all the vaccine supplies, they were complaining about lack of freedom. Now, they are cribbing about the freedom granted by the Centre.

Central government has abdicated its responsibility of ensuring universal vaccination. The new policy will create serious strain on state finances, chaos in vaccine procurement, escalation of prices, and exclusion of the poor. Net result would be prolongation of the calamity, Keralas Finance Minister Thomas Issac tweeted.

The crux of the matter is that while they want the freedom to procure vaccines, they want the Centre to pick up the tab. Basically, all the rights but none of the responsibility. Many are complaining about their inability to pay. Lets see if this criticism is justified.

Total India population above 18 years of age is 80 crore as per 2011 census. To achieve herd immunity, lets say we need to vaccinate 65 crore people which translates to over 80 per cent of the eligible population.

That means, we will need 130 crore doses. The supply wont be a problem as we estimated here and India should be able to administer 130 crore doses by end of this year.

Before 1 May, India is positioned to reach 16 crore vaccinations. That was all taken care by the Centre. It means that now, 114 crore more jabs are needed to be given.

Coming to cost, for the sake of simplicity, lets say every dose is priced at Rs 400. The total budget would come around to Rs 45,600 crore. Given that half the supply is being procured and paid for by the Centre, it means States would need to pay Rs 22,800 crore.

Of course, this assumes an ideal scenario where the States would procure the whole 50 percent supply meant for them and the private sector. That wont be the case.

If private sector takes 10 per cent share, cost for states would fall to Rs 20,520 crore. At 30 per cent share, it would come down to 15,960 crore and at 50-50 per cent division, their budget will fall to just Rs 11,400 crore.

Lets take examples of some individual states now for more clarity.

Maharashtra is the worst hit. One can assume that it will keep getting more vaccines from the Centre. Around nine crore of the states population is above 18.

To achieve herd immunity (at 80 per cent coverage), it will need around 14.2 crore doses. 1.3 crore doses have been provided so far and at current pace of vaccination of 2.5-3 lakh doses, this is set to reach 1.7 crore by end of this month.

That leaves us with a target of getting 12.5 crore more jabs. If Maharashtra procures half i.e. 6.25 crore (worst case) doses, it will have to pay Rs 2,500 crore only at Rs 400 per dose.

To put this in perspective, total budgeted expenditure for the current fiscal in the state is Rs 4,84,091 crore. The budget for vaccine is thus merely 0.51 per cent of the total budget. With private sector pitching in, it would be much lower.

Lets take an example of a small state like Haryana. To give jabs to 80 per cent of its 18+ population, it will need additional 2.2 crore doses from 1 May onwards. At Rs 400 per dose, total expenditure is Rs 900. With half coming from the Centre, it wont have to spend even Rs 500 crore which is similar to its budget of age old pension.

The same is true for all states in the country. In fact, rich states like Maharashtra and Gujarat which are most hit by Covid-19 can even partner with foreign manufacturers and afford to get millions of vaccines in short time without putting a strain on the local supplies.

This would still be a fraction of their total annual expenditure. The economic fruits of opening up fully post vaccination are too big to be ignored for lack of funds.

The total expenditure all the states are looking would be somewhere between Rs 10-20,000 crore. Even Goas annual budget is higher than that.

See the rest here:

Vaccine Spending Wont Put Strain On States Finances; They May Have To Spend Only Rs 20k Cr In All (Less Than Goas Budget) - Swarajya

Headlines recently shrieked outrage in India after an April 7 announcement from the U.S. 7th Fleet that it had conducted a freedom of navigation operation (commonly referred to as a FONOP) in the Indian Ocean targeting Indian claims. Some Indian commentators were shocked to learn that the United States, a burgeoning strategic partner, was publicly boasting about sailing warships through Indian waters to challenge Indias excessive maritime claimsan indignity they assumed was reserved for mutual rivals like China.

The operation generated a mini firestorm in India, providing fuel for skeptics opposed to stronger India-U.S. ties. It was paraded around as evidence of Americas unreliability, an affront to Indian sovereignty, and an act of hypocrisy from a country that has yet to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

But theres nothing new in this. The United States has conducted FONOPs directed at Indian maritime claims regularly since at least 1992. The U.S. Navy conducted at least six India-related FONOPs between then and 2003 and, with two exceptions, every year between 2007 and 2021. Its a position consistent with the long-standing U.S. commitment to freedom of passage: one that gains credibility by not being directed at strategic rivals alone.

The FONOP program, which began in 1979, is designed to challenge maritime claims the United States finds inconsistent with international law. The operations involve naval units transiting disputed areas to avoid setting the precedent that the international community has accepted these unlawful claims. In the India operation this month, the United States asserted navigational rights and freedoms approximately 130 nautical miles west of the Lakshadweep Islands, inside Indias exclusive economic zone, without requesting Indias prior consent, consistent with international law.

In recent years, FONOPs have become a part of the mainstream discourse due to a surge in operations directed at Chinas unlawful claims in the South China Sea, including around the artificial islands it began constructing there in the mid-2010s. But the program is much broader than that. In fiscal year 2018, U.S. FONOPs challenged the claims of U.S. treaty allies like Albania, Croatia, Japan, and the Philippines.

While a FONOP directed at India wasnt new or unusual, issuing a real-time press release about the operation was. Here, the 7th Fleet deviated from past practice of burying routine operations in the annual Freedom of Navigation Report released by the Department of Defense. Upon review, it appears the 7th Fleet has begun making public statements about all or most FONOPs this year, which may signal a shift by the Biden administration toward more consistent, real-time public messaging on these operations.

In most cases, such transparency would be welcome. However, FONOPs present a unique case where greater discretion might be advisable. At the very least, the India operation provides an opportunity to assess the merits of this shift toward greater public reporting on FONOPs and to review where India stands on the key freedom of navigation fault lines that divide the United States and China.

Despite their maturing strategic partnership, India and the United States diverge on several matters related to the UNCLOS maritime agreement. China, India, and the United States were all parties to UNCLOS negotiations. India and China ratified the treaty in 1995 and 1996, respectively. However, as is the case for China, several of Indias domestic laws and some of its practices do not comport with UNCLOS.

In contrast, the U.S. Senate has not ratified UNCLOS, but the U.S. government recognizes its provisions on maritime entitlements and the freedom of the seas as established international law, creating a paradoxical rift between the noncompliant signatories and the compliant abstainer.

One of the main points of disagreement between the United States and India relates to the latters claim that foreign navies seeking to operate in its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) must first obtain the Indian governments consent.

During the drafting of UNCLOS, several developing nations sought to get such authorities included in the treaty. Three times, their efforts failed. Instead, the treaty mainly provides coastal states with exclusive rights over economic activities like resource exploitation in their EEZ.

More than a dozen countries, China and India included, later claimed the authority to regulate military activities in their EEZs anyway, but the U.S. government and numerous other capitals and international legal experts do not recognize these claims, as they are not enshrined in UNCLOS.

The regulation of military activities in the EEZ is particularly problematic for the United States. Roughly 40 million square miles of ocean now fall within some countrys EEZ. As the Congressional Research Service notes, if Chinas position were to gain greater international acceptance under international law, it could substantially affect U.S. naval operations not only in the [South China Sea], but around the world.

That isnt the only point of disagreement between India and the United States on UNCLOS, however. The U.S. FONOP this month might also have challenged Indias attempt to claim straight baselines around its Lakshadweep Islands. Previously, the United States has conducted FONOPs designed to challenge Chinas similar attempt to draw straight baselines around the Paracel Islands. Under UNCLOS, straight baselines can only be drawn around archipelagic nation-states (like Indonesia), not island provinces or administrative regions of an existing continental state.

While there are some clear similarities in the legal positions China and India have adopted in contravention of UNCLOS, in practice they have adopted very different approaches to enforcement, diplomacy, and arbitration.

One of the key differences is that, while India has issued diplomatic protests in the past to U.S. FONOPs and military operations in its EEZ, China has operationally challenged U.S. vessels, instigating a number of dangerous encounters at sea. As China has grown more confrontational, India has grown more accommodating.

The US regularly carries out intelligence and survey missions in Indias EEZ. These used to occasion protests from New Delhi in the past. In these fraught times, however, the government and navy prefer to remain silent on US operations in the EEZ, the Indian analyst Manoj Joshi wrote in 2019. There is no record of the Indian Navy having attempted to thwart US Navy ships.

Another notable contrast lies in the diverging approaches adopted by Beijing and New Delhi toward international law and arbitration. Whereas China flatly rejected the judgment of a 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration tribunal that invalidated several of its claims in the South China Sea, in 2014 India accepted an unfavorable ruling from the court in a maritime boundary dispute with Bangladesh, which awarded the latter the majority of the territory under dispute.

Meanwhile, in recent years, India has become an increasingly vocal advocate for freedom of navigation and upholding UNCLOS in the South China Sea. Some 90 percent of Indias international trade volume is conducted by sea, of which 55 percent traverses the South China Sea and the Strait of Malacca. India affirmed its support for the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration tribunal that ruled against a number of Beijings South China Sea claims. Indian firms have also been involved in energy exploration projects off the coast of Vietnam that fall within Chinas nebulous nine-dash line claim, and they have refused to abandon the projects despite pressure from Beijing.

India has also grown more comfortable with the U.S. Navy operating in the Indian Ocean. In 2016, New Delhi signed the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement with Washington, making it easier for the two nations navies to visit each others port facilities, refuel each other at sea, and conduct joint exercises. In 2018, Indian Army Chief of Staff Bipin Rawat explained that India was getting into an engagement with them [the Quad grouping of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States] to ensure there is freedom of navigation in the oceans. We want to ensure there is a safe passage for everyone in the region.

The U.S., very honestly, was [in the past] very much a source of concern, even a threat. Today, the U.S. is seen much more as a partner, explained Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in 2020. What we are seeing in the Indian Ocean is the coming together of converging interests of different players who are comfortable with each other politically, who have a shared concern for the global commons.

Even as India seemingly grows more comfortable with an American naval presence in its backyard, it has become increasingly wary of Chinas expanding naval footprint in the Indian Ocean. Alongside regular so-called anti-piracy patrols, Beijing now claims a military base in the western Indian Ocean in Djibouti and a substantial presence at Pakistans Gwadar Port.

As Chinas presence in the Indian Ocean has expanded, so has its influence and activities in key countries across the region, including the island states of Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi subsequently launched a Neighborhood First policy, a move widely interpreted as an attempt to check Chinas growing influence in the region. In 2018, Indias chief of naval at the time acknowledged the country had begun tracking Chinese submarines when they enter the Indian Ocean.

The escalating China-India rivalry has created competing incentives for the Indian governments approach to UNCLOS. It provides greater impetus to de-emphasize differences and improve maritime cooperation with the United States. But India is also confronting an expanding Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean. The Indian government thus sees an interest in maintaining and selectively applying its more restrictive patchwork of domestic laws, some of which conflict with UNCLOS. It would prefer to retain the flexibility to adopt different approaches to Indian Ocean activities by partners and antagonists.

The U.S. must recognise that FONOPs have implications for New Delhi that go beyond the infringement of Indian jurisdiction, the Indian naval expert Abhijit Singh wrote this week. Such operations normalise military activism close to Indias island territories [and the U.S. Navys approach] encourages other regional navies to violate Indias domestic regulations.

While the United States would prefer to see Indias domestic laws align more closely with established international law, the Indian government is likely to resist, at least on the subject of military operations in the EEZ. Were it to get creative, New Delhi might consider more closely aligning its domestic laws with UNCLOS while enshrining exemptions for countries with which it has active territorial disputes.

In other areas, such as Indias straight baselines claims around the Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, there may be more room for maneuver. Even Singh acknowledges the straight baselines claims are a discrepancy that cannot be explained as a minor departure from the provisions of the UNCLOS.

The Indian government and Navy have already taken a more sober approach to the recent FONOP than the media. Retired Indian naval officials recognized that the operation was legal under international law, even as they saw the publicizing of the operation as unnecessary and unwelcome.

In fact, critics in New Delhi seemed more perturbed by the statement about the FONOP than the operation itself. If you must do it, do it quietly, was the common refrain. Its a recommendation the 7th Fleet might take into consideration. Just as India has resolved not to operationally challenge U.S. FONOPs or highlight their differences on UNCLOS publicly, the United States might reconsider the merits of drawing attention and controversy to an area where Indian and U.S. policies, if not their laws, are coming into greater alignment.

View original post here:

America and India Need a Little Flexibility Over Freedom of Navigation Claims - Foreign Policy

What choices do you have when you cannot defend a policy issue on its merits?

One path is that chosen by former New Britain Democratic Town Committee chair Bill Shortell in his April 14 Connecticut Mirror opinion piece, "Debunking the CBIAs takedown of the public option healthcare bill.

Instead of defending any perceived merits associated with the proposed expansion of state-run healthcare in Connecticut, Shortell attacks the messenger. In this case, two organizations that have raised legitimateand unansweredquestions about that proposal.

In doing so, Shortell spotlights lingering questions about government transparency, accountability, and oversight as it relates to the troubled healthcare plan the state runs for Connecticut cities and townsa plan that is the model for the public option proposal now before the legislature.

The municipal plan is managed by state Comptroller Kevin Lembos office. The comptroller is also a leading advocate for expanding state-run healthcare.

In February, CBIA called for the comptroller to commission an independent audit of the municipal employee planknown as the State Partnership Plan.

That call followed the release earlier in the month of a report produced by the insurance agency Brown & Brown raising serious questions about the partnership plans fiscal performance and outlook.

It is incumbent on policymakers to address the significant questions surrounding the state-run municipal plans fiscal outlook and solvency status, given that it is the model for the public option legislation, CBIA president and CEO Chris DiPentima wrote in a Feb. 24 letter to Lembo.

Policymakers must address the significant questions surrounding the state-run municipal plans fiscal outlook and solvency.

As a proponent of transparency and open government, we are sure the comptroller can appreciate the publics interest in a full accounting of the plan and its operations and will support our call for a fully independent audit.

That audit should be reviewed and approved by a certified actuary who is a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. We make this request in the interests of sound public policy.

The comptroller has yet to respond to that request.

Instead, were the target of surrogates like Shortell, who cloud the very real issues surrounding the lack of transparency and oversight with the partnership plan, and by extension, the public option proposal.

Shortell also questions the credibility and integrity of Brown & Brown, which ironically has provided the most thorough analysis and accounting of the plan and its shortcomings to dateand not just this year, but in previous years.

Brown & Brown has issued these reportsdeveloped based on data obtained from the comptrollers office through Freedom of Information Act requestsannually since 2017. Those reports accurately demonstrate the partnership plans dire financial position.

Brown & Brown has provided the most thorough analysis and accounting of the state municipal plan and its shortcomings to date.

With one of the largest number of clients of any insurance agency enrolled in the municipal plan, Brown & Brown are supporters of the plan. They are concerned, however, about its unregulated status and believe greater oversight is needed to ensure its fiscal health.

Brown & Browns previous analyses of the plans failings actually led to the belated fix Shortell notes in his piececlosing a loophole allowing the high cost of care in some parts of the state that was helping drive plan operating deficits. However, that is just one factor contributing to the plans pattern of red ink.

There is no question the partnership plan lost tens of millions of dollars in 2017 and 2018. During those years, the corresponding medical loss ratios were well above 100%.

And despite the comptrollers claims, the plan is not on firm financial footing. After the biggest drop in medical utilization in state and national history due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the plan showed a barely adequate loss ratio in the past fiscal year.

The comptroller also admits to not adjusting for an increase of claims in the coming plan year. Private carriers, however, are using an average COVID medical trend of 6%. In other words, the private sector is adjusting for an inevitable increase in claims, while the comptrollers office is notfueling more questions about the municipal plans fiscal viability.

Finally, Shortells comments about the Insurance and Real Estate Committees amendments to the public option bill are disingenuous at best and deceptive at worst. The changes were adopted on a bipartisan basis, require transparency and oversight, and protect taxpayers from being left on the hook for plan deficits.

We canand we have tolower the cost of healthcare. CBIA is proposing viable alternative solutions that deserve further discussion. While we may disagree on policy issues, lets debate them on the merits, as open, honest discussions lead to the best outcomes for Connecticut and the states residents.

Once again, we call on the comptroller to open the books on the state partnership plan and welcome the opportunity to work with him and other stakeholders to address the major issue of healthcare costs.

About the author: Wyatt Bosworth is assistant counsel with CBIA, the states largest business organization. Follow him on Twitter @WyattBosworthCT.

View original post here:

Will the Comptroller Open the State-Run Healthcare Plan's Books? - CBIA

Prince William County residents have a lot of thoughts, and theyre not shy about sharing them.

This article was written by WTOPs news partner InsideNoVa.com and republished with permission. Sign up for InsideNoVa.coms free email subscription today.

Prince William County residents have a lot of thoughts, and theyre not shy about sharing them.

During a meeting Tuesday, 38 people spoke at a hearing before the Board of County Supervisors on the proposed budget and tax rates for fiscal 2022, which starts July 1.

County Executive Chris Martino has proposed a $1.35 billion spending plan, an increase of 5.4%, or $69.6 million, over the current years budget. The proposal comes with a $1.02 billion six-year Capital Improvement Program, with $224.8 million designated for the upcoming fiscal year.

The county is operating on a $1.29 billion budget for fiscal 2021, which ends June 30.

Of the speakers, 11 were in favor of the spending plan, 15 opposed it and 12 asked for a variety of changes.

The budget includes a 25-cent increase in the business tangible computer and peripheral tax, to $1.60 per $100 of value. The levy primarily applies to data centers.

Josh Levi, president of the Data Center Coalition, and Ross Snare, chief operating officer of the Prince William Chamber of Commerce, said the proposed increases in the taxes for data centers were coming quicker than originally planned and would create uncertainty in the market and hurt the countys ability to attract the centers.

The real estate rate would remain unchanged, but rising property values are expected to increase the average residential homeowners tax bill by $306. The rate is $1.125 per $100 of value. Residential real estate values have increased by an average of 7%, while commercial real estate values dropped an average of 4.5%.

The personal property tax, which primarily applies to vehicles, is proposed to remain at $3.70 per $100 of value.

Some highlighted initiatives in the budget are $9.9 million toward employees, primarily to provide a 3% performance-based pay raise and cover additional health care costs.

Before the hearings, Martino updated some changes to the proposal since it was first introduced as staff finalized numbers, found some savings and adjusted revenues. Among the revisions was $952,000 to increase positions in the Commonwealths Attorneys office and to create an environmental sustainability program.

Martinos original budget included funding for two additional staffers in the commonwealths attorneys office and a pledge to add two more each year for the next five years.

Judges, court clerks, public defenders and prosecutors came out at a March meeting to advocate for more positions to keep up with an increase in caseloads. The revised budget now funds seven positions in fiscal 2022 and a total of 24 positions through fiscal 2024.

Commonwealths Attorney Amy Ashworth has said that adding 12 attorneys, six administrative staff and five case managers would be needed to continue prosecuting misdemeanor domestic violence and drunken driving cases on top of felony and state-mandated cases.

Martino said Ashworth had agreed to phase in positions, and the new proposal would ensure domestic violence and drunken driving cases are prosecuted.

The sustainability program will help the county tackle its climate change goals.

In November, the board adopted the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments interim climate mitigation goals, joining other Northern Virginia jurisdictions in aiming for a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 100% renewable electricity by the same year.

In the capital budget, much of the funding for fiscal 2022 is to start design on projects that will be completed in later years. For example, the proposals include $1.4 million to design a new fire station, probably in the Potomac District in the Prince William County Parkway corridor.

More than a dozen firefighters donned red shirts to ask for additional pay increases, saying their salaries were frozen at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic even though theyve been on the front lines. Two people advocated for similar increases in the police department.

Mitch Nason, president of the Prince William Professional Firefighters Association, supported funding for additional staff, but said the county still has more to do. There are several years of expansion still needed in order to make Prince William County a safe place.

Although the hearings did not include a discussed tax on plastic bags, which officials have said could be brought forward at another point this year, several people spoke against such a levy. The Virginia General Assembly approved legislation in 2020 allowing localities to impose a 5-cent tax on disposable plastic bags at grocery, convenience and drug stores, with some exceptions.

Finance Director Michelle Attreed has said revenue from the tax would probably start around $50,000 to $55,000 a year before increasing to about $90,000.

Some people spoke against the $3.6 million to mitigate costs of renaming U.S. 1 as Richmond Highway. The board voted last year to remove the name of Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Three people from Serving Our Neighbors, which assists homeless people in the Sudley area of western Prince William, requested county support for additional staff.

Before the hearings, about 40 people attended an Axe the Tax rally outside the building organized by county Republicans. Republican Supervisors Jeanine Lawson, Pete Candland and Yesli Vega attended the rally during the boards recess, although not all were present at once to ensure compliance with Virginia Freedom of Information Act rules on public meetings.

Candland railed against the tax increases, saying no matter what they ask for, its never enough and county spending is at unprecedented levels. Lawson said it doesnt end with tax increases, and Vega said, Its always easy to propose something when its not your money.

The board is expected to adopt the budget April 27.

Excerpt from:

Republicans host Axe the Tax rally before Prince William budget hearing - WTOP