What's wrong with Virginia?

For several years now, I have thought about writing a series of essays addressing issues in the state that at some level appear to be ludicrous.  It isn’t so much intended to be political, per se, although some of the topics approached certainly will rub some politicians the wrong way.  But just to point out in general places where we, the people of VA (or those who act in our behalf), actually get it wrong.  Say it ain’t so?  Well, I’ll write and you can be the judge of that.

While the intent is to point out things that are wrong in Virginia, the subjects are not intended as an opportunity to smash republican, democrat, or tea party people.  While it is impossible to point out all of the things that are wrong with Virginia without some unintended collateral damage, it is not the intent of the blogger (that would be me) to attack any individual on a personal front.  Now, however; if said individual happens to be involved with such a project that comes under the scrutiny of these “What’s wrong with VA?” essays, then unfortunately, and most grievously, they will likely be painted with the brush of their own divining.

The What’s wrong with VA? essays are intended as a commonsense view of things gone awry in the commonwealth.  For instance, the idea of closing the Rest Stops along the Interstate highways as a cost-savings measure is a perfect example of something wrong in Va.  Cost savings here is much less the issue than political grandstanding: see we are so poor we have to shut down our rest stops.

Yeah, I know, this blog isn’t supposed to be political.  And, for the most part, it’s not intended to be. But there are other ways to handle the rest stop problem.  For instance, anyone traveling I-95 north of the Mixing Bowl is more than familiar with how Maryland, New Jersey, and New York handle the rest stop question.  They outsource to the likes of Starbucks, McDonald’s, KFC et al.  The result is that in those states, you have a one-stop center along the main highways that supplies food, restrooms, petrol, and has its own security.

Now, why can’t we do something like that here in Virginia?  The only reason we are not doing this right now that I know of is that the Federal Government made it an issue when they started building the Interstate highway system.  Those aforementioned states were grandfathered in (they already had the rest stops).  If that’s true, then maybe we should start by getting that portion of the Interstate Highway transportation bill repealed or amended or just plain scrapped.  Then, we (being the state of Virginia) can charge the companies a fee for the right to occupy those sites and use that money to help pay the upkeep of the highways these businesses are situated on.  Makes sense, doesn’t it?  Will it be easy? Maybe not, but guess what, it is logical, serves multiple purposes, and can help out the federal and local highway budgets.  Oh, and by the way, it will also produce JOBS.  Granted they may not be high paying jobs, like those in the state’s VITA program, but they will be places people can get work if they really want it.