Articles by Bob Lewis

Biden Hits McCain Over ‘Bermuda Loophole’ for U.S. Insurers

Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden said Republican John McCain protected offshore tax shelters worth billions of dollars to U.S. insurance giants. In a trip to the battleground state 0f Virginia this week, Biden said McCain promised to oppose any …

Dangers Remain for Virginians Digging through Twister Debris

From the governor to the people whose homes were demolished, Virginians were amazed and grateful that a tornado that injured 200 people killed no one. But in many ways, police and fire officials say, the worst may lie ahead. In …

Virginia Passes Bill To Repeal Abusive Driver Fees

The Virginia General Assembly passed a bill Saturday to repeal high fees on state residents for various traffic offenses, and it could take effect in days. In an abrupt reversal, Senate Republicans who had voted against the measure, denying it …

Virginia Senate Passes Repeal of Abusive Driver Fees

The Virginia Senate this week finally passed its bill to repeal high fees on bad drivers by resolving a partisan impasse over how to rebate fees courts already imposed. The 39-0 vote marks the first passage by the House or …

Virginia Still Trying to Abolish Abusive Driver Fees

The Virginia Senate rejected a bid last week to allow people already ordered to pay state abusive driver fees to go back to court and ask a judge to excuse the penalty. The floor amendment by Sen. Kenneth W. Stolle, …

Va. Takes Step Toward Repeal of Costly Bad Driver Fees

The costly bad-driving fees on Virginians took a first step toward repeal in a chaotic proceeding this week, barely six months after they took effect. Lawmakers, however, stripped the bill of reimbursements for people who have already paid the surcharge …

Study: No Evidence Virginia’s Steep Fees Deter Abusive Drivers

A new report from the legislature’s watchdog agency found no evidence Virginia’s new fees on bad motorists deter abusive driving. The steep civil penalties for egregious behind-the-wheel behavior are applied inconsistently, according to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission. …

Judge Hears Appeal on Ruling That Quashed Va. Bad Driver Fees

There was no rational basis for state legislators to assess surcharges for bad driving only on Virginians and not nonresidents, a lawyer for a repeat traffic offender told a judge considering whether the fees are constitutional. Wednesday’s arguments before Henrico …

Va. Conservatives File Suit Against New Tax, Driving Fees Law

Virginia anti-tax conservatives this week filed the broadest legal challenge yet to the new transportation funding law, targeting not just steep fees for bad driving but the fiscal underpinning of the $1 billion-a-year initiative. In 13 counts, the lawsuit alleges …

First Court Challenge to Va.’s Hefty Bad Driver Fees Delayed

The first court challenge to prohibitive fees Virginia is imposing on bad and dangerous drivers was postponed in a Henrico County court Tuesday. Anthony Price, charged with his fifth violation for driving on a suspended license, was unaware his citation …