I support anyone who can get our transportation moving in the right direction.  I hope Senator Black is as successful as he was as a Delegate in getting transportation improvements off the ground.

I appreciate Dick Black’s pro-life stance.

I don’t think anyone implied that Senator Black was God, they just like him.  Frankly, 57% of the voters liked him and that’s why he’s representing Loudoun now.  As one of those who voted for Dick Black, I’m happy he’s representing us.

Black infuses theocracy while his minions bleat like blinded sheep.  Not a god, just a guy; one who is not even civil to those who don’t kowtow or approve his narrow-minded agenda. He will have his own judgment day, as in Dante’s Inferno.

Agree with “Makes Me Smile” - when Democrats can’t make their point, they try to impersonate a religious zealot to make their point.  Problem is, they’ve never actually met a religious person and have no idea how they speak.  For them, the end justifies the means.

I needed a laugh and the comments section delivers! “Loudoun County would be a cesspool were it not for Godly men like Dick Black and Eugene Delgaudio.” There are too many parts to chuckle at in this sentence alone, but the choicest would be that two extremely hateful people are “Godly” is a good one (yes, I know that the ‘good man’ and ‘Godly’ tags are political calling cards for these two). But, the uneducated statement relating liberals to “commies” is pretty awesome in its own right. A little reading time would be very helpful in the very least to grasp what communism is, why it is not part of a liberal agenda (seriously read)and that Russia is no longer under communist rule (China, Moldova and sort of North Korea are good alternate choices).

People called Governor Bob McDonnell a candidate with an extreme conservative agenda and now he’s one of our most popular governors.  You’re in good company Senator Dick Black.

I think Senator Dick Black is awesome.  Refreshing to have a guy who’ll stand up and do something for a change!

Looks like the last three people were all the same person…odd, maybe it’s because one angry Democrat is writing all this stuff.  That would make sense why there aren’t enough of these haters to actually vote someone else in.  Lonely, lonely.

Funny Orwell.  Especially when the article discusses Dick Black, a man who wants to put government’s nose up women’s skirts and into the bedrooms of private citizens. 

Dick Black and Co.‘s morality police is a far scarier “big brother” than any Orwellian example.

“The (LCRC) party has one thing going for them, they have enough hate that could fuel (Newt’s) rocket to the moon.”

Without any actual legislating to do (the only elected democrat in Loudoun is Mark Herring), the few democrats left in the county have reverted to their natural instincts of monitoring others.

Senator Black and his wife are some of the nicest people you’d ever want to meet.  He and his family are genuine people.  We first met when he was going door to door in our neighborhood and he is a very nice person.  We later found out that we attend the same church together. I like that he is pro-life.  The majority of voters feel the same and that is pretty clear from the election results.

to our newly elected senator:
focus on doing your work and ignore the haters
voters know the truth and that’s why you’re there

Who stays up until 1:20 in the morning to pick apart bills?  The LCDC party has one thing going for them, they have enough hate that could fuel a rocket to the moon.  The good news is that this person won’t have to stay up until 5am because the democrats will get a free pass from the LCDC and the media alike.

>>>“Black’s proposed bills include ... requiring the State Corporation Commission to hold a public hearing in Loudoun County prior to authorizing a toll increase on the Dulles Greenway”<<<

This is a meaningless bill.  The existing Greenway legislation REQUIRES the State Corporation Commission to rubber stamp whatever the Greenway owner requests.

According to Kenneth J. Schrad,
Director, Division of Information Resources,
State Corporation Commission (SCC):

“The General Assembly has set for the following parameters for future toll requests by the Dulles Greenway -

§ 56-542.

I. Effective January 1, 2013, through January 1, 2020, and notwithstanding any other provision of law:

1. Upon application of and public notification by the operator, filed not more often than once within any 12-month period, the Commission shall approve to become effective within 45 days any request to increase tolls by a percentage that (i) is equal to the increase in the CPI, as defined in subsection A, from the date the Commission last approved a toll increase, plus one percent, (ii) is equal to the increase in the real GDP, as defined in subsection A, from the date the Commission last approved a toll increase, or (iii) 2.8 percent, whichever is greatest, which increase in the tolls approved by the Commission is hereafter referred to as the “annual percentage increase.”

2. The operator additionally may request in an application made pursuant to subdivision I 1, and the Commission shall further approve, an addition to the toll increase to allow the operator to include, in its tolls, the amount by which its local property taxes paid in the immediately preceding calendar year increased by more than the annual percentage increase above such payments for the previous calendar year.

3. Any request by the operator for an increase in the toll rates by a greater percentage than as provided in subdivision I 1 shall be considered for approval by the Commission only upon presentation of an independent grade traffic and revenue study and a finding by the Commission that (a) toll rates subject to the preceding paragraph will not be sufficient to permit the operator to maintain the minimum coverage ratio set forth in the rate covenant provisions of its bond indenture or similar credit agreement, (b) such greater proposed tolls are reasonable to the user in relation to the benefit obtained and will not materially discourage use of the roadway by the public, and (c) such greater proposed tolls provide the operator no more than a reasonable rate of return as determined by the Commission; however, the Commission shall not approve an increase in the toll rates pursuant to this subdivision that exceeds the percentage increase necessary to permit the operator to maintain the minimum coverage ratio described in clause (a). Such request by an operator shall not be made as a result of a change in control of the operator or the project roadway. As used herein, a “change in control of the operator” means the sale or transfer of 25 percent or more of the assets of the operator or the acquisition or disposal of 25 percent or more of the outstanding shares of stock of the operator, if it is a corporation, or analogous interest if the operator is another form of entity.”

LTM thank you for giving a link to Senator Black’s bills.  That is a great web site.  I only had the opportunity to vote for him this year and I am happy about the bills he’s put in.

No fair and balanced here. Even the headline is filled with bias.

Dick Black warms my soul every day, I owe my life to him.  Loudoun County would be a cesspool were it not for Godly men like Dick Black and Eugene Delgaudio.  You liberals should move TO RUSSIA, you damn commies.

As long as he keeps fixing roads, Dick Black will have my vote.

Sen. Black is the best!!  He’ll always get my vote.

57% of 30% is still 17%, most of whom have posted here. 
Tired of the Fights:  it’s about the nuances as illustrated below.

“(Republicans) are obsessed with abortion and raising taxes.  They bully, call names and smear anyone who does not agree with them.  It is a shame because we will never get anywhere until we can find some common ground.  Stop focusing on abortion and taxes and see if there is something people CAN agree on.  You’d think transportation would be one of those things, but apparently, (Republicans) want to fight over that too.  Shame.”

If Senator Black put in the bills for Rt. 28 he should take credit for them - period.  Heck, if Senator Herring can take credit for supporting Governor McDonnell’s transportation plan - then Senator Black should certainly be able to take credit for his own bills that created the funding mechanism for Rt. 28.  You don’t have to like it but it is a fact. As much as you want to deny and rewrite history, the fact remains that Senator Black has been very effective in working on our transportation problems.  While one democrat pretends to be multiple people on these comments, Senator Black is in Richmond getting it done.  It is clear to me who has the solutions here and it isn’t the democrats.

I support anyone who can get our transportation moving again.  I wish you much success in transportation Senator Black.

PapaBear - I am a middle of the road person, I am no fan of Herring either. 

I am just sick of Black getting praise for Route 28 when it was the fed up businesses that made that project happen.  Go thank Belfort Furniture for the interchanges, not Dick Black. 

I’m also sick of pie in the sky statements that someone is working on transportation when they aren’t.  Yeah, keeping transportation money for transportation is a start, but it doesn’t address the elephant in the room.  There isn’t enough money coming in to maintain the existing infrastructure properly, let alone add to it.  How many years have we known this?  How many people have passed the buck?  How many incumbents have consistently failed to deliver? 

The only solution is dedicated funding for expansion and maintenance/repair of existing.  No one wants to address that because it is too “risky” I guess.  To McDonnell’s credit, he has talked about it a little, but ultimately his party would kill anything that would have an effect.  I guess more Greenways are the only answer they have.

I’m actually for him helping to kill Loudoun Metro.  I don’t think Loudoun’s budget should be tied in any way to that disaster of an organization known as Metro.  We’ll be paying for 20-30 years of neglect and mismanagement as soon as we sign on for Phase II.  Get ready to pay more taxes so they finally replace the escalator at L’Enfant Plaza.

Finally!  Some excitement in politics again.  Semper Fi Col. Black!  You’re the only one who can get the dems so scared.

Holy kazoo…can you move your statist mentality over to maryland where it belongs.  I hope Dick Black can keep your statist hands off my property and I am thankful he will oppose any and all tax increases and will find ways to cut wasteful gov. spending and burdensome regulations…good riddance greedy government.

Any chance we can get the LTM to post IP addresses next to names? That would be faster than trying to identify misspellings and other forensics to prove that most of the pro-Dick Black comments are from the same person.

Democrats are obsessed with abortion and raising taxes.  They bully, call names and smear anyone who does not agree with them.  It is a shame because we will never get anywhere until we can find some common ground.  Stop focusing on abortion and taxes and see if there is something people CAN agree on.  You’d think transportation would be one of those things, but apparently, democrats want to fight over that too.  Shame.

State republicans are disgraceful. They are turning Virginia into Kansas with their pro-gun, ant-abortion, anti-tax obsessions. I’m talking about upper-middle income (or upper income) middle aged white men and women sticking their noses into the lives of poor women—pushing them to have children who cannot be raised properly, and then they will turn around and fight any effort to raise revenues for social services to help the disadvantaged young people they so ardently believe should be brought into the world. What utter hypocrisy. They are all creepy ideologues.

They refuse to raise the gas tax (among the lowest in the country) or cigarette tax (THE lowest in the country) but feel we absolutely MUST have more guns in a state that already has a terrible reputation for gun trafficking. And of course, they constantly stick their moral noses into the lives of young women. A disgustingly misguided group of people focused on all the wrong issues.

Journalistic integrity is dead.  You could tell that from the title.

So Senator Herring created a “study” to look at transportation projects and added his name to Governor McDonnell’s transportation plan?  That’s it?  That’s all you’ve got?  A study and “Hey, I support that too!” Not impressed.  Where is that “magic wand guy” when you need him?

“Mark Herring has secured needed state transportation funding for infrastructure projects that have helped to alleviate congestion on some of our area’s major roadways. These projects include:
Construction of Route 28 overpasses at Nokes Boulevard, Frying Pan Road, and Willard Road
Widening of Route 50 from Poland Road to Route 28
Completion of Battlefield Parkway
Completion of Atlantic Boulevard to parallel Route 28

In 2011, Senator Herring served as chief co-patron of Governor Bob McDonnell’s transportation funding package. The plan is a first step toward addressing Virginia’s long-term transportation needs.  It provides nearly $3 billion to be spent on over 900 transportation projects across the Commonwealth over the next three years.

Among the projects to be fully funded by the state are Loudoun County’s most pressing transportation infrastructure needs:  the construction of the Route 7/Belmont Ridge Road interchange and the Sycolin flyover in Leesburg.  The bond package also includes state funding for several other projects of importance to eastern Loudoun and western Fairfax County.

The transportation funding package also included a provision, introduced by Senator Herring, to amend the state’s highway “revenue sharing” program with localities to make more state matching funds available to localities that wish to undertake their own road construction projects.

In the fall of 2010, Senator Herring formed the Route 7 Task Force, a group of fifteen business and community leaders, to explore solutions aimed at alleviating congestion along the Route 7 corridor between the Town of Leesburg and the Fairfax/Loudoun border.  The advocacy efforts of this group were critical to the inclusion of the Route 7/Belmont Ridge Road interchange and Sycolin flyover in the Governor’s bond package.”

Look it up: Mark Herring and Transportation

Senator Dick Black, keep up the good work and ignore all the noise from the bias media and the democrats.  Keep on fighting for us!  We appreciate someone who can stand up to all this slander more than you know!

I noticed that no one wants to answer the question about what Senator Mark Herring has done for transportation.  They’d rather go back to throwing mud at the only one who is doing something to fix our transportation.

I don’t understand why everyone feels the need to attack Dick Black ... he’s desperate carpetbagger intent on bringing American-style Talibanism to our county.

The gay bill will be next ... then a bill to stone women who commit adultry.

A fringe group of anti-intellectuals supports Dick Black.  I get that.

Good point.  What has Senator Mark Herring done ever for transportation?  You never hear the LCDC complain about him.  Yet, I can’t think of a single thing he ever did.  Anyone?

I see LTM has picked up Washington Post talking points these days…there are reasons why no Democrats were elected last election cycle Trevor…keep up the good work Senator Black, the extreme leftists agenda the LCDC pushed on Loudoun the last 4 years was rejected overwhelmingly in November…thank goodness for us.

@ Money Grows On Trees - can you tell me what great things Senator Mark Herring has done to improve our transportation in all the years he has been in office?  (Silence….)

Senator Black put in a lot of bills that created the funding mechanism for turning Rt. 28 into a Freeway. Senator Herring - NOTHING

Senator Black made major safety improvements on Rt. 15.  Senator Herring - NOTHING

Senator Black got parts of Rt. 7 widened before Kaine took it out of the 6 year plan.  Senator Herring - NOTHING

Senator Black has only been in office a month and he’s already trying to stop politicians from taking our Transportation Trust Funds. 

Sorry this doesn’t fit into your story line that he doesn’t care about anything but abortion.  Maybe it’s just that abortion is ALL that the LCDC cares about.

What are Black’s transportation solutions?  Is he going to hunt for pots of gold at the end of rainbows?  All I see listed here is a traffic light, meetings for toll increases, and ensuring Dulles Rail isn’t funded by Virginia. 

Transportation improvements cost money.  Republicans refuse to recognize the “revenue” side of the budget and our funding for roads remains at a rate set in the 80’s.  Agreeing to guarantee an Australian company’s profits and handing over infrastructure paid for with tax dollars is not a solution that works for taxpayers.

How does Dick plan to fund roads and push government’s nose into the lives of women at the same time?  An intrusive, oppressive regime takes resources too.  Does he have a magic wand?  Like his voters, does he think 5-15=0?  Balanced budget!

Or is he just going to find some debt to issue like Bob McDonnell and push the bills out a few more years? The irresponsible voters sure seem to like that. 

He got a traffic light installed?  What is he a county supervisor?  Maybe him and Frank Wolf should team up and run for the Loudoun BoS, so they can focus on the Greenway and traffic lights.

And having businesses get fed up enough to tax themselves to pay for road improvements, a la Route 28, is not a product of government.  It meant government, and Dick Black failed to adequately represent their constituency.  Maybe that is Dick’s plan here.  How long will the NCC/Lansdowne folks deal with that light at Belmont Ridge and Route 7?  Maybe they will pay for the interchange themselves and Dick Black can take credit for it!  He’ll pass some bill “allowing” them to pay for their own road improvements like he did last time.  Wow, what a warrior for commuters!

Senator Jill Vogel introduced the ultrasound before an abortion can be performed.  Abortion advocates don’t wnat this bill because it will give women ALL the information before they make a tough decision.  Thank you Senator Vogel!

To protest a bill that would require women to undergo an ultrasound before having an abortion, Virginia State Sen. Janet Howell (D-Fairfax) on Monday attached an amendment that would require men to have a rectal exam and a cardiac stress test before obtaining a prescription for erectile dysfunction medication.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/30/mandatory-ultrasound-bill-virginia-anti-abortion_n_1242627.html

Purcellville is for Losers - Sounds like Malcolm is still under your skin and you’re a sore winner.

Black claims he’s a Christian but everyone know he’s a liar and surrounds himself with an very unethical crowd. He lies about everyone he runs against and is avoided like the plague by all females in Richmond. No female interns will be in a space alone with him, he’s too inappropriate!  He was elected bc he was a republican and the majority of the county was unhappy with the president in November, nothing more…definitely not his voting record or character!

The fact is, everyone knew Shawn Mitchell was a terrible candidate.  But no serious candidate wants to go up against Dick Black.  What doesn’t make any sense is that Democrats act as if Dick Black ran as a liberal and that couldn’t be further from the truth.  I read all the mail that came to my house from every candidate and Dick Black said he was pro-life, anti-tax, pro-energy independence and was in favor of gun rights.  So what’s the surprise here?  The fact that the LCDC doesn’t like it isn’t news.  Shawn Mitchell isn’t the only sour grapes candidate out there.  Look at Malcolm Baldwin, he’s fuming over his loss.  My advice - get over it.

I think it’s the Loudoun County Democratic Committee and its chair who are “...completely out of step with Loudoun County voters.”

“Is Loudoun Insider writing for the LTM now? This reads like an article from his smear blog.”

It wasn’t Loudoun Insider.  It was Lloyd the Idiot that penned a similar post. But, no, I’m not on the LTM payroll

I met Dick Black when he was a delegate and I was impressed with his stand against taxes and stand for moral values.  Voters like him because he’s really honest with where he stands on issues and it obviously drives some people crazy because they aren’t able to intimidate him into a political correct ball on the floor.  Nothing makes them crazier than than a man standing tall for what he believes in.  Keep driving those liberal nuts Col. Black!!!

Senator Black is the only one who knows how to fix our transportation problems.  I voted for him and I’m happy I did!

Why are most citizens disgusted with Dick Black within minutes of learning anything about him?  Saves time.

Man leave Senator Black alone, Loudoun County Democrats created this Monster by their lack of imagination in carrying out their Campaigns so let the Monster go to work.  Only by letting the full beast come out will the Democrats and others inthe County get off their tails and elect someone with some sense.

Senator Black must be doing something right if he’s driving the liberals this crazy.

Another Democrat excuse, “If more voted, our guy would win.”  Senator Black won by 57% of the vote, because he is pro-life, anti-tax and limited government.  He understands our transportation needs and people connect to him.  So glad he’s my senator!

Tell your friends and neighbors to vote next time people.  Loudoun isn’t red, it is just apathetic.  Plenty of moderates reject the nonsensical fringe politics of Dick Black, but they don’t bother voting.

Why do we care about an e-mail about Democrats whining?  Why don’t you use your time to write about the legislation Senator Black IS actually put in this year?  Like a footnote, I see that there is some things about Lyme Disease and transportation.  Isn’t this more newsworthy than a whiny e-mail from a political party?

Shawn Mitchell was a terrible candidate.  He didn’t understand the issues, wasn’t a bright guy and wasn’t even a regular voter.  Anyone else with a pulse could have beat Black!  Mitchell was a sacrificial lamb thrown to the wolves by Herring.  That won’t happen next time.

I am thrilled to hear Senator Black has put in something to stop the raids on Transportation Trust Funds.  Yeah!  Go get em Mr. Black!!

Shawn Mitchell posted it on his Facebook page?  He still has one?  What a loser!  Talk about out of touch with voters.  Mr. I take my pregnant wife to NARAL events.  That guy is bi-polar.  He started out telling people he was conservative and moved so far left he couldn’t see voters anymore.  No wonder he got clobbered.

” So everybody is happy as a clam with Black’s actions in the Senate.”  No, 16 % of the population were fooled again. Lisa is a sore winner, as are others. Black’s buddy, Marshall, may have submitted egregious legislation this time around, but voters can guess either’s intent.

“...is just plain too old ...”

Hey, Wilfred, why don’t you insult blacks and Jews while you’re at it?  Why just stick to insulting the elderly?

Black was a disgrace before and he continues to be so now. There comes a time when the mind starts to wander and sputter…Black is just plain too old to know what to do anymore…it is embarrassing for old war horses not to know when to exit stage left….must be ego, and with Black I am sure that is his middle name.

You rabid left wingers should move to Arlington where your leftist ideas will be enjoyed by a majority.

Congratulations to the LCDC for calling public attention to the usual extreme Right-wing agend being pursued by Senator Black! The message must have hit a nerve, given the reactionary responses to this public service message. Loudoun County has a population of 312,000 and not all of them are rabid Right-Wingers. Keep it up LCDC!

I see a red district and I want to paint it (with false claims against D.) Black.

The loser Shawn Mitchell has posted this article on his facebook page.

So basically the LCDC spokesman is a liar.  “extreme anti-abortion measures” = pro-life.  Who’s out of touch with voters?  How many Democrats did you get elected?  Looks like you have some time to rethink who is out of touch with voters.

Democrats should look back at the election and realize the massive percentage that Black Won by and ask themselves if anybody cares. The 13th is a heavy Republican District. So everybody is happy as a clam with Black’s actions in the Senate.

This so-called “news” story is a perfect example of Liberal Media Bias.  Readers beware, and learn how to identify Liberal Media Bias at this website: http://www.mrc.org/books/identifybias.asp

Is Loudoun Insider writing for the LTM now? This reads like an article from his smear blog.

Love the way that the article starts out with all the accusations by the Democrats, but you have to read all the way to the bottom to see that these aren’t Senator Black’s bills.  At the bottom of the article you find out that Senator Black actually introduced lots of transportation bills and didn’t introduce any pro-life stuff this time.  No wonder people call this the Loudoun Times-Smearer.