: News
By Rebecca Blatt
A bill passed this week by the Virginia Senate could raise the state's gas tax based on federal fuel efficiency standards, though it's likely to be a tough sell in the GOP-controlled House.
Virginia's gas tax has remained steady, at 17.5 cents per gallon for more than two decades. The Senate bill is meant to offset the money the state would lose as cars become more fuel efficient.
It would adjust the fuel tax annually based on the increase in the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard. That's the standard the federal government sets for cars and light trucks sold in the U.S.
The first increase would come in April 2011.
The proposal now heads to the Republican-controlled House of Delegates, which traditionally blocks tax increases.
Fictional 'Mothers' Reveal Facts Of A Painful Adoption Process
After years trying to conceive, novelist Jennifer Gilmore and her husband decided to adopt. What they thought would be a relatively simple process was instead a long and painful one. In her latest novel, Gilmore channels these autobiographical experiences into fiction.In Raw Milk Case, Activists See Food Freedom On Trial
Activists say the case against Wisconsin dairy farmer Vernon Hershberger is about raw milk — and much more. His supporters have turned the case into a rallying cry for personal food freedom and the rights of farmers and consumers to enter into private contracts without government intervention.Lois Lerner's Brief And Awful Day On Capitol Hill
The IRS's Lois Lerner showed up long enough at a House hearing into the scandal engulfing her agency to declare her innocence and her constitutional right to say no more.How That 'Nigerian Email Scam' Got Started
You've probably seen it in your inbox before: Someone who claims to have come into a fortune needs your help. You can share in the profits — if you send along a deposit or your bank account number. Boston Globe correspondent Finn Brunton talks about the history of the "Nigerian prince" or "419" scam, which actually got its start long before email.Leave a Comment
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