L
EGACY Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.
WEDNESDAYS • April 21, 2021
INSIDE Y vote to remove Jeff Davis’ name - 2 Henrico CASA fundraising efforts - 3 Biden: Pour some SALT in the prop - 4
Richmond & Hampton Roads
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Report: Democrat opposed to the PRO Act was showered with cash from Amazon executives SAM KNIGHT, TRUTHOUT Tactics used by Amazon to defeat the union organizing drive at the company’s Bessemer, Alabama, warehouse have highlighted the need for Democrats to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act). The legislation is a sweeping proposal that would implement the strongest protections for workers since 1935, when collective bargaining itself was first given legal protection in the U.S. If signed into law, the PRO Act would impose tougher restrictions on management during union election campaigns. The legislation would stop companies from forcing workers to hear anti-union propaganda at so-called captive audience meetings. It would ban managers from influencing the size of the bargaining unit sought by union organizers, and would prohibit stall tactics designed to allow managers to wage fearmongering campaigns to scare workers out of voting for union representation. Amazon employed all of these tactics in the run-up to the union certification vote at Bessemer, and was also accused by organizers with the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU) of engaging in tactics that are already illegal under current law. The PRO Act would drastically increase the consequences for companies found guilty of committing unfair labor practices
Sen. Mark Warner, Virginia Democrats and chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, holds a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., April 14. during organizing drives. But while the struggle in Bessemer showcased how the PRO Act would drastically benefit workers in the U.S., the struggle to pass the legislation itself highlights the power of Amazon, which has grown in recent years to become the second-largest employer and the second-largest spender on lobbying in the U.S. The PRO Act is supported by President Biden. It has passed the House. But currently, it only has the support of 46 out of 50 Democrats in the equally-divided Senate. Of the four Democrats resisting calls
to cosponsor the PRO Act, two faced election campaigns last year: Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) and Mark Warner (D-Virginia). They both received significant campaign donations from individuals employed by Amazon. Kelly received $139,270, and Warner received $44,896. While Kelly received more money from individuals employed by the firm, the money given to Warner is particularly illuminating. It came almost exclusively from the top echelons of Amazon: prominent executives such as Jay Carney and David Clark, two men who earned notoriety on social media in recent
weeks for attacking pro-RWDSU lawmakers. Clark, in particular, was the subject of ridicule for claiming that Amazon was “the Bernie Sanders of employers” because it pays workers a minimum of $15/hour. In reality, Amazon’s market power pushes down wages in warehouses throughout the logistics industry, and only four other companies have more employees on food stamps, according to a Bloomberg analysis published in December. Read the complation online at www. legacynewspaper.com
The LEGACY
2 • April 21, 2021
Lawmakers vote to remove Jefferson Davis’ name from highway CAMERON JONES CNS — The Virginia General Assembly has approved a bill renaming sections of U.S. Route 1
almost 100 years after it was named in honor of the first and only president of the Confederacy. The bill, introduced by Del. Joshua Cole (right), D-Fredericksburg,
passed the House earlier this month with a 70-28 vote. The Senate passed the measure earlier this week with a 30-9 vote. Counties and cities have until Jan. 1, 2022 to change their portion of Jefferson Davis Highway to whatever name they choose, or the state will change it to Emancipation Memorial Highway. “Change the name on your own, or the General Assembly will change it for you,” Cole said to House committee members. Sections of the highway that run through Stafford, Caroline, Spotsylvania and Chesterfield counties will need new signage and markers, according to the bill’s impact statement. Commemorative naming signs will be replaced, along with overhead guide signs at interchanges and street-name signs. The changes are estimated to cost almost $600,000 for all localities. The changes in Chesterfield will cost an estimated $373,000 because there are 17 Jefferson Davis Highway overhead signs on Routes 288 & 150. The United Daughters of the Confederacy conceived the plan for Jefferson Davis Memorial Highway in 1913, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Davis was a Mississippi senator who became the president of the Confederacy during the Civil War. The Virginia General Assembly designated U.S. Route 1 as Jefferson Davis Highway in 1922. “Jefferson Davis was the president of the Confederacy, a constant reminder of a white nationalist experiment, and a racist Democrat,” Cole said. “Instead we can acknowledge the powerful act of the
Emancipation Proclamation.” Cole said the change acknowledges the positive history of the Civil War and reminds people of the emancipation and freedom that came from it. The bill received little pushback in House and Senate committees. A Richmond City representative said their initial concern was the interpretation if districts would have the opportunity to choose a replacement name. Signs are already going up renaming the route to Richmond Highway in Richmond. Sen. Scott A. Surovell, D-Mount Vernon, voiced his support for the bill. He responded to concern that the change dishonors a veteran. He said he believes the bill “strikes a reasonable balance” by giving counties time to rename their portion of the highway, or they will give it a default name which “doesn’t carry the political baggage.” A poll by Hampton University and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found Virginians are still divided on changing the names of schools, streets and military bases named after Confederate leaders (44 percent supported the idea and 43 percent opposed it). Eric Sundberg, Cole’s chief of staff, said there were two camps of people that opposed the bill. He said some were openly racist and called Cole’s office to make offensive remarks. Then there were people who said they did not want to “double dip” on renaming the portion in their respective district and wanted it all to be named Richmond Highway. Stephen Farnsworth, professor and director at the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington, said efforts to rename the highway have never received much support in Richmond until this year. “Virginia has rapidly moved from a commonwealth that treasured its Confederate legacy, to one that is trying to move beyond it,” Farnsworth said.
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April 21, 2021 • 3
Henrico CASA launches Home for Good playhouse event to support abused and neglected children
Henrico CASA (Court Appointed partner with Short Pump Town Center and are Special Advocates) has partnered with most appreciative of our builders and sponsors for Short Pump Town Center to launch an supporting our mission in this meaningful way.” inaugural community event to raise This event is being supported by numerous awareness of CASA’s mission and the needs of children who have experienced abuse and neglect. Through May 2, one-of-a-kind luxury playhouses built by generous local builders – Classic Construction Exteriors, DPR Construction, and Southern Traditions Home Builders – will be on display at Short Pump Town Center (Center Court). COVID-19 has affected all lives but has put children who are not safe in their homes at an even higher risk for maltreatment or abuse. The Home for Good campaign will raise awareness about the work that Henrico CASA is doing to help abused and neglected children in the community. Henrico CASA helped ensure that more than 400 children in Henrico County found safe, stable homes last year. Visit Short Pump Town Center to see the amazing playhouses and have an opportunity to take one home. Every $5 donation made to Henrico CASA results in an opportunity to win one of the playhouses. There is no limit to the number of $5 donations that can be made for opportunities to win a playhouse. All proceeds from the donations will benefit funding for Henrico CASA. The proceeds from the Home for Good event will help Henrico CASA meet the costs of recruiting, screening, and training new CASA volunteers, caring adults who advocate for children referred to the agency by the Henrico County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court judges. In addition to raising critical funds to support the program, this event brings the plight of child abuse to the forefront of public attention. “We know that when children are in safe, stable homes, free from abuse and neglect, we are building the foundation for a healthier community. A playhouse is a wonderful reminder that childhood should be happy and carefree – not abusive, neglectful, or traumatic,” said Jeannine Panzera, executive director of Henrico CASA. “We are thrilled to
individuals and local companies. For more information, and/or make to donations for opportunities to win a playhouse, visit henricocasa. org/homeforgood or call 804-501-1670.
4 • April 21, 2021
Op/Ed & Letters
The LEGACY
Pour some SALT on that infrastructure THOMAS L. KNAPP As the debate over President Joe Biden’s infrastructure proposals heats up, Roll Call reports that “[a] new caucus pressing for repeal of the $10,000 limitation on state and local tax deductions boasts the support of more than one-third of Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee.” The SALT cap, implemented when Donald Trump was president and the GOP still held congressional majorities, is a “man bites dog” issue that places Democrats and Republicans opposite their usual supposed sides. Simply put, the SALT deduction allows you to deduct state and local taxes from your “gross adjusted” income for federal tax purposes. The SALT cap limits those deductions to $10,000 per year. Republicans usually posture as advocates of low taxes, especially on the upper end of the income scale, reasoning from the Reagan-era “supply side” (or what Democrats sardonically call “trickle-down”) premise that doing so encourages investment and creates “a rising The LEGACY NEWSPAPER Vol. 7 No. 16 Mailing Address P.O. Box 12474 Richmond, VA 23241 Office Address 105 1/2 E. Clay St. Richmond, VA 23219 Call: 804-644-1550 Online www.legacynewspaper.com
tide that lifts all boats.” Democrats usually advocate making wealthier Americans pick up “their fair share” of government's tab, a “fair share” they tend to define as bigger, both in raw numbers and as income percentages, for the wealthier (Republicans sardonically call it “soaking the rich”). When it comes to the SALT cap, though, the parties (mostly -- New The LEGACY welcomes all signed letters and all respectful opinions. Letter writers and columnists opinions are their own and endorsements of their views by The LEGACY should be inferred. The LEGACY assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. Annual Subscription Rates Virginia - $50 Other states - $75 Outside U.S.- $100 The Virginia Legacy © 2020
York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a notable exception to the rule) switch sides, and some are willing to hold the infrastructure deal hostage over it. Why? Because an unlimited SALT deduction means that state governments get a sort of free ride on their own tax rates. A wealthy New Yorker or Californian who pays, say, $50,000 in state taxes can knock that $50,000 off of her federal taxable income. The $10,000 SALT cap might encourage that wealthy New Yorker or Californian to consider moving out of New York or California, to a state with lower taxes (Florida or Texas, for example) and taking her prospective state tax payments with her. It’s no accident that the two high-tax states I mention are “blue” Democratic states and the two low-tax states are “red” Republican states. The two parties’ tax philosophies are, generally speaking, mirrored at the state level.
The ability to move between states is way of “pricing” tax policy. Too high, people move out. Low enough, people move in. The SALT cap encourages people and their wealth to move from “blue” states to “red” states. It’s shouldn't surprise anyone that in this case, the Republican line becomes “make them pay their fair share!” while the Democratic line becomes “not like THAT!” I don’t like taxes. You probably don't either. But if we’re going to have them, federal tax policy shouldn’t be manipulated to artificially benefit tax-happy state governments. The SALT deduction shouldn't be capped. It should be eliminated. Knapp (Twitter: @thomaslknapp) is director and senior news analyst at the William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism (thegarrisoncenter.org). He lives and works in north central Florida.
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P.T. Hoffsteader, Esq.
April 21, 2021 • 5
Virginia for the people
Virginia must be a Commonwealth built on the rights of all people to clean air and water, economic stability, transparency in government — and one in which their voices are heard. That is precisely why I am running for the 71st District of the House of Delegates — to elevate community voices and bring genuine change to Virginia. The need for change is urgent, as many opportunities to yield impactful legislation for environmental justice, criminal
justice reform, and ratepayer protections were denied during the 2021 General Assembly Session. Many of the boldest measures that would most directly move Virginia in the right direction, and recognize the important relationships between environmental, social, and racial justice, were thwarted. Our economy and environment are at a critical point. We need more than incremental change influenced by monopoly utilities and corporate interests. We need to take bold action for workers’ rights and to establish a clean energy economy that includes a just transition for workers and protections for environmental justice communities. The presence of corporate donors continues to influence state policy for their benefit and not for those in the community. The loud conversation between corporate lobbyists and legislators drowns
out the voices of the people. To bring real change, the delegate representing my friends and neighbors in the 71st District cannot be a corporately-backed placeholder. If bold economic and environmental policies are prevented from even being heard, justice reform moves too slowly to help those unjustly impacted, and corporate donors have influence over legislators, change is urgently needed. I am excited to help bring that change, and I know that environmental justice is social justice is racial justice — the issues are related, overlap and are all critical. I look forward to the future of this Commonwealth, and welcome the opportunity to bring true change on behalf of the community and for the people of the 71st District. I would be honored if you joined me in support of my run
for the House of Delegates in the June 8th primary election, and in bringing truly just legislation to our Commonwealth. Richard Walker
Virginia speed traps
There are some local governments that look to their police departments to be proactive in traffic enforcement for that reason and we tell our chiefs all the time, ‘Rise above that.’ You should not have to earn your department’s budget on the road. That becomes an unethical practice. Chiefs of Police Association would welcome a broad legalization of speed cameras, which have been rolled out in other states to automatically mail tickets to drivers who break the law. Currently use of the devices is limited in Virginia to school and construction zones. Dana Schrad
6 • April 21, 2021
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Newport News hosting Youth Mental Health discussion The Newport News Mayor’s Youth Commission (MYC) and the Newport News Police Department’s (NNPD) Young Adult Police Commission (YAPC) are teaming up to host a virtual panel discussion titled Youth Mental Health – Emerging from the Pandemic to New Societal Norms. The discussion will take place on the city’s Facebook page (facebook.com/CityofNewportNews) on Thursday, April 22 at 6 p.m. Panelists include local mental health experts and young people. “This event is being hosted at the request of teens in Newport News who are members of the Mayor’s Youth Commission and Young Adult Police Commission,” said Shavar Bland (pictured), Family Services Specialist with the Newport News Department of Human Services and Mayor’s Youth Commission Liaison for the City of Newport News. “We’ve had discussions on how members and their friends are experiencing mental health issues due to the pandemic and events taking place in the nation. They asked the city to provide a way for them to learn how to cope with challenges and find the support they need.” During the virtual event, the panel will discuss mental health and provide information on local resources young people can access for both immediate and longterm support. The panel will be moderated by two young people who are part of the MYC and YAPC. Panelists include: Brittni Petersen, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Agape Foundations Inc.; Tuesdai Johnson, Art Therapist, Licensed Resident in Counseling and Owner, Closing the Gap,
LLC.; and, Antone Green, Certified Prevention Specialist, Coordinator of Prevention Services, HamptonNewport News Community Services Board. After remarks from the experts, the youth moderators will lead a discussion with questions from the groups. The public is invited to watch and submit questions and comments via the city’s Facebook page. While the discussion will focus on youth
mental health, families and guardians are encouraged to participate. According to the World Health Organization, mental health issues account for 16% of the occurrences of disease and injury in people ages 10 to 19 years globally. Half of all mental health conditions start by 14 years of age, but most cases are undetected and untreated. Globally, depression is one of the leading causes of illness among adolescents
and high school students with significant symptoms of depression are more than twice as likely to drop out compared to their peers. Sadly, suicide is the third leading cause of death in 15 to 19-year-olds. The consequences of not addressing adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults.
8 • April 21, 2021
The LEGACY