Congressman Wittman spoke about many items of concern, and clearly described the short term and long term issues with each of them. First, about the election. Harris is changing her positions on many items. She is evolving into saying whatever is thought the particular people want to hear. Our early voting begins September 20th. He encourages everyone to vote early. Voter turnout will be key to the election. Moving on to Israel...Netanyahu is not being supported. Harris did not attend pro palestinean and is now thought to be trying to stay non-committed. The policy matters more than personality, and pro Hamas is causing a drain on Dem donations. Questions from CARMA Members continued.

Q - What was/is the future of the digital dollar? Crypto is a problem for the US dollar. Brazil's digital currency hurting US dollar. The $35T national debt is really hurting the dollar, and forcing huge debt payments. Q - Best opportunity is to open the Dem eyes to the budget issues and force govt. to get smaller. SC Justice Gorsuch and the Chevron ruling a great ruling - Congress must follow. Clean Water Act & CWA. Congress should be more aware of laws being passed by agencies. Q - REINS Act - Regulations must be finalized by Congress and impacts and cost considerations must be transparent. SCOTUS only reviews after federal and appeals courts have made rulings. Biden trying to change SCOTUS numbers and operations. Q - Student loans - It has been mostly a SCAM with litlle impact due to rulings and bank push backs. Q - Youngkin trying to push for paper ballots. No more mailing of ballots. 75,000 removed from rolls last year. Emergency powers and executive orders should all be only temporary.

Statements - 1) Trump has 100 days to put his budget in place. 2) Wittman is very busy. 3) China committee has 25 members. Some facts about China and
new chip plants...China controls 100% of gallium, 96% of mining for cobalt. US has only one mine. China owns 90% of graphite, China offers infrastructure help to countries, but has strings attached. US Government mining permits are limited. Why?

Since 2023 over 100,000 fentanyl deaths. China 98%. There is easy ordering of fentanyl online. We must start pushing back on so many China issues. Our grandchildren could be speaking mandarin.

Congressman Wittman was thanked for his candid remarks and was presented with the CARMA bundling project donations of over $3200. He was most thankful and reminded everyone of the importance of getting the vote out to stop the current far left issues and programs coming from DC.

Short Personal Bio: Rob was first elected to serve the First Congressional District of Virginia in December 2007, and his top priority has always been the constituents of the First District. From rebuilding our military, to securing jobs throughout Virginia, to increasing access to broadband, to making sure our children have a 21st-century education, Rob is constantly working for the First District.

As a Member of the Republican Study Committee, Rob is a leader in the fight against massive government spending and returning common sense, conservative principles to the budget process. Rob serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the Committee on Natural Resources, where he is well-positioned to represent the needs of the First District.

Congressman Rob Wittman currently serves as the Vice Chairman of the House Armed Services committee, which has historically been one of the most bipartisan committees in Congress. On the committee, he serves as Chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee. He previously served as Chairman and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness, and Ranking Member and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Congressman Wittman also currently serves on the House Select Committee Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party where he works with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to take measures that will counter the CCP’s malicious agenda and military build-up as well as confront the CCP’s use of diplomatic and economic coercion around the world. Congressman Wittman is a key voice on key defense issues in Congress. Along with his colleagues, he is a consistent champion of our nation’s warfighters and veterans.

With a father that served in the Army in World War II, Rob is a strong advocate for our veterans, fighting to ensure they can access the health care benefits and educational and job opportunities they have earned and deserve. Rob has introduced multiple pieces of legislation that would require more transparency from the Veterans Administration (VA), would streamline processes for veterans trying to receive care, and would help transition veterans into the civilian job market after service.

A champion of protecting and restoring the Chesapeake Bay, Rob serves on the House Natural Resources Committee, to which he brings his professional expertise in water quality, the environment, fisheries, and other natural resource issues. He is a leading voice for the conservation of the Chesapeake Bay and is outspoken in supporting its recovery programs. His Chesapeake Bay Accountability Act, signed into law in 2014, increased transparency for how cleanup dollars are spent. Rob has also succeeded in achieving long overdue federal recognition for six Virginia Indian tribes after decades of efforts to get his legislation signed into law. Rob received his undergraduate degree in biology from Virginia Tech and has spent his career fighting to protect our environment so that it can be enjoyed by future generations.

Rob learned from a young age the valuable contributions small businesses make to our nation. He was a short-order cook for Shoney’s restaurant in Henrico, worked for the Richmond Braves baseball team selling tickets, and then as the mascot. He worked the parking lot at Kings Dominion, on a fishing boat on the Chesapeake Bay, in a tomato cannery in Westmoreland, and as a bag boy in a mom-and-pop grocery store, so he knows the value of hard work and determination.

Throughout his time in Congress, Rob has remained focused on creating more jobs and opportunities for all Americans and also passing pro-growth policies to support our small businesses. He believes we must continue to incentivize rehiring, remove regulatory barriers to job creation, and return our supply chain from China; the Government’s role should be to eliminate barriers to success, not create them.

As a child of adoption, Rob values protecting the sanctity of life and will continue to be a standard-bearer for upholding family values. He strongly believes we must protect the lives of the unborn and ensure women have access to the care they need. Rob’s actions in the defense of life have earned him a 100% rating from both the National Right to Life and the Family Research Council (FRC).

Rob holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University, a Master of Public Health degree in Health Policy and Administration from the University of North Carolina, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Rob has served in several levels of government, from Town Council to the United States Congress. He won his first campaign for public office in 1986 when he was elected to the Montross Town Council, where he served for ten years, four of them as Mayor. In 1995, Rob was elected to the Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors and was elected its Chairman in 2003. In 2005, voters in the 99th Legislative District elected Rob to the Virginia House of Delegates, where he served until he was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2007. Prior to his election to Congress, Rob spent 26 years working as a health specialist for the Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Shellfish Sanitation and as an environmental health specialist for local health departments in Virginia’s Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula regions.

Rob’s wife, Kathryn, who worked for 41 years as a teacher at Cople Elementary School in Hague, is a Westmoreland County native whom he met when he spent high school and college summer recesses working in a Leedstown tomato cannery and on a Reedville fishing boat in the Northern Neck. Rob grew up in Henrico County, where his mother taught middle school and high school. Since 1985, Rob and Kathryn have lived in the same home in Montross where they raised their two children: a daughter, Devon, and a son, Josh. Rob and Kathryn are proud grandparents to six wonderful grandchildren. Rob is an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoys spending time on the water.

Sarah Ortego spoke to the near full house luncheon group about the many projects and issues facing the W-JCC School District. Prime is the potential
split between the City of Williamsburg and James City County. She spoke first of the inexperience of the School Board with the most experienced members only having 2 years on the Board. The district has 11,300 students, they have been combined since 1955, they have a financial agreement for how much is paid for each student, and she thinks this agreement is most effective for the area. She is concerned with any split long term, as the number of students from the city is just over 1,000. She believes a split would cost the city considerably more money. They are trying to find a way to stay united which is amicable to both groups. Sarah feels that the district should have an educational achievement based strategic plan. i.e. How the district will get to particular academic goals over the next 5, 10, 20 years. The writing of it was interupted by both Covid and the current "splitting up" discourse.

Sarah answered questions from the members on a few topics: 1) Is the contract to the City a discussion that includes the BOS & BOE to discuss the financials of such a split. Yes, and it will be more expensive to the city. 2) Is there a reasonable way to stay united at this juncture? Yes, but with some modifications from where we are today. 3) Are we teaching the Constitution in the core curricullum today? Yes, she believes it is taught. 4) The discussion briefly went into the remarks that Mike Hosang made earlier in the year...she said the Board had had discussions in closed session about these topics and that she felt Mike wanted to air the topic as it was important to the discussion of teaching aides, and general classroom makeup. Many attendees had various comments that she agree to take under advisement after letting everyone know that she respects all of the Board Member's views but must keep the agenda and discussion on a productive path. She said she knew of some students being placed in classes without significant preparation, but that the number was about 6, and they were being carefully monitored by school office staff. She believes the teachers are being counselled when a student requires or has special needs either for language or in some cases medications.

Sarah said the BOE has a very large amount of very serious work to be done and accomplished at each meeting, that it is her job to keep this on track, and that she tries very hard to get the work done over the other items that sometimes try to dominate the Board meetings. She was thanked for her comments and presented with the CARMA Crucible.

Bio & Career Information: Sarah is an accomplished mother with experience on Capitol Hill, the White House and State Department. While her qualifications and biography are impressive, I am writing about what is not found on paper. Sarah understands the importance of representative government, starting with the School Board; that elected officials are accountable to voters; and that every taxpayer in James City County has a voice in our school district.

Sarah supports providing the highest quality education to every student and will not support eliminating advanced courses — she supports raising standards, not lowering them. Sarah deeply respects the role of parents in education and opposes policies that come between parents and their children. She supports policies that promote transparency and open dialogue, and that ensure equal opportunity, not equal outcome.

Sarah believes celebrating diversity of backgrounds, races and cultures in ways that unite kids, not divide them, is imperative. She believes classrooms are the place for students to learn and develop critical reading and thinking skills that will empower them to determine their own future, not for divisive partisan ideologies. She believes in protecting individual liberties and expanding opportunities for all.

It is refreshing to encounter a candidate who believes so deeply in the Constitution, is committed to developing the future of our country, respects parents’ voices, and seeks creative solutions to our district’s challenges.

Scott A. Stevens has served as the James City County Administrator since October, 2018.

Scott Stevens talk to the CARMA Luncheon Group began with his desire to encourage further interactions and he provided various methods to get questions answered and to make opinions known. He provided a link specifically about the New Proposed Government Center; about a 100 million dollar project. www.jamescitycountyva.gov/4082

He presented various comments about the school system, the split with the City of Williamsburg, and the various financial and approval steps he believes would be necessary. He talked about the new sports complex, which is a joint venture between the county, the City, and York County. He believes the JCC costs will be mostly covered by the additional revenues from nightly stays and increased restaurant and business taxes. He repeated a few times that JCC is in need of gym space for recreational activities, and that the project would provide some relief. About 70 million in bonds are to be sold and backed by the city, only. He felt that the big problem with the proposal was a communication issue centered around the planning for the facility which started nearly 3 years ago. There is further discussion about other facilities on the same site, but nothing definite at this time.

Mr. Stevens spoke about the school district issues of over crowding in some schools, and the current plan to build two pre-K facilities in JCC to allow the removal of these children from the elementary schools and create available classrooms that way. One at Norge, one at Clara Byrd Barton.(SP?) There are over 600 kids in these programs and that change would releieve many classrooms where they are needed. Estimate of 45M cost currently. Mr. Stevens was careful in commenting about the possible split of the school district, since there seems to be some political issues involved.

Speaking about growth of homes in the county, he said there are still about 10-12K approvals on the books, which may be built according to the original plans by the builders without further intervention or approvals needed from the County. A large portion is in the Norge to Stonehouse areas.

Asked about Water, supply, cost, future...Scott responded that right now we have sufficient water supply. The JCSA does not report to the BOS or him. The pricing schedule is structured to provide a low cost for the first tier of usage, and then significantly higher tiers for the other levels of usage. This is on purpose, and looks to control the amount of water used on lawns, etc. He mentioned the SWIFT project where filtered waste water is injected back into the ground to try and help recharge the acquifers. There is a test ongoing on the peninsula, but not in JCC.

Scott Stevens was thanked for his informative talk with the members, for answering many questions, and was presented with the Cherished CARMA Crucible.

Short Bio:
Mr. Stevens was raised in Cary, North Carolina, (but always enjoyed visiting his grandparents in York County).   He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from North Carolina State University and a Master of Public Administration from East Carolina University. He began his career with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, later working for the City of Kinston as their City Engineer, Public Services Director, and City Manager.  He finished his time in North Carolina as the City Manager for Goldsboro. He was commissioned as a reserve Naval Officer in the Civil Engineer Corps (or Seabees) from 1993 until 2001 and has held a N.C. Professional Engineer’s license since 1994. 

He moved to James City County with wife Monique and their three sons, Erick Hicks (34), Jonathan Stevens (26) and Daniel Stevens (23).

Following is a short job description: The County Administrator is appointed by the Board of Supervisors
and provides leadership and administration of the day-to-day operations of the County. As the Chief Executive Officer, the County Administrator
is responsible for developing the annual budget and carrying out policies and laws, which are reviewed and approved by the Board. The County Administrator directs business and administrative policies and recommends to the Board policies and procedures which will properly govern the County.

Delegate Green was able to update the luncheon group on the legislative session
called back to Richmond to finalize the budget for the next two years.

Delegate Green provided lots of details about the approved budget which provides for no tax increases, but yet provides more funds for education and various statewide programs and initiatives that both the Republicans and Dems wanted. Nobody got everything, but a few folks walked away believing that it was a good resolution. The Dems wanted to raise state taxes by 2.6 billion, including a 1% increase in the state sales tax. Included in their spending plans was less monies for police, take 99% of guns away, ban all gas leaf blowers, and a slew of new DEI programs.

Delegate Green summarized the Dem initatives as A-B-C-D-G: A is for abortions. No restrictions right up to and including day of birth. They apparently LOVE abortions. B is for banning all guns. Everything right down to the simplest hand guns would be illegal if they got there way. C is for being Soft on Crime. Early releases along with reductions of serious crimes to no jail time. D is for drugs. Love marijuana, want it free of all restrictions, and the sale of it no diffent than if it was a quart of milk. (They do not realize the significant black market that would exist to try to lower the prices.) And G is for girls sports. Have birth males playing in girl's sports is fine with them. No restrictions at all.

He beiefly discussed a few of his bills which made it through the session and became laws. JROTC will now count for physical education credit in high schools. The jury exempt age was raised to 72. Sales tax holiday will continue each year. An additional Judge was added to the 9th District Circuit. Dems would not discuss early voting interval. Hard set on 45 days. Longest in country. Costs about $2500 per day for early voting.

Delegate Green then responded to a series of questions: #1) Will there be more money put to the higher education funds in subsequent budgets? He said this was a touchy subject due to DEI and a host of other programs facing the colleges and universities. He said this was probably a big "maybe." #2) Will the state establish a fetenyl testing program. He said there wasn't any activity on this subject this session, but he believes it would be a partial answer to this most serious drug problem. #3) What is happening with the EV Mandate and California program alignment for 2035. He said that Dominion Power, whom he spoke to said in order for this to be possible, they would have to be a NEW power plant brought on line every 18 months for the next 10 years to assure sufficient power in the grid. He said that hydrogen fuel cells are showing promise, but are still a number of year away. Sub question - Does Virginia have sufficient power for new data centers and AI in the Richmond area? He could not give a definite answer, but thought this was a go for construction. #4) What are your thoughts on same day registration? He said it should only be done for permanent residents of any voting location. Statewide, and countrywide databases need to be accessible to verify a persons status before allowing them to register and vote.

Delegate Green also spoke about the healthcare mandates that are being suggested which would eliminate individuals from having a choice of coverages and programs. He opposes this, and believes the free market should determines who and what is offered.

Delegate Chad Green was thanked for his candid comments and presented with the CARMA crucible.

Short Bio Information:

Chad Green was born in Newport News and has lived nearly his entire life on the peninsula. He is a graduate of the Hampton Roads Academy and is a graduate of the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!) Chad earned his law degree from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University and is admitted to practice in Alabama, Virginia, and the United States Supreme Court.

Chad is also a licensed commercial waterman, boat captain and a published author. Since 2015 Chad has served on the York County Board of Supervisors, where he has held the line on taxes, ensured our police have the resources they need to keep our community safe, and supported an end to unscientific mandates in our schools. During his time on the Board, he served as Chairman for two years and Vice Chairman for one year.

On the Board, Chad has been Vice Chair of the Yorktown Fourth of July Committee, served on the Colonial Criminal Justice Board, Transportation Safety Commission, the York County Chamber of Commerce, York County Youth Commission, and the Williamsburg Tourism Council.

Outside of his service as an elected official and electing conservative candidates to office, Chad is active in his community. He is a founding member of the peninsula chapter of Ducks Unlimited, which supports wetland and duck habitat conservation. Chad is also the past President of the Grafton Kiwanis Club, Board of Directors of the Victory YMCA, conducted fundraising for the Boy Scouts of America Colonial Council, volunteered for the Virginia Living Museum, and served on the Board of Directors for the York County Waterways Alliance. He is also a lifetime member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Chad resides in Seaford with his wife, Ashley, and his two children, across the lane from where his grandfather once lived. He attends Zion United Methodist Church.

Senator McDougle spoke to CARMA Members and Guests about the recently completed (almost) legislative session in Virginia. He discussed the many issues about creating a new two year budget when the parties were severely separated regarding priorities. Main bills being presented were for public safety, drug management, drug dealing penalties, anf the budget. Also included were gun rights, free speech, and bills which would cause further loss of the Virginia right to work laws. Almost all of the Senate votes were 21 to 19, strictly according to party lines, and this was similar in the House of Delagates too where the margin is just one. Senators from Northern Virginia wanted more spending and higher taxes to pay for it. The process following crossover was down to party line rejections and almost nothing new, original, or any of the Governor's priorities being passed. A tax on technology received much discussion, but didn't make it through all the committees. Funding for raises for teachers and police were considered and could have been done in the existing budget, but agreement on most budget items simply was not there. Governor Youngkin has line item veto rights, and will continue to use them, it is expected.

The Senator took many questions from the CARMA Members, and they focused on higher education funding, the process of bill passage and possible veto, that some state operations have not earned expected amounts as previously budgeted, such as VA ABC. Discussion around mental health resources and the reply was that they are scarce and the patient population continues to grow rapidly. Locally he spoke about the I-64 widening phase which has started, the deployment of broadband urilizing both state and federal monies, and the issues with federal money actually showing up.

Questions continued about the costs of illegal aliens (undocumented citizens is the new term apparently), the use of wind and solar, EV registrations and loss of road taxes, and the audit discussion on federal elections.

The Senator was thanked for his candidness, and direct answers to questions that the digital media and newspapers have had as recent headlines.

His current bio as captured from the internet includes the following:

Born in Hanover, Virginia, on November 9, 1971; educated at James Madison University (B.S., Political Science, History); Marshall-Wythe School of Law, The College of William and Mary (J.D.); Attorney; married, Robyn Diehl McDougle; Baptist; Republican Caucus Chairman; Chairman, Rules Committee; Chairman, Finance Sub-Committee: Public Safety; Vice-Chairman, Courts of Justice Committee; Virginia Supreme Court Committee on District Courts; Virginia Code Commission; Women of Virginia Commemorative Commission; Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation; Virginia Indian Commemorative Commission; former member: former Hanover Prosecutor; Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program; founding member: Hanover Child Abuse Response Team; VA FFA Foundation Board; Hanover Domestic Violence Task Force ; Member of the House: 2002-2006; Member of the Senate: 2006-current

District 26 Description:
All of Gloucester County, Mathews County and New Kent County.
Parts of Hanover County, James City County and King and Queen County.

Nathan Green is the elected Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Williamsburg and James City County.  He attended George Mason University, graduating in 1994 with a degree in Economics, and the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary, graduating in 1998. 

He began his career in 1998 as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Fairfax County before returning to Williamsburg to join the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office in 2001. 

As an Assistant in the office, he was awarded with the Williamsburg Bar Association Award of Merit for his outstanding work in establishing Virginia’s High School Mock Trial Program.

He was first elected the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Williamsburg and James City County in 2007. 

In addition to serving as the Commonwealth’s Attorney, Nate teaches every year as an adjunct professor at the College of William and Mary, earning the St. George Tucker Outstanding Adjunct Professor of Law Award in 2016. 

Nate also takes on numerous responsibilities assisting prosecutors from around the state, selected by fellow prosecutors to Chair the Virginia Association of Commonwealth’s Attorneys Legislative Committee, and this year serving as both the President of the Virginia Association of Commonwealth’s Attorneys and the Chairman of the Board for the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Service Council. 

Nate is  married to Karen Green, a past director of the Williamsburg / James City County’s Victim Assistance Program. They have a son, Ben.

Dr. Howe spoke of his personal encounter with the justice system, and how his own incarceration in the jail caused his life to turn around. He provided a rousing speech about how he came to know God and how he now has a life long calling to aid and administer to the persons who have found their own way into the jail through the justice system. Peninsula Regional Jail serves 7 counties and cities, and has about 5,000 inmates pass through its wall per year. In 2019 he was named senior pastor for the jail, and he works closely with local pastors and clergy to meet the needs of all those who wish to work on correcting and reforming their lives. Dr. Howe reports that about 74% of those who are sentenced to jail, will make their way back to jail after a first encounter. He discussed the issues of being released from jail and the various issues of society accepting them back into the workforce, and their being able to become active parts of society in meaningful ways. While in jail they face many issues, and just one of them is being able to have any meds that they need. Prison funding is part of the issue with this.

Dr. Howe is a part of the Good News Global Network, which functions as a non-profit in about 40 states. It acts on behalf of the incarcerated, to provide them with christian ministers in the jails, and to provide essential services such as "good listeners", "prayerful hope and direction", and while working with the jail administrations, to help with the eventual return of inmates to society. Dr. Howe answered a number of questions from the group and was thanked robustly for his talk with the group. He was given a CARMA crucible!

_______________________________________________________________________

Dr. Tarron Howe is an Overseer in the United Church of Jesus Christ Apostolic and serves as the Senior Pastor of United Family Worship Center in Hampton. He also serves as the full-time chaplain at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail located in Williamsburg, Virginia. Dr. Howe is the instructor of theology and biblical studies at  Ascent Bible College of the Assemblies of God.  He is certified with the American Bible Society as a trauma healing facilitator and trainer.

He  has served in various ministry positions to include youth pastor and  assistant pastor. He is married to his lovely wife Renee Howe and is the father of Alaina Howe. Tarron  holds a Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies, a Master of Arts in Theological Studies, a Master of Arts in Biblical Exposition, and a Doctor of Ministry.