Quanson signs massive transportation bill with little funding for public transport

Most money will go to fund road projects

STARKSMIN, Well. -- A record $10 billion has been approved by Wellington lawmakers and signed into law by Governor Wade Quanson.

But the massive transport funding package is not without criticism.

State Nationalists and alternative transport advocates are decrying the lack of funding for public transport.

Most of the $10 billion -- about $6.9 billion -- will go to funding new roads, maintaining existing roadways and repairing bridges.

Only about $2.4 billion will go to public transport projects, including $393 million for new lines on the Starksmin light rail system and $272 million for light rail in Lunden Plains.

Critics say more money should be spent on alternative or "green" transportation.

"The bulk of this money is going to roads to support car-based transportation. We should be investing more in green transport, so that we can have cleaner air in Wellington, we can protect our wilderness and stop urban sprawl," Gail Curran, Director of the Wellington Environmental Protection Council (WEPC), told the Starksmin Frontiersman newspaper.

Nationalist state Sen. Ken Laramie said the funding bill does not reflect the environmental values of Wellingtonians.

"Wellingtonians care about the environment. They care about clean air and clean water. They care about protecting our forests and grasslands and wetlands, our lakes and rivers. The people of Wellington want safe, green transport that encourages ride-sharing, car-less travel and discourages gas guzzling vehicles and more and more asphalt," Laramie said.

But Mr. Quanson, a first-term Conservative governor, said Wellington's economy depends on road transport.

"Roads are the lifeblood of our economy in this state. We need roads to transport produce, timber, machinery. We can't invest all of our money in experimental so-called 'green' forms of transport when these transport projects typically are more expensive and over-budget and don't attract much interest."

Quanson points to the Starksmin light rail system, which, despite $500 million in new funding for new lines has produced few riders

"I'm not opposed to funding mass-transit or rail or bus, but we need to invest in projects that are going to be heavily utilized. Our roads are heavily utilized. Our trains aren't. Our buses are moderately utilized. We need to throw the funding at what's most utilized, so that the economy of our state can keep moving," said Quanson.

Nationalists in the state legislature are drafting a bill that would require future transportation spending bills to include an equal amount of funding for public transport as road construction.

Menuhaeo says Brexit decision will have 'severe repercussions' for UK

Grassadellian leaders react to UK's vote to leave European Union

MAVOCKE -- A day after voters in the United Kingdom voted to withdraw Great Britain from the European Union, world leaders took in the scope of the decision amid a shaky reaction in the world's leading stock markets.

President Brenton Menuhaeo told the Collester press corps Friday morning the financial panic that swept across global markets was "exactly the kind of response I feared would happen" if Britons voted for the "Brexit," an abbreviation for "British exit."

The Brexit was approved narrowly, with 52% of Britons voting to leave and 48% voting to remain.

The decision will have "severe repercussions in the near future and lasting effects in the long-term," Mr. Menuhaeo said.

"I'm no economist, but you don't have to be one to know that any time you have a massive political shift such as this one, which affects trade deals and taxation, you have to know it's going to cause a major disruption to commerce and financial stability," said Mr. Menuhaeo.

Stock exchanges in London, New York, Tokyo and Grassadellia City saw major losses Friday, as investor confidence has been shaken amid the uncertainty of how the UK's exit from the 28-member nation alliance will proceed.

Finance Secretary Jay Goodling said Grassadellia will feel the impacts of the Brexit vote.

"In our globalized society, the economy is like a giant pond. And when something substantial like the Brexit vote happens, it's like throwing a large stone in that pond. The stone might have been thrown in on the opposite side of the pond but the ripples and waves from that stone still travel across to all parts of the shore," Goodling said.

Most Grassadellian politicians reacted with a cautious calm.

"This will definitely impact our economy here in Grassadellia, but it's too early to say it's a 'Doomsday' moment. The sky isn't falling yet," Trinton Sen. Tim Blakewell (N), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, told the STAR Network.

Dana Glow (C), who serves as the ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee, said it's important not to panic.

"It happened. Yes they voted for it and the Brexit will take place. But the worst thing world leaders could do right now, CEOs and finance people could do right now, is panic and go in to hysteria mode. That will only worsen the situation," Glow told Reuters.

Grassadellian presidential candidates opined on the Brits' vote. Monomi Gov. John Densy (C) said he would have voted 'no' had he been able to, while POG Gov. Donna Almone (C) came under fire for not saying if she would vote for it.

"She's riding the fence (on Brexit) just like she does on most issues," Densy said of Almone, the leading CNS candidate. "I like Donna but sometimes I wish she'd pick a side and come down on one side of the line in the sand instead of having one foot on each side of the line."

On the NAT side, Damoign Gov. Rod Penora described the Brexit vote as "the dumbest thing (the UK) has done since Iraq," referring to the UK's joining forces with the United States during the Iraq War.

Jim McCaren, the former Foreign Affairs Secretary and current front runner NAT candidate, said he disagreed with the outcome of the vote but respected the will of the British voters.

"I don't agree w/ the outcome but I respect British voters' decision," McCaren tweeted.

He later said that while every country has the right to sovereignty and self-determination, a united Europe would be strongest.

"I recognize the frustrations of the British people. I understand the anger at the establishment and the political elites. But this decision divides Europe, which ultimately will weaken Europe economically, militarily, it will hurt national security and only add to the migration crisis," McCaren said.

Some Grass politicians were in support, however.

"The EU is nothing more than a collective of socialist, sovereignty-stealing states. The UK was right to secede from this terrible alliance," Conservative New Portsmouth Sen. Nadine Pietrasaelis wrote on her Facebook page.

Assembly Majority Leader Brandon O'Malley (C-Damoign) hailed the vote.

"The British are taking back their country. Now they can make their own laws without having to capitulate to the EU's ridiculous liberal policies. Each country should be able to make its own laws. The British took back their sovereignty, and now they can begin to repair the damage done by the EU and it's ill-conceived agenda," O'Malley said in a written statement.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Dawnelle Hunter-Garrett said Grassadellia will work closely with both Great Britain and the EU member countries.

"We strongly value our longstanding friendship with the United Kingdom and also our EU allies. We will work with both sides to help ensure a smooth transition and bring about stability," she said.

Kerry Paul to run for Monomi senate seat

Lieutenant governor and former Teedra mayor to run for Senate

TEEDRA, Monomi -- Conservative party elders got their wish this weekend. Lieutenant governor and former Teedra Mayor Kerry Paul will run for Senate in the fall election, challenging NAT incumbent Brad Fiodora, who is seeking a second term.

Paul is the preferred candidate of the party establishment, and she brings name recognition and connections with wealthy donors.

But for all her assets, Ms. Paul has some vulnerabilities. She's much more moderate than other lesser-known candidates in the race, and that could open the door to a challenge from a more far-right opponent.

Even before she confirmed her candidacy, the right-wing Grassadellian Conservative Union (GCU) was pre-emptively striking her with criticisms.

"Kerry Paul is another run-of-the-mill 'moderate' Conservative who will only half-heartedly stand up for conservative values. We need a real conservative, with demonstrated conservative values, to stand up for Monomi in Mavocke," the GCU's Deputy Director of Campaign Solutions Brent Alman said in a press release.

The GCU and other ultra-conservative groups are pushing a more conservative candidate such as Assemblyman Pete Doonan of Teedra or Assemblywoman Shannon Tribe of Trieton to run.

But Doonan has ran unsuccessfully twice for the Senate, and Tribe has not indicated any interest in running.

The best hope for far-right conservatives is Assemblywoman Sharon Osmorda of Devanough. A fierce Conservative, Ms. Osmorda, the former mayor of Devanough, is known across the country for her centre-right views and her devotion to causes she holds dear, such as fighting terrorism, advocating for farmers and lower taxes.

Ms. Osmorda has not expressed interest in running for the Senate, but she declined to rule it out in an interview Monday morning at the capitol in Mavocke.

"Right now, I'm just focused on serving the people of Devanough," Ms. Osmorda said.

Ms. Osmorda could prove to be a formidable opponent, should she enter the race.

As an icon in the national conservative movement, and a well-known face among far-right voters, she would have access to a large fundraising base.

Supporters of Ms. Paul say the former Teedra mayor has a better chance of winning in a general election.

"Sharon Osmorda is very extremely conservative. She can't win over independents and moderate Nationalists. Kerry Paul can do that. She has a proven record of reaching out and receiving support from the other side," said Joel Gosch, a friend of Ms. Paul.

Officially, Kerry Paul has not announced her candidacy yet, but sources close to the lieutenant governor say he has already informed her boss, Gov. John Densy, and other political allies of her decision.

An announcement is expected this week.