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CNN Live At Daybreak

Interview with Jimmy Barrett

Aired August 22, 2002 - 05:37   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Chad, it is that time on Thursday when we ferret out information from all sources, no matter where the electromagnetic waves come from. We like to call it the talk of CNN. Come over here, Chad. We're going to talk to Jimmy Barrett at WRVA News Radio 1140 in Richmond, Virginia. Jimmy is actually with us via the Internet. They've hooked up a cool camera.
CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Is he all hooked up?

COSTELLO: That's amazing, Jimmy. How did you guys do that?

MYERS: Jimmy, are you with us this morning?

COSTELLO: As you can see...

MYERS: Can I hear him?

COSTELLO: ... the new technology is working perfectly.

MYERS: I can hear -- I can see him, I can't hear him. You know, he's got weather and traffic on the five so he still may be doing weather and traffic.

COSTELLO: No, he's...

MYERS: I saw you move, Jimmy.

JIMMY BARRETT, WRVA CORRESPONDENT: No, no, no. We're right here.

MYERS: Hey, all right!

BARRETT: Hey, can you hear us now?

MYERS: Got you now. We've got you now.

BARRETT: Good.

MYERS: Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now?

BARRETT: Yes, I can hear you now. I can hear you now.

By the way, my apologies to the country. I know I have a face made for radio. That's just the way it is.

COSTELLO: Oh, no. You're quite a handsome fellow. BARRETT: I'm not -- do we have that on tape? Carol Costello says I'm a handsome fellow. OK, let's keep that.

MYERS: Yes, it ain't ever going to happen again, my friend.

BARRETT: I hear that.

Here is our headline story this morning folks. Raise cigarette tax in Virginia. We have a huge budget deficit here, $1.5 billion. And it seems to be going up a half a million at a time these days.

COSTELLO: So how much are they going to raise the tax and what is it now?

BARRETT: Well, you know what it is now? It is the lowest in the country, two and a half cents a pack, which is next to nothing.

MYERS: Wow, you're kidding?

BARRETT: But you know...

COSTELLO: Well, you know why that is? It's because there are a lot of tobacco growers in Virginia.

BARRETT: Exactly right. But here's part of my question in all this. Because the thing I always worry about with taxes is is once you create a tax, you're never going to get rid of the tax. The American Lung Association and other organizations say we need to have higher taxes not only to raise money, but more importantly than that, perhaps, discourage people from smoking.

But what are we going to do when we tax all of the smokers out of smoking? What will replace the cigarette tax in this country?

COSTELLO: More toll booths on the highways.

BARRETT: Well, how about a fast food tax? You've got to think that's coming somewhere down the line, don't you?

COSTELLO: Well, that's been an idea that's been passed around lately.

MYERS: Sure.

BARRETT: I know.

MYERS: Hey, Jimmy, where did this deficit come from? Do they know where the excess spending happened?

BARRETT: Well, you know, it's not excess spending. It's a lack of revenue. We're going through the same budget problems the rest of the country is going through right now, which means there are fewer jobs and lower income taxes. Less revenue streams coming into the Commonwealth means we're going to have to cut back in services. And here's part of what I'm thinking, too, as it relates to this, that maybe those of you who are in states that have a similar problem can relate to this, which is what should the state government provide to its citizens?

To me, schools, roads, law enforcement and then after that, it's luxuries. So we'll have to take a look at, you know, what's going to have to go here and there's going to have to be some tough decisions made.

COSTELLO: You've got that right. So you guys are not alone.

BARRETT: No, we're not.

Hey, Chad, could you send a tropical storm this way?

MYERS: I sure would like to.

BARRETT: Come on.

MYERS: Even a depression. I'd get everybody depressed with a depression, but, boy, it has been very dry there, hasn't it, Jimmy?

BARRETT: Yes, here's the latest saga on the drought here. We have -- have you ever heard of shrink swelled soil?

COSTELLO: No.

MYERS: No.

BARRETT: This is a new one to me. We've got a lot of it here in the greater Richmond area. And what it is very simply is is that the soil will either shrink or swell depending upon its moisture content. It has been so dry here that the soil is shrinking around foundations, cracking foundations, chimneys pulling away from the houses.

Here in Richmond now we're saying don't water the lawn, don't water the garden, water your basement or your foundation.

COSTELLO: Oh, that's insane.

BARRETT: Isn't it crazy?

MYERS: Water the concrete?

BARRETT: Water the concrete. Water the house. Mainly get the ground wet so that you can get some moisture back in there.

COSTELLO: Insane.

OK, quickly now, we have to talk about the Virginia State Fair.

BARRETT: Well...

COSTELLO: You're talking about junk food.

BARRETT: It's a favorite. We were talking about taxing food before. I think you can send the tax collector to this year's Virginia State Fair. I think we have a graphic for you on this one. I get a kick out of this. I love the State Fair. I think it has a wonderful place and I love, virtually love the food that they serve at the State Fair. Nothing beats a good funnel cake or an elephant ear.

But even I was surprised by this. Have you ever heard of fried Oreos?

MYERS: No.

BARRETT: Fried Snicker bars?

COSTELLO: Ooh.

MYERS: No.

BARRETT: Fried corn on the cob? I mean we're...

MYERS: That sounds good.

BARRETT: We're going to fry everything.

MYERS: Fried pickles.

BARRETT: Fried pickles.

MYERS: That doesn't sound good.

BARRETT: Now, the only thing missing from this story is there's a wonderful sponsorship opportunity that I think the Virginia State Fair is missing out on, at least as far as I know it's not sponsored. How about the American Cardiology Association? They could have a registration table there.

MYERS: Heart attack on a stick.

BARRETT: Exactly.

COSTELLO: You're not kidding.

Hey, Jimmy, we've got to go. Thanks a lot. You were so much fun.

BARRETT: All right.

COSTELLO: And, of course, next Thursday we'll join you again right at this time, 5:41 on Thursday.

BARRETT: We look forward to it.

COSTELLO: Bye, Jimmy.

BARRETT: Our pleasure.

MYERS: See you, Jim.

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