Why so badly prepared for snow?

OPINION:

The snow disaster on I-95 in Virginia this week ought to be a “teachable moment.” Virginia, strangely, has two winter ‘states.’ The I-81 corridor through the

Shenandoah Valley area has snow plows, salt domes, etc., and in all but the most serious of blizzards keeps the roads open. However, the rest of the state has virtually no plows and relies entirely on salting the roads.

In the area around Richmond, there are five snow plows, two of which are owned by the University of Richmond. Worse, the state’s transportation department did not bother ordering salt to refill the few storage domes in the east. Thus virtually no salt was spread prior to this week’s storm. No one is explaining why this happened, but the quick accusations against the governor elect suggest the outgoing Democratic administration and its allies prepared a political trap for Youngkin.

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If this were negligence, it would be bad, but the quick blame game clearly shows it was instead likely a political hit gone awry. In truth, I am shocked no one died from accidents or hypothermia.

What kind of animal would risk so many lives for political gain?

JAMES BARENDS

Wayne, Pa.