Democratic former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder and his Republican successor, Sen. George Allen, called on lawmakers Monday to pass the buck in dealing with the state’s fiscal crisis.

What guts on the part of our former chief executives.

During a press conference Monday at the state Capitol, Wilder and Allen urged lawmakers to adopt a budget that pays for necessities with existing taxes, then lets voters to decide if new taxes are needed.

What Wilder and Allen suggest is the same type of spineless leadership that led to the defeat of the much-needed Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia road referendums and to California’s fiscal collapse.

Wilder and Allen know full well that the people will never support a tax increase. Via referendum, politicians who are elected to make tough, necessary decisions, can pass it off to the people and then hide behind "the will of the people" when the come under criticism later for such things as financial collapse, crumbling roads and bridges, over-flowing prisons and inadequate educational facilities.

This is not leadership. Virginians deserve better. Wilder and Allen know better and until they are willing to provide some, they would best serve the state by keeping their mouths shut.