Posts by: Albemarle County Democratic Party
Senator Creigh Deeds sends his latest weekly newsletter from the General Assembly Session in Richmond.
The 2012 session of the General Assembly has officially “crossed over.” The term refers to the last day the Senate can consider senate bills and the House of Delegates can consider house bills. The remaining bills from each body crossover for consideration in the other chamber of the General Assembly. The exception to the rule is revenue bills, which will be considered over the next few days. In fact, while this session of the General Assembly has generated a lot of headlines, the real work lies ahead when the House and Senate budget proposals are announced this weekend.
On Tuesday, February 14, crossover day, the daily floor session lasted about six hours. Over a decade ago, when I served in the House, it was routine for crossover to produce 12 to 14 hour long sessions. It has become routine for the House and Senate to wrap up business on crossover in just a few hours. Tuesday was unique.
Some of the highlights from this session are as follows:
- The property rights constitutional amendment, which I have written about before, passed on a bipartisan vote. The Senate approved legislation putting it on the ballot this fall and defining some of the terms contained in the amendment. I am pleased the issue will go before the voters; however, some of the terms that were adopted in the bill, those for “lost profits” and “loss of access,” are so tight that I am afraid people will not be able to prove those sorts of losses.
- Reproductive rights have been in the bull’s eye this session. A bill passed at crossover that grants a woman, her estate, and the father the right to sue for wrongful death in the event of a death of a fetus. Although support for the bill was bipartisan, I voted against it because I believe existing statute already covers this circumstance. I am not in favor of putting extra words into the Code of Virginia when the remedy sought is already covered under some existing provision of State law.
- Transportation remains a significant topic of discussion. This year the Governor advanced a plan to raise money by transferring dollars from the General Fund to the Transportation Trust Fund and by granting naming rights of bridges and tunnels. Both of those ideas failed in the Senate. Many General Fund obligations are underfunded as it is, and it is not good public policy to take more money from those priorities. Likewise, it makes no sense to name bridges and tunnels, which have already been named in many cases for fallen state troopers, deputy sheriffs, or soldiers, and sell additional naming rights. Rather, the Senate passed a transportation plan which is built around an indexing of the gas tax. The plan is very modest and will not solve our long term problems, but it does allow us to begin putting more money into transportation. The proposal would result in the state gas tax going from 17.5 cents per gallon to 17.7 cents per gallon this year. The plan had broad bipartisan support.
- The Governor also put forward a number of educational reforms. Part of his plan was built around the elimination of the continuing contract status for teachers and principals. Many people speak of the continuing contract as tenure, but people in public education know the continuing contract does not protect bad teachers or prevent their dismissal. The Governor’s plan was rejected on a 20 to 18 vote, with two senators not voting. I voted against the legislation. In light of the fact that teachers in many localities have not seen pay raises for a number of years, I remain concerned that changes to the continuing contract would affect morale in school divisions and essentially accelerate departure of good teachers from low-pay, rural jurisdictions to higher-pay, wealthier localities. While I am open to reform in the area of public education, I’m convinced we need to keep the student in focus. We build our next generation of workforce and leadership primarily through our public schools. Because I was concerned the legislation could seriously affect our ability to provide a quality education in all of our localities, I voted against the bill. Similar legislation is coming over from the House of Delegates.
- One of the primary issues this year is the reform of the Virginia Retirement System. Two bills passed the Senate this crossover, one with unanimous support and the other with some opposition. One bill created a hybrid plan with both defined benefit and defined contribution features for state employees. I voted for this bill. The second bill provides reforms for local employees. I voted against this bill, not because I disagree that we need reforms, but because the bill essentially mandates a five percent pay increase to pay for the employee share of the retirement contribution. While I am not opposed to employees receiving pay increases, I am concerned that the Commonwealth is requiring its localities to spend money at this time when local governments are being pinched from every direction. The bill essentially amounts to an unfunded mandate on local government. Nevertheless, we have about a $24 billion unfunded liability when you combine all of the retirement accounts together. The problem did not arise overnight, and it will not be fixed overnight. I am convinced we must all work together to achieve our goals in the retirement system– preserving the trust of those employees who are members of the system and providing an incentive to attract quality employees to the public work force.
- A bill passed to require drug testing for welfare recipients. I voted against the bill. It may sound like a common sense proposal to many, but the facts do not bear out justification for the proposal and only serve to reinforce a stereotype about welfare recipients. In other states, implementation of the program has cost large sums of money in order to save few dollars. In addition to the fiscal impact of the bill, I suppose this legislation could be a precedent for requiring anyone who benefits from tax dollars to be drug tested.
With crossover behind us, the focus now switches to the budget as the remaining bills continue to move through the process. Each General Assembly puts its imprimatur on the budget, which contains the real priorities of each session of the General Assembly. This document is very important this year because it is the Governor’s only budget during his four-year term. The political dynamic of the Senate is making this an even tougher year. Although our economy is improving, the needs continue to outstrip means, and the governor has made proposals which take significant dollars from the safety net. Because he has placed a much needed priority on fixing the retirement system, funding in other areas, such as K-12 and higher education, has been shortchanged. We have a lot of work to do to achieve a balanced budget.
In the Senate, the Republicans, who represent 50 percent of the membership, have used the Lieutenant Governor’s tiebreaking authority to wrest power over committees from the Democrats, who also hold 50 percent of the seats. Bipartisanship on the budget, however, is required because the Lieutenant Governor has no tiebreaking authority there. We are in truly unchartered waters, and our work together over the next seven days will determine our ability to work to lead Virginia forward.
It is an honor to serve you in the Senate of Virginia. If I can be of service to you, or if you would like to share your thoughts or ask a question, or if you would like to visit Richmond and see the legislature at work, please contact me or Tracy Eppard, my legislative aide, at district25@senate.virginia.gov or(804) 698-7525.
Best,
Creigh
You can signup for Senator Deeds email updates at his web site.
Read other updates from Albemarle’s Democratic elected officials.
Delegate David Toscano sends his latest update from the General Assembly Session in Richmond.
We have now hit the mid-point of the General Assemblysession. Known as “crossover,” this is a date by which each body needs to pass its legislation over to the other body for consideration. What that means is long sessions in which hundreds of bills are considered in a single day.
As has been the case throughout the session, the debate has been fierce and the conservative agenda of the House Republican caucus has largely prevailed. The House has passed the so-called “personhood” bill, which defines life as beginning at conception, extending rights to “unborn children.” Even if this measure is found to be constitutional, the potential exists for all kinds of unintended consequences. The word “person” is used more than 10,000 times in the Virginia Code, and many thoughtful observers are concerned about the implications of this legislation for everything from Medicaid eligibility for unborn children to inheritance law.
The House rejected an amendment to ensure that the measure would not compromise a woman’s ability to use lawful contraception, a fact that raises serious questions about how far the proponents wish to take their efforts to deny families the ability to plan when they wish to have children.
The House also passed a bill that would require women to undergo an ultrasound before they can have an abortion. The “ultrasound” bill is yet another example of how some legislators have decided to increase the government intrusion into the private lives of Virginia families by requiring doctors to perform an invasive procedure which is not medically necessary and, in some cases, could actually involve the penetration of a woman’s body without her explicit consent. During debate, one Republican member suggested that the termination of a pregnancy was a “matter of lifestyle convenience,” a comment for which he later apologized.
I voted against both the “personhood” bill and the “ultrasound” bill.
The House passed two bills designed to reform the Virginia Retirement System. The first makes some minor changes to the benefits for employees hired beginning January 1, 2013 in an effort to shore-up the financial viability of the system. The second involves the creation of an optional defined contribution plan by which individuals could opt out of the defined benefit plan in exchange for participating in a new arrangement. I remain concerned about the financial implications of such an approach, but am also aware that there is a bill coming from the Senate that takes a slightly different approach. My focus in this debate is to ensure the fiscal viability of the plan for employees to whom we have made promises, and to retain the choice for those who wish to remain in the defined benefit plan. I hope that we will have several bills that allow us to meet these two goals.
The House passed a bill to extend the death penalty to another category of persons, that is, those who are involved in capital murder, but did not actually commit the killing. I voted against this, as I have done in the past.
The House passed a series of bills providing tax credits to a wide variety of groups, primarily larger companies, despite a recent JLARC report that indicates that some of the credits no longer serve their original purpose. I argued for the elimination of the coal tax credit, a measure that costs the taxpayers $31 million a year and which does little to create jobs in the coal industry. Instead, the General Assembly decided to extend the credit for another two years. I was able to prevail in getting a commission appointed to study all of these credits in greater detail. Perhaps that commission will provide sufficient political cover for the legislature to make some very hard decisions to eliminate some of these credits, which, after passed, provide a continuing drain on the State’s budget.
Now that crossover is done, we will focus on the budget and see whether we can protect and expand education funding for all levels.
On February 19th, the House and Senate will release their revisions to the Governor’s proposed budget. We will have two days to review the proposed revisions before we begin the process of debate on the House floor to offer amendments to reflect our priorities for education, jobs and healthcare.
On Thursday, February 23 beginning at 7:00 pm, I will conduct a live telephone town hall to discuss the budget. Joining me will be Michael Cassidy, President and CEO of The Commonwealth Institute, and we will discuss more closely how the budget affects our schools, VRS, transportation and the safety net. Sign up here with your name and telephone number to join the conversation on Thursday, February 23.
Thank you for this opportunity to serve you in Richmond. Your input is important to me and I invite you to share your thoughts and concerns with me on all matters before the Commonwealth. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
David
You can signup for Delegate Toscano’s email updates at his web site.
Read other updates from Albemarle’s Democratic elected officials.
Two recent polls, one national and one for Virginia show President Obama up against all possible Republican contenders.
First, the Quinnipac University Poll has Obama up in Virginia over Mitt Romney 47-43.
For the first time in this election cycle, President Barack Obama inches ahead of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the leading Republican candidate, 47 – 43 percent in Virginia, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Romney has a commanding lead among likely Republican primary voters in the state’s no-Newt Gingrich presidential primary.
Also, the recent Pew Research Center poll has Obama up nationally against all Republican rivals:
The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted Feb. 8-12 among 1,501 adults, including 1172 registered voters and 552 Republican and Republican-leaning voters, finds that Barack Obama holds sizable leads over Santorum, Romney and Newt Gingrich in general election match-ups.
We need your help to keep Obama on top. Here are a few ways you can help:
Senator Creigh Deeds sends his latest weekly newsletter from the General Assembly Session in Richmond.
Dear friend,
We are near the crossover of the 2012 session. The session has moved by rapidly though many of the big issues remain unresolved. We are no closer on a budget compromise today than we were when the session started. We are still looking at a budget that makes deep cuts in human services, underfunds K-12 education, and puts enormous burdens on our local governments and their taxpayers.
A number of controversial issues have come to a head the past few weeks, and I can give you my take on a few of them:
- A bill passed requiring an ultrasound be performed prior to an abortion. I voted no because I think these issues are best left between patients and physicians. I am not willing to impose the General Assembly’s view with respect to a medical procedure that adds expense and may or may not be necessary.
- The Senate also passed Senate Bill 1 to require a voter to have an ID. To some this might sound like a common sense measure, but the legislation will unnecessarily inconvenience voters, particularly those who may not have proper identification, whether they are young, old, or poor.
- This week I pulled my bill to abolish the Court of Appeals. While the bill generated a lot of interest among lawyers, I introduced it simply to make a statement. We hear a lot of talk from politicians about making government smaller and reducing costs, but seldom do we actually accomplish that goal. For example, a bill was introduced on behalf of the Governor to consolidate or eliminate dozens of agencies and boards. The bill, if fully implemented, is projected to save $2 to $3 million. Abolition of the Court of Appeals would save $8.5 million every year. Although some thought the idea radical, our justice system functioned well prior to the establishment of the Court of Appeals in the mid 1980s. During this time of frugality, it makes more sense to abolish the Court of Appeals, which has not proven its value, than to cut services to children and the poor.
- The proposed eminent domain amendment to the Constitution of Virginia will be one of the most significant policy decisions we make this year. As I write, the final vote on the measure has been delayed for several days as both sides try to marshal votes and fine tune the language of a companion bill. I support the amendment and will vote to put the issue on the ballot for voters to decide this fall. Its passage will ensure property is only condemned for public purposes and that landowners are fairly compensated.
- We also considered legislation to increase the number of women- and minority-owned businesses contracting with the state. In Virginia we have a SWAM program, which gives a preference to these businesses. Despite the program, women- and minority-owned businesses only receive about 2.5 percent of state contracts. If we are to truly be a Commonwealth of opportunity for every citizen, we have to find a way to increase the share of the state’s work going to women- and minority-owned businesses. The legislation passed out of the Senate with my support.
- I introduced legislation this year to allow Rockbridge County to keep its landfill open for two additional years. The landfill, which has not presented any environmental problems, was due to be shut down at the end of this year under existing law. I am pleased to report that working with Delegate Ben Cline and DEQ we have entered into an agreement whereby the landfill will remain open for an additional two years. Because we accomplished our purpose, I struck the bill.
One of the most divisive issues, however, is the repeal of the one gun a month law. Frankly, I know many of my friends and supporters will disagree with my vote in favor of the repeal. Anyone familiar with my voting history or my public statements on this matter cannot be surprised.
When the law passed in 1993 I voted no because I thought it would have primarily symbolic value and not effectively deter crime. I am not convinced that restricting the right to purchase firearms of those who obey the law deters crime. People intent on violating the law are going to find a way to obtain the weapons they want, so the law only curtails behavior of law-abiding citizens. Over the years, nothing has convinced me otherwise. I have not seen empirical data to suggest the law has prevented people intent on committing crime from obtaining weapons.
The Second Amendment guarantees gun possession and ownership as a constitutionally protected personal right. Limiting that right is a serious matter. I do not own a handgun and have no desire to purchase one, so I understand the sentiment of proponents of the law inquiring why someone needs more than 12 guns per year. However, I also cannot understand why one would need to buy six a year, or 24 a year. Any limit set on this matter is arbitrary.
The reality is, under current law, people can already purchase more than one handgun a month. During the 19 years after its enactment, numerous exceptions have been granted. Among those exceptions are collectors, law enforcement officers, private sale and antique purchases, concealed carry permit holders, and private security companies. In addition, nothing in the law prevents someone from purchasing unlimited numbers of rifles or shotguns.
People tend to talk in platitudes about the one gun a month law. Either “the law ended gun running from the Commonwealth” or “it was an unreasonable limitation on gun ownership.” The facts on the gun running claim are not clear. I have not seen any empirical data suggesting the law significantly reduced the number of guns originating from Virginia involved in crime in other states. In fact, the anecdotal evidence is mixed at best. Some will argue that guns involved in crime from New York still come from Virginia; others will argue the rates have diminished. There is simply not a convincing case to be made that the law effectively deterred gun-related violence.
After consideration of all of these factors, combined with the vast improvement in our background checks with the advancement of technology, I do not believe the law needs to stay on the books. As I have said before, our focus should be on measures to promote economic activity, and this bill has distracted us from the real work of the General Assembly. If we really want to reduce crime and improve the safety of our citizens, we need to invest in K-12 education, mental health services, and public safety. A commitment to providing a top quality education to every student in the Commonwealth, to increasing access for mental health treatment, and to ensuring we have enough law enforcement officers on our streets will help grow our economy and reduce crime. I think this is something we can all agree on.
It is an honor to serve you in the Senate of Virginia. If I can be of service to you, or if you would like to share your thoughts or ask a question, or if you would like to visit Richmond and see the legislature at work, please contact me or Tracy Eppard, my legislative aide, at district25@senate.virginia.gov or(804) 698-7525.
Thanks again for your input and responses.
Best,
Creigh
You can signup for Senator Deeds email updates at his web site.
Read other updates from Albemarle’s Democratic elected officials.
Delegate David Toscano sends his latest update from the General Assembly Session in Richmond.
In the last fall’s election, we heard much from candidates who promised to work to improve the economy and create jobs. What we are now seeing in the House of Delegates, however, is an emphasis on a socially conservative agenda and a classic case of legislative overreach. The Republican majority in the House is so large that these bills are easily passed despite reasonable arguments opposing them. In this week alone, the House passed two bills that would make it more difficult for citizens to cast a vote and have that vote counted (HB9 and HB63); four gun bills; and an abortion bill that is as restrictive as anything we have seen in Virginia.
Del. Toscano speaks to crowd of 300 people at the Joint Legislation Black Caucus "Don't Block the Vote" rally on January 31, 2012, in Richmond, VA.
HB 9 will discourage people from voting because of its requirement that a person must cast a provisional ballot in the event that he or she does not have identification at the polls. Previously, a citizen could swear under oath that he or she is the person listed in the poll book. If the affirmation was false, it would be punishable as a Class 5 felony. With this new bill, lack of identification would force a person to cast a provisional ballot (not immediately countable) and which would be subject to challenge if the person did not return to prove their identity. Supporters of HB9 claim it is an anti-fraud bill, but even the supporters cannot document any examples of voter identification fraud in Virginia.
With HB940, the House voted to repeal “one-gun-per-month”, a measure enacted during the Wilder Administration in 1993 that had a dramatic impact on discouraging gun-running from Virginia into the northeastern states. At the time “one-gun-a-month” was passed, Virginia was the gun-running capital of the United States. The measure substantially reduced the number of guns transported into the major cities of the northeast, and has been deemed a dramatic success. If the Senate passes the measure, citizens will be able to purchase as many guns as they choose whenever they choose. The House also passed HB 375, a measure that would prevent a locality from enacting rules to prevent an employee from carrying a gun or ammunition in their vehicles into parking lots adjacent to his or her workplace. Under this measure, an employee would now be allowed to carry as much ammunition as he or she desires, and store it in plain view – at a child care center, a park, or a recreation center parking lot. This increases the likelihood to attract undesirable activity and create an unsafe environment in such close proximity to our children.
Finally, the House passed HB62, which prevents the funding of abortions for poor women, even if a doctor certifies that “a fetus will be born with a gross and totally incapacitating physical deformity or with a gross and totally incapacitating mental deficiency.” We will likely see more anti-choice bills next week.
While these social debates are raging, I continue to focus on education funding and ensuring that Albemarle and Charlottesville receive more money in the state budget. The Governor’s budget purports to provide additional funding for K-12 education, but, when you consider the increasing costs in school divisions and the impact that increased VRS contributions will have on school divisions, many will experience a reduction in actual funding. Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville are two that will. What is sometimes lost in this discussion is the fact that for the last several years, the Obama stimulus package helped Virginia balance its budget and ensure that schools would not experience too deep a cut. With that money now gone, and the state not willing to increase its contribution, school divisions will be financially challenged. As a point of reference, state funding for next year will be $550 less per pupil than we provided in 2009. Our average teacher’s salary is $4,500 below the national average. We have 2,000 fewer teachers in our schools today than we did in 2009, but have 45,000 more students. I will continue to fight for additional money for our school divisions.
I appreciate hearing from my constituents, and hope you will continue to contact me to share your comments and views on matters before the Commonwealth.
Thank you for this opportunity to serve you in Richmond. Your input is important to me and I invite you to share your thoughts and concerns with me on all matters before the Commonwealth. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
David
You can signup for Delegate Toscano’s email updates at his web site.
Read other updates from Albemarle’s Democratic elected officials.
Senator Creigh Deeds sends his latest weekly newsletter from the General Assembly Session in Richmond.
Dear friend:
January has come and gone. Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow, and it appears that six more weeks of winter weather are ahead. We saw temperatures in the 70s in Richmond this week. Hopefully Phil is predicting six more weeks of this type of wintry weather.
Throughout this session, one thing that stands out for me is the apparent disconnect between my colleagues in the General Assembly and those who campaigned for office last fall. Last fall, candidates from both parties in every region of the Commonwealth were focused on the economy, and rightfully so. While federal spending in Virginia has offered some protection from the recession that has wrecked havoc on the American economy, parts of Virginia have struggled. Some areas, in fact, never recovered from the last few recessions. The incoming 2012 Senate of Virginia was focused on making government work with the private sector to increase economic growth. At least that’s what we heard last fall.
From my prospective, while it is true that real economic growth is going to come from the private sector, there are things we can do to enhance economic activity all over the Commonwealth. We can maintain an environment which encourages business growth. I am proud to say we have one of the best climates for business in the country. We have a Right to Work law; we have a conservative court climate; our regulatory environment is business friendly; and our tax structure is relatively low. None of that will likely change this session. While the government can promote economic growth by maintaining the right climate, we still must make investments in critical infrastructure to bring growth to Virginia.
First, the most important asset we have is our people, and the most important investment is the development of young people. Every year we hear about problems in specific school systems throughout the state. This year, just about every local newspaper has reported a story about a local school system that is facing a budget shortfall. The General Assembly not only has neglected this issue, but it has been compounded by the Governor’s underfunding of the Standards of Quality in his introduced budget.
The other part of education and workforce training is higher education. We have an excellent system of community colleges and four year institutions. Last year important legislation was passed that recognized the connection between workforce development and higher education and set high benchmarks for us to increase our education and training of students in the specific areas of science, technology, education, and mathematics. If we are to compete with the rest of the world, we cannot continue to fall behind in these key areas. The legislation required us to make investments in higher education, and the Governor’s budget recognizes that to a degree. We used to lead the world in higher education and producing engineers and scientists. We can again, and we should not settle for less.
The second thing the state can do to promote economic growth is invest in transportation. If we are to build a 21st century economy, we must build the infrastructure to support it, and that requires investment in transportation. Sadly, we will not even come close to remedying the shortfall in funding we have in transportation, or the fact that by 2017, unless we take action to increase funding, we will begin to lose federal construction funding. Tax dollars paid by Virginians at the gas pump to the federal government will be spent in other states.
Instead of focusing on education, transportation, and things we can do to promote economic growth, this session of the General Assembly seems to be focused on social issues. Much newsprint and frankly much energy in this session of the General Assembly seem to be devoted to issues around guns and abortion. I own a number of guns and am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and an individual’s right to own and possess firearms, but it seems to me that in this time of economic crisis, we should be focused on creating jobs and putting people to work. Likewise, rather than interfering in the doctor-patient relationship by mandating medically unnecessary and costly procedures, such as ultrasounds, we would better serve the people we represent by focusing on the issues we talked about last fall.
Another area of focus seems to be on suppressing voter turnout. Bills that make carrying identification to the polls mandatory and require a waiting period for newly registered absentee voters are said to be aimed at voter fraud, but seem more likely to discourage participation by voters, young and old, and new voters in general. We already have one of the lowest voter participation rates in the western world, and the system we have in place already produces clean election results. These bills, like so many others this year, are not aimed at creating economic activity in our Commonwealth.
Politics and government aren’t always the same thing, but it seems to me there was a politician who once said, “it’s the economy, stupid.” He was right then, and we would be wise to remember the maxim now.
It is my honor to serve you in the Senate of Virginia. If I can be of service to you, or if you would like to share your thoughts or ask a question, or if you would like to visit Richmond and see the legislature at work, please contact me or Tracy Eppard, my legislative aide, at district25@senate.virginia.gov or(804) 698-7525.
Thanks again for your input and responses.
Best,
Creigh
You can signup for Senator Deeds email updates at his web site.
Read other updates from Albemarle’s Democratic elected officials.
Delegate David Toscano sends his third update from the General Assembly Session in Richmond, “Voter Suppression and Attacks on the Poor.”
This week of the 2012 General Assembly will be the busiest yet as Republicans in the House try to pass a number of bills targeted primarily at low income and minority populations. First, we will consider bills which proponents argue are designed to address so-called fraud in the electoral process. While studies show that voter fraud is miniscule, it is a hot topic during every federal election year. HB9 would force a voter without identification to cast a provisional ballot and HB1084 would require voters to produce a photo ID at the polls before being allowed to vote. At present, a voter without identification can sign a statement of affirmation of their identity under penalty of perjury before casting a regular ballot. Since it is difficult to get a photo ID without a birth certificate, approximately 11% of Virginia’s voting population either does not have a certificate or cannot find one.
These measures will likely decrease participation of minority, elderly and poor voters, some of whom do not have proper ID, and raises anew the specter of voter suppression that was commonplace in the South 60 years ago.
Second, the legislature is also considering a number of Republican-sponsored bills that would mandate drug testing for citizens who receive public assistance. There are at least six of these bills offered by Republicans in the House, most of which are modeled on conservative initiatives in other states.
Proponents argue that since citizens are receiving public benefits, taxpayers have a right to know that those benefits are properly spent. No one could object to that principle. The problem, however, is that these measures target a segment of the population who receive certain kinds of public benefits while excluding other people who receive benefits in the form of tax breaks, credits or preferences. What is left is a direct attack on the poor. Consider, for example, if we required all students who receive state student aid in the form of Tuition Assistance Grants (or TAG, as it is more commonly referred) to be screened for drug use? Or all citizens receiving disability benefits? Or senior citizens who receive Medicare? We forget sometimes that many citizens in our Commonwealth receive some kind of public assistance. Some assistance is more direct than others, but it is assistance nonetheless. Drug testing a certain subset of Virginians without requiring it for others is nothing less than political posturing designed to stir the base of conservative activists in an attack on the poor. It is not clear where these measures will go, as they have a substantial fiscal impact on the state budget. The projected cost to the state for HB73 in the first year of implementation is $1,781,494.
Finally, the budget amendment proposed by Delegate Bell that would transfer $2.6 million dollars from Charlottesville to Albemarle County has not yet been heard by House Appropriations. I have discussed my opposition to this divisive approach for several years, and remain convinced that this is merely an effort to undermine the revenue sharing agreement. One of the problems with this amendment is that it will change the Local Composite Index (LCI) for one jurisdiction at a time when other jurisdictions with legitimate concerns about how the composite index is formulated will be unaffected. Whether the legislature has an appetite for granting an exception to one locality is an issue that has yet to be resolved. Legislators may be concerned that this approach opens the door to a long, slippery slope of unintended consequences that has the potential to create more harm than good in public education funding.
I appreciate hearing from my constituents, and hope you will continue to contact me to share your comments and views on matters before the Commonwealth.
Thank you for this opportunity to serve you in Richmond. Your input is important to me and I invite you to share your thoughts and concerns with me on all matters before the Commonwealth. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
David
You can signup for Delegate Toscano’s email updates at his web site.
Read other updates from Albemarle’s Democratic elected officials.
Scottsville Supervisor Christopher Dumler sends his latest update on what’s happening with the Albemarle Board of Supervisors.
With two meetings under my belt, I’ve really begun to dive into some issues of importance to me and many of the citizens of my district. I would like to take a moment to update you about the issues that will be coming before the Board of Supervisors at the meeting coming up on February 1st, as well as the outcomes of those issues that came before us over the past few weeks, so that you can get involved in the process and make local government work for you.
County-Wide Issues:
- The Board will receive updates at our February 1st meeting on proposed changes to our wireless telecommunications policy as well as our sign ordinance, the latter of which will be updated as part of our Economic Vitality Action Plan. Improving Scottsville telecommunications infrastructure as well as ensuring that we do everything we can to help our small businesses (while still maintaining what makes Albemarle unique) are two of my top priorities on the Board, and I look forward to providing guidance and input to staff as we work to further develop these two important issues. If you have any thoughts on either, please let me know so that I can pass your ideas along!
- Please find a list of Board and Commission vacancies here. The more Scottsville District residents that apply to these Countywide Boards and Commissions, the more our voice will be heard in County processes.
- Construction the US 250 Shadwell Bridge has begun as part of a VDOT improvement project. The VDOT Public Affairs Office is in contact with County Public Affairs Personnel to coordinate the expected May bridge closure. Please be on the lookout for announcements about this, as it will have a serious effect on traffic patterns across the county.
Scottsville District Issues:
- The Board will receive updates at our February 1st day meeting on several issues affecting our district, including the Biscuit Run/Southwood proposed landswap (discussed in more detail here)
- High-speed Internet upgrades are coming to Blenheim and Jefferson Mill roads in the southern end of the County. A private partnership with CenturyLink is leading to the installation of new broadband infrastructure along these two roads.
- Last week I was appointed to the Virginia Association of Counties Administration of Government, Public Safety, and Telecommunications Committee. I look forward to exploring the issues that this Committee will tackle with my colleagues serving on other Boards throughout the Commonwealth and bringing successful initiatives (particularly on the issue of telecommunications!) to southern Albemarle!
- Much needed safety improvements are on their way to Route 53. Thursday, February 2nd, from 5:00 to 7:00pm at the Stultz Center at PVCC (501 College Drive, Charlottesville, VA 22902), VDOT will hold a Public Hearing on three highway safety improvement program projects that will upgrade Rt. 53 at Kenwood Farm, near the entrance to Monticello, and at the intersection with Rt. 20. Property impact information, relocation assistance policies, and tentative construction schedules will be available for your review at the hearing. Please read a write up in the Daily Progress on the improvements here.
Board meetings take place on the first Wednesday of each month at 9AM (February 1) and the second Wednesday of each month at 6PM (February 8), and as always I would love to see you there to make your voice heard. I would be very interested in hearing your opinion about the above issues and any other issues that may be of concern to you and your family. Please don’t ever hesitate to get in touch with me at any time via phone at 434-260-1123 or email at cdumler@albemarle.org.
Thank you,
PS: If you know of anyone interested in receiving these updates or learning more about local government, please forward this email along to them and encourage them to sign up for my e-mail list.
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Read other updates from Albemarle’s Democratic elected officials.
Peyton Williams, a retired Army special forces Lt. Colonel, announced he was going to run for the 5th District seat in the House of Representatives. The Daily Progress has more:
Originally from Norfolk, Williams has lived in Charlottesville since 1996.
He and his wife, Bobbie, have been married for 33 years.
Williams received two master’s degrees, one in research methodology from the University of Virginia in research methodology and a second in strategic intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College, now the National Military Intelligence College.
He completed doctoral research in ecology at the University of Georgia and worked in Orange as an ecologist.
Williams retired from the Army in 1999 as a lieutenant colonel in Special Forces and from Lockheed Martin in 2010 as a systems engineer.
Williams began teaching SCUBA diving in 2010 and has been a leader for Boy Scouts for 27 years.
“One of my strengths is getting people together to talk about problems and finding solutions that are acceptable, workable and likely to achieve the result,” he said. “I look forward to bringing civility, compromise and progress back into the legislative process.”
Read the full Daily Progress article. Look for more from Mr. Williams has his campaign launches in the coming weeks. Give the 5th District Democratic nominee a boost by contributing to nominee fund on ActBlue.
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