Monday, March 25, 2013
A letter to the editor by Stafford resident Daniel P. Cortez.
Changing political attitudes regarding immigration reform remains a contentious issue in Virginia’s conservative ranks….today more than ever. But for Republican gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, now is the time for augmentation of a previous immigration position that many in the Hispanic community find untenable. Cuccinelli, the preverbal Tea Party darling, remains under severe criticism for his past actions and comments. Case in point was then State Senator Ken Cuccinelli’s introduction of bill SJ131 in 2008 to the General Assembly urging Congress to amend the constitution revoking citizenship rights for children of illegals. The pejorative “anchor baby” issue remains a major concern for Hispanic voters. Not …
Thursday, February 7, 2013
The funding package was derailed by Virginia Senate Democrats, though the House version still has a chance for approval.
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Thursday, February 7
By Whitney Spicer and Alix Hines, Capital News Service All 20 of Virginia's Democratic senators voted against Gov. Bob McDonnell's transportation plan late Tuesday, effectively blocking the Senate's version of the proposal for this legislative session. The move makes it less likely Gov. Bob McDonnell will pass a transportation package in his last year in office. While the House amended and approved a version of the plan, HB 2313, sending it to the Senate Finance Committee, Senate Democrats "vowed to block any proposal that generated less than $1.2 billion a year in new roads money," the Washington Examiner reports. That opposition is what doomed SB 1355 on Tuesday night. Though it got a 20-20 vote, the matter involved revenue, which …
Friday, January 11, 2013
Governor lays out proposals, challenges in speech to state lawmakers.
Transportation funding, teacher raises and restoring rights to non-violent offenders were a few of the topics explored Wednesday by Gov. Bob McDonnell in his State of the Commonwealth speech at the Capitol in Richmond. "The Virginia General Assembly has met in this building for 220 years — the Speaker was just a young boy during that first session," the governor said, grinning at Speaker Bill Howell (R-28th) seated behind him. "I ask that you not conclude this session without approving a long-term transportation funding plan for Virginia," said McDonnell to members of the General Assembly in the House Chamber. "Do not send me a budget that does not include new transportation funding. We are all out of excuses. We must act now." "We will …
Governor lays out proposals, challenges in speech to state lawmakers.
Transportation funding, teacher raises and restoring rights to non-violent offenders were a few of the topics explored Wednesday by Gov. Bob McDonnell in his State of the Commonwealth speech at the Capitol in Richmond. "The Virginia General Assembly has met in this building for 220 years — the Speaker was just a young boy during that first session," the governor said, grinning at Speaker Bill Howell (R-28th) seated behind him. "I ask that you not conclude this session without approving a long-term transportation funding plan for Virginia," said McDonnell to members of the General Assembly in the House Chamber. "Do not send me a budget that does not include new transportation funding. We are all out of excuses. We must act now." "We will …
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Speaker William Howell calls Gov. Bob McDonnell's transportation funding package a "comprehensive long-term solution."
Speaker of the House Bill Howell (R-28) announced his support of Gov. Bob McDonnell's transportation funding plan. McDonnell has proposed increasing Virginia’s sales tax and abolishing its nearly 27-year-old gas tax as part of his $3.1 billion plan to fund improvements to Virginia’s transportation system over the next five years. McDonnell's proposal is detailed in Tuesday's Patch article, McDonnell Plan Cuts Gas Tax, Raises Sales Tax. "This is a bold and comprehensive long-term solution to Virginia's transportation funding needs," Speaker Howell said in a statement. "This is not a patchwork solution. This plan allows us to make the critical investments in our infrastructure that will keep Virginia competitive in a global 21st century …
Thursday, December 20, 2012
The increase includes $736 million in new spending.
Gov. Bob McDonnell announced Monday a series of amendments to the Virginia State Budget that would increase net spending by more than $200 million. The amendments find $500 million in savings in the state’s two-year, $80 billion budget. But they propose an additional $736 million in new spending for teacher raises, funding to state colleges and increases in funding to local governments, along with transportation projects and teacher salary. “The budget amendments that I am presenting today reflect … the realities of this economy and the looming uncertainty that budget gridlock in Washington and the fiscal cliff are having on our economy,” McDonnell said in a statement. “Yet they look forward to building upon our legacy of conservative and…
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Alternative fuel fleet cars are coming to Virginia.
Gov. Bob McDonnell and Spotsylvania Sheriff Roger Harris participated in a joint press conference Tuesday, highlighting new agreements between Clean Energy Fuels Corp., Alliance Autogas and the Commonwealth of Virginia for alternative fuel fleet cars. There are currently 20 such vehicles in the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office fleet. Governor McDonnell signed a multi-state memorandum of understanding and an executive directive to convert Virginia's state vehicle fleet to alternative fuels. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, who is leading a coalition of 22 states to work with vehicle manufacturers to drive down costs of alternative fuel vehicles, joined Gov. McDonnell at the ceremonies. The agreement with Clean Energy Fuels Corp. enables the …
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
The governor signed bills requiring ignition interlocks for drivers on a restricted license.
Gov. Bob McDonnell signed two bills in Virginia Beach Tuesday that require ignition interlocks for people convicted with a DUI for the first time. McDonnell spoke about the bills with reporters Tuesday in Dale City Tuesday, where he attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for extended Express Lanes on I-95. McDonnell signed House Bill 279 and its companion Senate Bill 378, which requires "all individuals convicted of driving under the influence, including first-time offenders, to operate only vehicles equipped with an ignition interlock device when driving on a restricted license." "Ignition interlock devices will be installed and monitored at the expense of the offender," said a release from McDonnell's office. "Prior to this legislation, …
Stan Huie
1:54 pm on Thursday, January 10, 2013
Isn't getting folks to be more fuel efficient and use more public transportation a stated goal? Switching road costs to sales taxes will be regressive with respect to conserving fuel and lowering transportation costs. We can also have a multiple streams of revenue which would share costs appropriately with fuel costs bearing the lion's share of road building and maintenance costs. more ›