McDonnell Keeps Rest Stop Promise

Here is an article I wrote about McDonnell's plan to reopen the rest stops that were closed last year.

Article

Gov. McDonnell vows to veto tax hike

Here is an article I wrote for Capital News Service about Governor McDonnell's State of the Commonwealth address. It was published on RichmondBizSense.com

Article

Higher Education Advocacy Day

Published in the Virginia Gazette

University Professors Get Lobbying Lesson

By Laura Peters
Capital News Service

RICHMOND – Faculty members from colleges and universities across Virginia converged Thursday on the Capitol to urge legislators to support higher education.

During Higher Education Advocacy Day, hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University, about a dozen of professors visited with lawmakers and urged them to protect higher ed from more state budget cuts.

“A large issue for us is funding in the state,” said Ernie Ackermann, a computer science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg. “Over the past few years, the state funding for higher education has decrease, I think, 24 percent.”

Ackermann said Virginia ranks poorly among the states in higher education funding.

“In the Southern region, we’re dead last,” he said. “We want to see if we can stop that trend.”
The day’s events began with a meeting that included officials from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, which oversees public colleges and universities.

For VCU, key points in legislation this session include funding, financial aid, compensation for faculty and staff. According to the VCU’s Office of Government Relations, SCHEV adopted a resolution marking student financial aid as a top priority for the 2010-2012 budget and are trying to get an increase of $19.9 million for the 2011 year.

Also, according to the website, nearly 70 percent of VCU students use financial assistance in some way.

Brian Turner, a member of the American Association of University Professors, helped prepare the faculty members to meet one-on-one with legislators.

“It is important for the members of the General Assembly to know who we are,” said Turner, a political science professor at Randolph Macon College. “We are not just part of SCHEV; we are individuals.”

Kirsten Nelson, the communication and government relations director for SCHEV, said visiting each legislator’s office is like going trick-or-treating.

“Talk about your successful students,” Nelson said. “Talk about how you’re contributing to Virginia.”

Raymond Jirran has been retired for 12 years from Thomas Nelson Community College has been attending the Higher Education Advocacy Day for eight years. His primary focus this legislative session is the budget.

“They won’t be able to pay our retirement, so that’s my alarm,” Jirran said.

Jirran said he planned to speak with Sens. R. Edward Houck of Spotsylvania and John Miller of Newport News and Delegate Watkins Abbitt of Appomattox. Jirran also shares a close relationship with Delegate Tom Gear of Hampton.

“My closest relationship is to Delegate Gear. He’s part of my Lion’s Club; his chief of staff is a former student of mine,” Jirran said.

Jirran said it’s important that faculty members understand what is happening at the Capitol.

“The real thing that’s happening here,” he said, “is the faculty themselves is grasping what’s going on.”

Dan LaVista, the Executive Director of SCHEV, said the overall budget for education is $85 million for the year. Within that, only $4 million goes to scholarships and financial aid, according to LaVista. The day before Higher Education Advocacy Day, the General Assembly convened for a two-month session to write a state budget. Lawmakers must find $4 billion to balance the budget.

Selected General Assembly Pre-filed Bills Discussed at Meeting

Faculty Related

HB 32: Possession of concealed handguns by faculty members at state institutions of higher education-Allows full-time faculty members of state institutions of higher education who possess a valid Virginia concealed handgun permit to carry a concealed handgun on campus.

Student-Related

HB 146: Child support-Provides that child support may be ordered for a child attending an institution of higher learning until the child obtains an undergraduate degree or reaches the age of 23.

Capital Projects

HB 41, SB 15: Bonds-Authorizes the Treasury Board to issue bonds in an amount up to $206,870,000 plus financing costs to finance revenue-producing capital projects at institutions of higher education.

Sustainability

SB 109: Green Public Buildings Act-Requires executive branch agencies and institutions entering the design phase for construction of a new building with certain requirements to conform to the LEED Silver or Green Globes two globe standard.

Revenue-related

SB 166: Community College Scholarship Match Program-Establishes the Community College Scholarship Match Program to provide matching funds to community college foundations and the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education.

Bob McDonnell Inauguration

Audio Version

This week on Richmond Independent Radio News, Virginia Officially Turns Red with McDonnell.

Saturday marked the inauguration of the 71^st Virginia Governor, Bob McDonnell. With performances by the Colonial Williamsburg Fife and Drum Corps, the 29^th Division Band, and the Hampton University Choir, the inauguration kicked off at noon Saturday. McDonnell’s speech was filled with inspiration, history, and what is still left to overcome in the great state of Virginia.

Governor Tim Kaine, a Democrat, relinquished his title as governor before the Governor-elect Bob McDonnell, along with Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli, and Lieutenant Governor-elect Bill Bolling all took the Oath of Office. Now, all three statewide elected officials are Republican.

The ceremony included the National Anthem sung by McDonnell’s daughter Jeanine, a performance of America the Beautiful by Millie Harris, and the 29^th Division Band. After the swearing in ceremonies, the Virginia Army National Guard did a 19 gun salute, followed by a fighter jet fly over the Capitol.

With his wife by his side, clutching her hand tightly,McDonnell focused his inauguration theme, “A Commonwealth of Opportunity”.

“As Virginians, we believe that government must help foster a society in which all our people can use their God-given talents in liberty to pursue the American Dream. Our Administration will be dedicated to building "A Commonwealth of Opportunity" for all Virginians.”

McDonnell’s address focused on improving the economy, creating jobs and making Virginia the energy capital of the East Coast.

“We will make Virginia the "Energy Capital of the East Coast." By growing the natural gas and coal industries, expanding the use of nuclear power, and promoting new energy technologies like wind, solar and biomass. And we will champion environmentally-safe offshore energy exploration and production, bringing with it thousands of new jobs, hundreds of millions in new state revenue and billions in new investment.”

Scott Clemens of Stafford, who works for the United States Department of Energy, came to the inauguration to see his daughter march in the parade. Clemens said he especially connected with McDonnell’s words about energy.

“Being with the department I was really impressed with his look towards energy confidence of the future,” said Clemens. “Potential expanding our nuclear power generation and especially our coal and coal mining of the state.”

Many people who attended of the inauguration felt they were experiencing a piece of history. Celeste Inglehart of Northern Virginia found the event inspiring.

“The people…how well they responded,” said Inglehart. “The whole build up of the new governor, it was so special, it was so wonderful.”

Carly Tate of Mechanicsville, who is only 13 came out to the inauguration to be a part of history.

“It’s like making history, so I’d like to be there for it,” said Tate.

For the future of Virginia, like Tate, McDonnell’s discussion of education in Saturday’s speech might end up directly affecting them. He focused on funding and making room for more money in the classroom.

“And let us recognize that a high school degree is no longer the finish line in a global economy. We must create affordable new pathways to earning a college degree and make a commitment to confer 100,000 additional degrees over the next 15 years.”

McDonnell’s inaugural address was followed by a parade of 47 different organizations. They ranged from Girl Scouts to the Virginia Military Institutes Cadets (nat sounds parade), along with re-enactors of George Washington, Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson.

Marching bands marched from all of the state from different high schools and universities, making it a grand affair.

As the parade ended, people gathered around the podium where McDonnell stood to shake hands and answer questions, leaving a sense of hope for Virginians.

“It was George Washington who noted, in his first Inaugural Address, "The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected to remain on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained." It is right to help one another. It is right to work together to get results and solve problems. It is right to provide opportunities for all.”

-Laura Peters

Legislative Agenda Presented by Area Officials

Audio Version

Legislative Agenda Presented by Area Officials

By Laura Peters

Capital News Service

Focusing on growth, transportation, and public safety mixed with greetings of old friends, salutations, and acknowledgements marked the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission Legislative Meeting. The meeting took place on Wednesday, January 6^th breakfast provided, with the invitation extended to 22 Senators and Delegates, the office of the Governor-elect Bob McDonnell, county supervisors from seven counties, city council and mayor of Richmond and Ashland and the greater Richmond Chamber business leaders.

The agenda included the discussion of high speed rail, environment, growth, public safety and governing locally along with the future of the Virginia General Assembly in 2010.

Delegate Jennifer McClellan thinks that the big issue that will go through the assembly this year is the budget.

“The big issue is closing the gap of the budget,” said McClellan. “Citizens of Virginia have come to expect a certain service for the state with the current economy, but we need to find a way to do it."

The Richmond Regional Planning District Commission is made up of 33 members who represent the Virginians in the City of Richmond and its surrounding areas. The commission meets monthly to discuss and deliberate regional issues.

Looking over the new agenda for the 2010 Virginia General Assembly the biggest issue that came about was the introduction of the high speed rail. Dan Trout of New Kent talked about an $8 billion federal fund that Virginia has applied for that help with funding the high speed rail.

“Right now the only high speed rail line is the Northeast Corridor which goes from Washington to Boston, the next step is to go from Washington to Richmond,” said Trout. “That will make Richmond a transportation hub, and help business in this area and tourism.”

“We’ve applied for the federal funding and I think the bulk of that will come from that,” said McClellan. “There is a state fund that provides matching funds for private sources and if we can have the federal funds qualify for the matching that will help as well. That’s an existing fund, so there wouldn’t be any new taxes for that.”

Supervisor Joe Walton of Powhatan, thinks that filling vacancies in local government and funding mandates are of big priority for the 2010 agenda. Since last year Powhatan lost a supervisor and the process of obtaining another was difficult.

“We would like to see the general assembly provide some sort of alternative means to have a special election or election for that vacated spot,” said Walton.

John Gordon, the Co-Chair of the Capital Region Collaborative, works directly with the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission. With the collaboration he thinks that this will improve the quality of life for the citizen of Richmond and the surrounding areas.

“We strive with age, government, the business community with a process of identifying, prioritizing, and implementing actions that will enhance the quality of life in the Richmond region,” said Gordon. “I get excited when I start to talk about the collaborative because I believe that this generation that is in this room’s opportunity to make a difference in the Richmond region and move it forward aggressively toward a great future.”

Other things on the agenda for the 2010 session according to Delegate McClellan include domestic violence bills, health care bill, and the city charter. Overall, the legislative meeting created a bond between the returning delegates, senators and other city officials and laid out the agenda for the upcoming session in 2010, over eggs and coffee.