Many Virginians agree that the state must find a way to provide a consistent funding source for transportation—although several polls suggest that placing tolls on the Commonwealth’s most traveled road is NOT the preferred way to go about it.  But a grassroots organization believes the Virginia Department of Transportation has ignored those surveys … and has formed a new coalition to fight the tolls.

Jay Smith with “Keep 95 Toll Free in Virginia” points to a AAA Mid-Atlantic study where only 14% approved of placing a $2- to $12  toll on I-95 to fund transportation projects.  And he says most people oppose it for several reasons.

“First it causes major diversion and congestion onto smaller secondary roads that aren’t as well suited to handle the traffic that would come as cars try to avoid paying the toll,” says Smith.

He also says that in the tolls’ first six years, 38%  of the revenue will pay for and operate the facility, which Smith thinks is a waste of money.  He adds that it makes the state less competitive economically:

“Why would a company or a business who manufactures goods and needs to ship their goods come locate in an area that is saddled with a huge toll on a major interstate?”

Smith says soon VDOT will submit its proposal to federal officials, THEN hold public comment, which is backwards.  He adds that most people don’t know VDOT’s plans, so the group’s website has Facebook and Twitter links and will allow people to submit opinions that will be forwarded to VDOT.

Those who wish to submit an opinion can go to the website, virginiatollfree95.com

–Tommie McNeil

Virginia election officials say voter registration forms that were distributed by a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., have resulted in citizen complaints across the Commonwealth.  They add that the forms may contain clerical errors and have been distributed to some individuals who are not eligible to vote.  And as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, they also have asked the organization to immediately revise its methods.

The Virginia Department of Transportation HAD proposed an additional one-dollar monthly fee on “EZ-Pass” transponders that allow motorists to keep moving and avoid long lines at toll facilities.  But under its revised plan, new customers will pay when they open an account, and existing users will pay a monthly 50-cent fee when they buy a new transponder.  But as Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, a state delegate who says people don’t like to be “nickel and dimed” is proposing a way to prevent VDOT from EVER charging an extra monthly fee on an automated pay program on state roads.

With nearly 163,000 students with disabilities in Virginia’s public education system, a state legislative work group is tackling  how services can be improved and be made more efficient in the midst of budget constraints.  But as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, special education needs are changing even as the funding outlook grows more dire.

Virginians would have stronger property rights under a proposed state constitutional amendment and related measures that were signed by Governor McDonnell.  The bills set the date for a referendum for voters to accept or reject the amendment—and also clarify some legal definitions.  Supporters are hoping that a large majority of voters will get on board in November.

If voters approve, the guarantee would be inserted into Virginia’s Bill of Rights and would permit eminent domain only when the property taken or damaged is for a true public use—and not for private benefit or enhancing tax revenue.

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said it also defines what will be “just” compensation to property-owners.  “The cost of the taking has to be borne by the public.  If we’re going to take your property for the benefit of the community, the community needs to bear that cost—not just you because you happen to live in the wrong place at the wrong time or your business was located there, or what have you.  Fair and full compensation has to be made when property is taken or damaged.  And that includes the loss of business profits and the loss of access when the takings occur.”

Opponents say that will cost governments more—but supporters counter that it’s fairer to the landowners.  The State Capitol ceremony was packed with advocates, including the Virginia Farm Bureau, which just rolled out a campaign to win voter approval.

–Anne Marie Morgan  

Each year lawmakers work to devise ways to strengthen the state’s Standards of Learning in order to make Virginia students more globally competitive.  Because computer and electronic use are usually common in a child’s everyday life, lawmakers crafted legislation to incorporate digital media into the SOL curriculum—although some educational resources are not yet readily accessible.  But as Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, a state board is now looking at ways to incentivize both businesses and teachers to expand lesson plans beyond the textbook.  

A state environmental advocacy organization has unveiled a new report to make the public more aware of the growing availability of electric vehicles and their pollution-curtailing benefits.  ‘Environment Virginia’ says major auto manufacturers are now supportive, and the infrastructure to charge electric cars has been expanding.  And, as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, the group believes policymakers could also make a difference. 

With more than 2.1 million accounts, Virginia has the nation’s largest 529 College Savings Plan …which includes both prepaid and other investment options. The programs are named after the Internal Revenue code section that establishes tax advantages for participating.  But as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, in spite of those incentives, the prepaid program applications have declined as the costs of contracts skyrocket.

Governor McDonnell dubbed 2012 as “The Year of the Entrepreneur” and in doing so, pushed for legislation to help small businesses expand and compete and to enable other economic development initiatives.  Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports that many of those bills received bipartisan support, gained passage, and became new state laws this week.

This week the U-S House will vote once again to repeal the president’s signature health care law.

Republicans are doubling down on their efforts to repeal the health care law. Virginia Republican Randy Forbes says repeal has always been a priority for his party but that they’ve gained new energy now that the Supreme Court has ruled on the law.  “Our efforts have never been slack. It’s a multi faceted attack to do it,” said Forbes.

The G-O-P is holding yet another vote to repeal the law this week. At the same time they’re working to defund and dismantle the law piece by piece. With the Senate controlled by Democrats the efforts of House Republicans are bound to fail but they do score points with the party’s base. That’s why Virginia Republican Morgan Griffith says the most important thing the G-O-P can do to eventually unwind the law is to mobilize their base in November.  “I’m disappointed the Supreme Court didn’t straighten it out, but Congress made this mess – Congress can fix it. But we need a few more senators who understand that a government run health care plan is not what the American people want or need,” said Griffith.

Now that the law has been ruled constitutional Virginia Democrat Jim Moran says the G-O-P strategy is bound for failure.
“They want to continue politicizing this and I think they do so at their peril. The more Americans understand what’s in this bill and how it will affect them the more they realize this was clearly in the best interest. And I think in the long term the president is going to be benefited by the Republicans labeling it ‘Obamacare.’”

–Matt Laslo

The topic of voter IDs took center stage this past General Assembly session.  And despite the lack of popularity among several organizations, Governor McDonnell moved forward with signing the bills, which are some of the new state laws that just took effect this week.  While the Governor did not like some of the provisions, he also issued an executive order as a compromise.

The bills that became law establish that a voter who doesn’t show an ID can no longer just sign a sworn statement that he’s the named registered voter. Opponents argued that it’s an effort to disenfranchise voters—especially minorities—and that there’s been no need to strengthen the law. But Senator Tom Garrett countered that while he was Louisa’s Commonwealth’s Attorney, there were at least two instances of voter fraud by two groups:

“In one of those instances, a group called ‘Women’s Voices-Women’s Votes’ which is part of the Tides Center has solicited the registration, and when the person who illegally registered queried as to whether or not this was a problem they said don’t worry about it, nobody will check and even if they do, nobody will do anything about it. So, you know there are loopholes in the system that some groups, it would appear, are actively seeking to exploit. All we want to do is close the barn door before the horses get out,” said Garrett.

Acceptable forms of ID will include utility bills, student and employer IDs, and bank statements.  The Governor issued an executive order for the state to send new voter ID cards to all Virginians who are registered—and to launch an awareness campaign about the new voting process and the need for proper IDs.

–Tommie McNeil

While some people– particularly those celebrating having electricity–  will spend the July 4th holiday relaxing with friends and family Virginia’s politicians are using it for a little good old fashioned politicking. Matt Laslo reports.

New state laws to enhance access to a number of health care services in the Commonwealth just took effect this week.  As Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, some will also make care more affordable while others could help improve patient outcomes.

Virginia motorists need to be aware of the new state laws that will impact them that just took effect this week. Tens of thousands of drivers each year unintentionally let their vehicle registrations expire or lose their licenses, but as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, that will result in additional costs from now on. 

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to upheld most of the federal healthcare law, a number of business owners are discussing how the measure would hurt them and their employees as a result.  Lawmakers who support the mandate say that businesses could greatly benefit through subsidies.  But some entrepreneurs say they have yet to be informed of what they are and how to take advantage of them.

White House Catering owner David Napier says he would love to expand, but the number of his full-time staffers hovers at under 50—where he knows the law will mandate that he provide health insurance.  He says salaries are his greatest expense, but health costs would overtake that.  He has inquired, but says information is not readily available to small business-owners to learn how to stay afloat while helping his staff as he would like to.

“I don’t know if I’m better off giving them a raise and telling them to go to Obamacare or do I do it. I mean I just don’t know. The uncertainty is what’s killing everybody and what’s killing my ability to make decisions and the bigger businesses here in downtown Richmond–is their ability to make decisions. So it’s one of those things that I feel responsible–maybe some business owners don’t–but I feel responsible to my employees in a holistic way. I mean I want their lives to be good. I want them to be there 10 years from now,” said Napier.

Napier says if subsidies exist and are less than the cost of hiring more people, then he’ll lose money.  He doesn’t believe small business-owners had input into the law and would rather repeal it than tweak what he thinks was muddled from the start.

–Tommie McNeil