Before this year’s presidential election, pundits knew that the political dynamic in Virginia had changed.  But it wasn’t until the recent chain of events in the gubernatorial campaign that it became evident that the statewide races in the Commonwealth could be more contentious than usual.  And as Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, they also have the potential to shake up partisan bases in the coming months.

Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling says his decision to step aside and allow Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to be the lone Republican officeholder running for Governor is not the decision he wanted to make—but one that was needed.  Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports that as Bolling spoke to members of the media, he left a few unanswered questions about his political future.

In a few months, the General Assembly will once again consider the question of lifting a statewide uranium mining ban, this time with the help of a multi-agency panel which has been delving into the issues that must be addressed if mining is allowed.  And as Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, the speakers at the final public meeting of the Governor’s Work Group on Uranium Mining didn’t seem to change many minds.

A state Senator’s initiative to raise more revenue for transportation has picked up support from the Mayors and Chairs of Virginia’s Urban Crescent and many other local leaders.  The bill was also prompted by proposed new highway tolls and concerns that the Commonwealth may lose its economic competiveness if transportation funding deficits are not solved.  And as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, it’s a complex, multi-pronged approach that would raise more than 730 million dollars per year.

The buzz on Capitol Square is growing louder with discussions about whether the upcoming General Assembly session might be the one where significant new transportation funding legislation is approved.   One of the key participants in the discussion is Governor McDonnell, who has revealed that he’s working on his own transportation proposal.  As Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, many state officials are now saying time is running out to find a solution.

The Thanksgiving tradition of the Pamunkey and Mattaponi tribes paying tribute to Virginia’s governor is now in its 335th year.  Although it is the oldest government-to-government public ceremony in this nation’s history, some things are noticeably different, and some wonder whether or not this tradition will last for many more generations.  Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports from the State Capitol.

A legislative panel has been examining issues of concern to smaller companies in Virginia—with a goal of recommending policies that will help them expand and promote hiring.

One focus of the Small Business Commission has been on the small-, women-, and minority-owned firms that are awarded contracts to work for the state.  While the number of SWAM companies has grown, most are quite small—and the program may still need some fine-tuning.

Thanks to ambitious outreach efforts, nearly 21,000 small-, women-, and minority-owned businesses are now state-certified.  Department of Minority Business Enterprise Director Ida McPherson told the Commission that the number of companies owned by women and minorities that conduct business with the state has significantly increased.  However, companies defined as “small” businesses with up to 250 employees still win many contracts—although firms with 16 or fewer employees actually create more jobs.

“So when you’re trying to create new jobs, you’ve got to get the money where those businesses are—because if they take on a new project of a $100,000, they immediately go out and hire someone.  If you take a firm that is at 250 employees and they’re making $50 billion, if they bid on something—a $250,000 project—they don’t need to hire anybody else.  They just squeeze it within what they currently have.”

McPherson said one option may be to target more contracts toward the subset of companies with fewer employees.

-by Anne Marie Morgan

Virginia officials are proceeding with caution as they prepare to adjust the state budget for the upcoming General Assembly session.  That’s after the Governor’s Advisory Council on Revenue Estimates convened to discuss the condition of the Commonwealth’s economy for the near future.  And as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, the uncertainty about tax and spending issues in Washington is causing some pessimism about the state budget. 

A discussion about controlling the costs of healthcare can’t be concluded without considering the needs of the state’s prison population, especially geriatric inmates.  State lawmakers are examining how to balance those costs—because while the Department of Corrections budget has been reduced, medical costs continue to rise disproportionately.  Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil has more from the State Capitol.

A new Quinnipiac University Poll provides a little more insight on how Virginians feel about the state’s political makeup and who could be running it in the near future.   As Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, it all hinges on what U.S. Senator Mark Warner decides to do in the coming weeks-regardless of potential opponents.

Virginia’s incentive grants to assist businesses with locating, investing, or expanding in the Commonwealth do result in greater state revenues and more job creation. That’s the conclusion of a study by the General Assembly’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, which also found that some grant programs have a more positive impact than others.  And as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, given the fierce competition among states to attract business, lawmakers were more interested in how to fine-tune the grants than in eliminating them.

A coalition of Virginia advocacy organizations and labor unions is calling on U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Jim Webb to let the Bush-era tax cuts expire for those making more than $250,000.00.   The members sent a letter asking for action during the lame-duck session before the new Congress is sworn in and scheduled sequestration cuts take effect.  As Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Mare Morgan reports, the group believes the tax hikes would help prevent cuts to services that include Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security.

Virginia’s Statute for Religious Freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson, preceded the First Amendment of the Constitution.
And while the country and its leaders sometimes fight over the application of the First Amendment, Virginia leaders say they’re providing a way for citizens and noncitizens alike to embrace its true meaning—in the very spot where Jefferson’s statute passed.
Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports on the groundbreaking for the First Freedom Center in Richmond, which will be a monument to Jefferson’s work and a lot more.

Public opinion polls still show deadlocked electoral contests in most of the battleground states, and Virginia is no exception.  The polls have used different turnout assumptions, including whether Democrats and Republicans will vote in the same proportions as they did four years ago.  But as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, the trends suggest that election night could be a very long one for the candidates.