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Delegate Ken Plum spoke at a press conference with Governor Kaine to promote easier access to voting and a non-partisan redistricting process.
February 18, 2009 |
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Commentary
A Matter of Priorities
Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum
Everyone knew that this was going to be an ugly year for the state budget. State revenues are way down reflecting the economic recession. An already reduced budget needed to be cut even further. The House completed work on its version of the budget last week. The Senate decided to wait until this week to vote on its budget after it got the January revenue report and after the Congress acted on the stimulus package. What they learned in the interim is that January revenue was less than projected requiring further downward adjustments in spending. The federal stimulus package passed in Congress will bring less to the state than the amount of revenue lost due to the recession, and much of the stimulus money is ear-marked and cannot be used for the general operation of government.
The amount of cuts in the House budget was no surprise. The extent of the revenue shortfall has been known for months, and many of the reductions in the budget had been proposed by Governor Kaine in December. Surprising and disappointing to me was the degree to which the budget has become a vehicle for some of the ideologues in the House to press their social agenda. Language to restrict abortions and stem cell research could be found in at least three different places in the budget. A program to institute vouchers for private schools was also included as was language to provide sectarian religious services in correctional institutions.
Funding was dropped for drug courts although the programs have demonstrated that they are effective in reducing recidivism. A plan proposed by the Governor to reduce prison costs and the need for additional prisons by freeing nonviolent offers as much as three months early was rejected. Funding for public schools was handled in such a way that I believe will jeopardize future funding and the existence of programs like pre-school and alternative education.
A proposal by the Governor to double the tax on cigarettes that would have brought the Virginia tax to about half the national average was rejected even though it would have produced almost enough revenue to pay for the estimated share of Medicaid costs from the illnesses brought on by smoking. The revenue lost by not accepting the Governor's plan was covered by taking money from the Water Quality Improvement Program that goes to clean up the Chesapeake Bay. The Water Quality money was taken even though it was documented in debate by me and others that the money had already been committed to projects to clean up the Bay.
I voted against the House budget. Not because it reduced spending. We had to make cuts to meet our Constitutional obligation to balance the budget. I just think that in the process we made some really bad priority choices. |
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Climate Change Citizen Action
Nikereuseashoe.com is a program that turns used athletic footwear (no cleats) into a material called Nike Grind used to surface playgrounds, running tracks and outdoor courts. Or send your still-wearable athletic shoes to www.shoe4africa.org, which forwards them to athletes in developing countries.
In a detailed, 391-page report called "TRANSITION TO GREEN: Leading the way to a healthy environment, a green economy and a sustainable future," 30 leading national environmental organizations outline a policy "roadmap" for the Obama Administration. A copy of the report can be downloaded at the Natural Resources Defense Council's website, http://docs.nrdc.org/legislation/files/leg_08112401a.pdf. |
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Announcements
Governor Timothy M. Kaine has launched Stimulus.Virginia.Gov, a unique web portal to gather project ideas for potential funding from the federal stimulus package. Stimulus.Virginia.Gov will allow localities and citizens to contribute to the decision-making process for the distribution of any federal funds that Virginia receives. The Commonwealth will be accepting proposals submitted through the web site beginning immediately with an end date to be determined and announced when conditions and stipulations of the final economic stimulus package are known.
The White House Page Program is for students who are 16 years old with a 3.0 GPA or better who are interested in serving in the Obama Administration as a page. Visit http://pageprogram.house.gov.
The White House Internship Program provides an opportunity to experience day-to-day life at the White House while working on a variety of tasks and projects. In addition to normal office duties, interns attend weekly lectures, volunteer at special events, participate in tours, and contribute to a community service project in the Washington, D.C. area. White House Internships are unpaid positions and participants are responsible for arranging their own transportation and housing. Approximately 100 interns are chosen each spring, summer, and fall to participate in this highly competitive program. Visit www.whitehouse.gov/about/internships.
The design-build contractor for the extension of Metrorail in the Dulles Corridor is Dulles Transit Partners. For information on contracting and employment, please visit www.dullestransitpartners.com and follow the links in the boxes on the right.
Need child care? Virginia Child Care Resource & Referral Network (VACCRRN) finds the child care that fits your child. Call 1-866-KIDS-TLC or visit www.vaccrrn.org. |
Calendar of Events
Come to a Town Hall Event TONIGHT, February 18, to learn how clean energy can repower our community. Join Congressman Gerry Connolly tonight, 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., at the city of Fairfax Regional Library, 10360 North Street, Fairfax.
Attend an Open Forum Public Hearing on Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway/John Mosby Highway (Route 50) hosted by the Virginia Department of Transportation on Thursday, February 26 (inclement weather date is Thursday, March 5), 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Learn about the proposed widening of Route 50 from four lanes divided to six lanes divided to increase capacity along the roadway. The proposed improvements are located on Route 50 (Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway) between Route 742 (Poland Road) and Route 28 (Sully Road). the 3.6-mile widening would also include improvements at cross streets and stream crossings.
We Are America Now is a breakfast event hosted by Northern Virginia Family Service that celebrates the immeasurable contributions of immigrants to the Washington Metropolitan region. Attend this celebratory event on Friday, February 27, 7:30 a.m., at the Fairview Park Marriott in Falls Church. For more information visit www.nvfs.org.
Attend the Washington Metro Green Job Fair on February 27, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Westin Arlington Gateway, 801 North Glebe Road, Arlington (near the Ballston Metro Station). Companies can register to sponsor or participate at www.vsbn.org.
Great Energy Efficiency Day 2009 - Keys to Unlocking Energy Efficiency - will be held on Wednesday, March 4, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room G-50, Washington, D.C.. For more information visit www.ase.org/geed.
Take your recyclable electronics to the I-66 Transfer Station, 4618 West Ox Road, Fairfax, on Sunday, March 8, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free "Electric Sunday" recycling event is hosted by the Fairfax County Solid Waste Management Program and is limited to the collection of televisions, computers, and peripheral electronic devices including keyboards, speakers, printers, external drives, and other such materials.
Attend "How to Win an Election," a 2-day strategy seminar open to candidates, their spouses, and campaign managers March 17-18, 2009, 9:00 a.m., 12580 West Creek Parkway, Richmond, VA. The seminar is sponsored by the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Co-Ops and the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. A fee is required. Call 804.290.1021 or 804.968.4091 to learn more.
On March 28, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m., millions of people around the globe will be turning off the lights for one hour - Earth Hour - to make a bold statement about climate change.
The 20th Annual Environment Virginia Symposium, "Sustainability - The Nexus of Economic Prosperity & Environmental Stewardship," will be held March 31-April 2, 2009, at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA. For more information visit www.environmentva.org.
Attend the Green Expo on Thursday, April 16, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry Street SE (between Park and Center Streets). The Green Expo will present practical information and demonstrations to help you make green choices. Presentations and discussions for children and adults from local organizations and businesses including efficiency tips, purchasing local organic products, creating green gardens, recycling options, and much more to save you money and help the environment. No advance registration is necessary.
The Virginia Guardianship & Elder Rights Conference will be held April 27-28 in Richmond. The Conference will focus on activities of special interest to individuals with disabilities and their family members, caregivers, service providers, advocates, and decision-makers. Limited scholarships are available for individuals with disabilities to attend. For more information visit www.vgavirginia.org/conferences.asp.
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| Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia E-News.
Authorized by Kenneth R. Plum. Paid for by Friends of Delegate Ken Plum. |
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