A Legislator's Work is Never Done
Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum
 
         In last week's column I was celebrating the signs of spring in Richmond and the adjournment of the annual legislative session.  Jane was happy that I got home in time to dig us out of the first big snowfall of the year; usually I have been in Richmond when it snows.  The combination of the early adjournment of the legislature compared with most years and the lateness of the snowfall gave me the much-needed exercise of cleaning the walkway and digging out the cars.  Hopefully March will go out like a lamb so I can get to work restoring some lawn that suffered badly in the heat of late summer.
 
        That will be my avocational work and interest.  Otherwise I will continue my work as a legislator.  The pay is for part-time service, but the demands of the position require more than full-time effort.  The session in Richmond in the winter months is the high visibility part of the job, but my work back home is some of the most satisfying of my office.  I pride myself on the constituent services of my office and my legislative assistant.  Getting an answer from the state bureaucracy can be difficult for most citizens, but with the relationships my office has developed with agency representatives we can often get a response in a matter of days.  That is not be say that every problem can be resolved to the satisfaction of constituents, but everyone seems to appreciate finding out where they stand or what they need to do.
 
        There is official work to be done during the interim.  Study committees meet and consider problems and solutions that might become bills to be introduced in the next legislative session.  I serve on the Joint Commission on Technology and Science and am the senior Democrat on the panel having introduced legislation that established it.  I continue to serve on the Commission on Electric Utility Restructuring although this commission is less active now that the electric utilities have been re-regulated.  I may be appointed to other study committees by the Speaker of the House of Delegates.  As a legislator I also serve on the boards of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and the AmericanFrontierCultureMuseum.  My professional development activity for this year will be attendance at the National Conference of State Legislatures in Philadelphia in July.  This meeting is invaluable in learning how other states deal with issues and problems.
 
        With 2009 being an election year for all 100 members of the House of Delegates I have to pay attention to my own re-election and plan an appropriate campaign.  As chair of the Minority Caucus in the House of Delegates I am also involved in recruiting candidates and assisting their campaigns throughout the Commonwealth.  A shift of six seats would put Democrats in power and could increase my influence considerably.
 
        My work as a legislator is never done.  That is what makes the job exciting and fulfilling.  Please let me know if I can ever be of assistance to you:  kenplum@aol.com.