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Delegate Ken Plum spoke up for Virginia's unemployed workers at a recent press conference with fellow House Democrats. Looking on were Delegates Dave Englin, Steve Shannon, Bob Brink, and Mark Sickles, all of Northern Virginia.
May 27, 2009 |
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Commentary
Family Values
Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum
Fewer phrases tossed about in an election year have less clear meaning than that of "family values." Recently the Virginia Family Foundation issued its Report Card on state legislators "as a tool to help citizens more effectively educate members of the General Assembly on pro-family issues." Members of the House of Delegates and the State Senate were given a grade based on their votes on 20 different bills. A perfect grade of 100 was given to 42 of the 55 Republicans. No Democrat got a grade over 88. My grade of 13 was third lowest given. Does that make me anti-family?
In order to be considered pro-family by the Family Foundation's scorecard you would have to favor state permitting police chaplains to pray in Jesus' name, favor abortion centers providing information concerning the possibility that "unborn children" feel pain, favor limiting budget increases to population and inflation, favor a ban on embryonic stem research, and favor the elimination of funding for Planned Parenthood.
In order to get a good grade from the Family Foundation legislators needed to oppose a five cents increase of the state's gas tax, oppose adding sexual orientation to the Commonwealth's non-discrimination in hiring policy, and oppose expanding the domestic partner benefits law to include life insurance. I voted with a Family Foundation position only one time to add restrictions to payday lenders.
By other measures I received a perfect grade for my legislative work. The League of Conservation Voters named me a "Legislative Hero" with a perfect score of 100. I consistently vote for measures that will protect the air and water of Virginia's families. I support energy efficiency and conservation measures. I vote to protect the environment for future Virginia families.
The Virginia Education Association gave me a perfect grade of 100 for the 2009 legislative session. They liked my vote against the House budget that would have substantially reduced funding for the public schools our children will attend in the future. I led the debate that got the provision eliminated from the final budget that passed.
Regardless of what some of the report cards may say, I believe my voting record reflects the values shared by most of my constituents. The election season provides us another opportunity to debate those values. Your comments to kenplum@aol.com are welcome. |
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Many thanks to all who attended the Public Meeting that Senator Janet Howell and I hosted last week. We had an opportunity to talk with you about the legislative outcome of the 2009 General Assembly session and what will become law on July 1. We discussed a wide variety of issues we all care deeply about: the economy and jobs, the environment and energy efficiency, the state budget, education, transportation, and much more. |
| "Virginia Report"
Reston Comcast Channel 28
Tonight - Wednesday, May 27 at 10:30 p.m. -
Dr. Warren M. Levin - "Lyme Disease - the Dangers and Controversies" Tuesday, June 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, June 3 10:30 p.m. - Amanda Andere, Executive Director of FACETS (Fairfax Area christian Emergency & Transitional Services) - "Ending Homelessness in Our Community"
Online
Watch this week's show and other "Virginia Report" programs at:
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Climate Change Citizen Action
Gaiam, an online retailer specializing in organic and "green living" products, recommends five easy ways to save money, save the planet, and have fun doing it:
- Do the twist. Replace a conventional lightbulb with a compact fluorescent bulb. Your savings will be about $40 per lightbulb over the lifetime of the bulb. One 13-watt CFL lasts about 6,000 hours and replaces six 60-watt incandescent light bulbs. If every American swapped a single incandescent bulb with a CFL, it would collectively save $8 billion in energy costs, prevent burning 30 billion pounds of coal and remove 2 million cars' worth of greenhouse gas emissions from our environment!
- Let it shine. Dry clothes on an air-drying rack outside (if permitted by local covenants). Clothes dryers use close to 6% of residential electricity. Assuming a cost of about 35 to 40 cents per load in energy use, and an average of 365 loads a year, the savings of air drying half of all loads would be over $65. Air drying half of these loads would also save over 1,000 lbs. of CO2 emissions!
- Be a worm farmer. Make your own kitchen-scrap compost. Save $50 to $100 per year plus shrink landfills by up to 25%. Home savings are calculated assuming a 25% reduction in municipal waste removal plus savings on fertilizer and potting soils or top soil. Yard trimmings and food waste make up 24% of municipal garbage in the United States!
- Play hide and seek. Install shade-making insulated curtains. Save up to 25% on heating bills and 75% on air conditioning bills. Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling! You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbin dioxide a year with this simple adjustment. According to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, inefficient windows can add 10-25% to heating bills and up to 75% to summer air conditioning bills.
- Make a splash. Carry an aluminum water bottle and save $1 for every quart you drink a day by carrying your water in a reusable bottle. Bottled water costs more than gasoline, anywhere from $1 to $8 per gallon, averaging around $4 per gallon. Tap water generally costs Americans less than one cent per gallon. Americans throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour!
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Announcements
Autism Speaks, an organization devoted to helping improve the futures of people with autism spectrum disorders, has created an online School and Community Toolkit to help educators and others to be better equipped to help. It's downloadable and free. To access the Toolkit, visit www.autismspeaks.org/school.
A new website, www.Open.Virginia.gov, gives one-stop access to a number of key state data systems, including Virginia Performs, Commonwealth Datapoint, Virginia's Budget, and Simulus.Virginia.gov. The purpose of the new portal is to promote transparency in the operations and results of state government activities and expenditures.
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Calendar of Events
The Asian American History Project is hosting a Naturalization Ceremony this Friday, May 29, in honor of Asian American Heritage Month. It is the first Naturalization ceremony held at the Government Center, and it will take place in the Board Auditorium, 12000 Government Center Parkway, at 11:00 a.m.
Volunteers are needed for the Third Annual Reston Sprint Triathlon that will take place on Sunday, May 31, 11601 Lake Newport Road (Lake Newport Pool), Reston. Visit www.restonsprinttri.org for information.
Learn more about the proposed indoor recreation facility at two upcoming Community Meetings. Reston Association and Reston Community Center will hold a Joint Board Session Report from Brailsford & Dunlavey on Monday, June 1, 6:30 p.m. at the Hunters Woods Community Room. RCC's Annual Public Hearing for Programs and Budget will be held on Monday, June 15, 7:00 p.m. at the Hunters Woods Community Room. To request reasonable ADA accommodations for either of these meetings, call 703.476.4500 or 800.828.1120 (TTY).
The Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance 2009 Speakers Series will be held on June 3, 7:30 a.m. at the CIT Complex at 2214 Rock Hill Road, Herndon. Speaker will be Virginia Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer. Secretary Homer will report on "The Fiscal Health or Lack Thereof of the Commonwealth's Transportation Program." RSVP to 703.883.1830 or info@nvta.org.
Join the Positive Aging Coalition on Wednesday, June 3, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. at Mott Community Center, 12111 Braddock Road, Fairfax, for a free discussion on ways to age positively. Small groups will share their strategies for encore careers, civic engagement and volunteering, healthy aging, and social involvement. Registration is required. Call 703.534.1128 or email candy@candyspitz.com. Reasonable accommodations will be made upon request.
The Reston Community Orchestra presents "All About Youth" on Saturday, June 6, 4:00 p.m., at Hunters Woods Village Center. Featured are Dr. Michael McKee, Narrator; Jamey Turner, Glass Harmonica; and a youth soloist. Selections include Peter and the Wolf by Prokofiev, Haydn's Symphony No. 94 (the "Surprise"), and Overturn & Waltz from Hansel and Gretel by Humperdinck. The concert will also feature an "instrument petting zoo" and other educational elements that will be sure to delight children and youth.
Attend "Community Supports: Caregivers and Consumers," a conference for persons growing older with lifelong disabilities, on June 8, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Koger Center, 10800 Midlothian Turnpike, Richmond. For more conference information, or if you have special needs or wish to apply for a caregiver scholarship, call 804.828.1525 or email eansello@vcu.edu.
The NOVA Coalition, Restore the Vote, a group of over 30 non-partisan organizations dedicated to civic empowerment in Northern Virginia, will hold a forum on the restoration of voting rights in Virginia on Thursday, June 11, 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., at Shiloh Baptist Church, 1401 Duke Street, Alexandria. For more information or to rsvp, contact Krysta Jones at 703.969.9647 or restorethevote@novacoalition.org.
Help with the Reston Lake Cleanup on Saturday, June 13, 9:00 a.m. to noon. The annual lake cleanup provides a chance for residents who care about Reston's lakes to volunteer to pick up litter and other non-natural debris. Join fellow boaters and lake enthusiasts. A sponsor and site leader for each of the lakes is needed. Please contact Ha Brock, RA Volunteer Coordinator, at 703.435.7986 or email habrock@reston.org for information about volunteering or sponsoring.
The 19th annual Taste of the Town will be held at beautiful Reston Town Center's Market Street on June 12 and 13. Taste of the Town is Northern Virginia's largest outdoor food festival featuring delectable samplings from the region's favorite eateries, live music, beer and wine gardens, and fun games at Kids Korner.
The American Lung Association of DC's "Breathe DC Metro Walk 2009" will be held on Saturday, June 27, with check-in for the walk beginning at 8:30 a.m., and the walk itself starting at 10:00 a.m. The Walk will be 5K, or 3 miles, at the National Mall around the Tidal Basin area. The Walk is the premier fundraising event for ALADC and provides essential funds for the chapter's services to DC area residents. Call 1-800-LUNG-USA for more information.
Celebrate Reston's heritage and its 45th Birthday at the Reston Festival on Saturday and Sunday, July 11 and 12, at the Reston Town Center. To volunteer the days of the event, join the planning committee, be a sponsor, entertainer, food vendor or crafter call the Festival Information Line at 703.435.7989 or check out www.restonfestival.com.
Don't miss the 15th Annual Rucker Memorial Golf Tournament on July 13 at Hidden Creek Country Club. Proceeds go to Reston Interfaith to help end homelessness. For more information, contact Amy.McDowell@restoninterfaith.org. |
| Go Green |
 Go Green - consider the environment! Please print this newsletter only if necessary. | |
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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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