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Delegate Ken Plum's
Virginia
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Delegate Ken Plum spoke at the Reston Association Annual Meeting as RA President Kathleen Driscoll McKee looked on. |
Photo by Mike McKee |
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Commentary
A Frugal, Well Run Government
Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum
A slick postcard mailed by the Republican Party of Virginia arrived in the mailboxes of many voters in my district last week just as many people were completing their tax forms. In the standard Republican charge against Democrats, the card text read that I wanted "to take even more" of my constituents' tax money. The card is one of a series with an earlier card suggesting that I had served too long. Against that background I am continuing my column series that periodically compares Virginia with other states in various categories and specifically in taxes during the time I have been in office.
Once again I will draw heavily upon the work of the widely acclaimed, non-partisan Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) publication, "Virginia Compared to the Other States," 2011 edition, available at http://jlarc.virginia.gov. The amount of revenue received by Virginia government comes from taxes (51%), charges and miscellaneous sources such as college tuition, state hospital charges, and interest earnings (29%), and the federal government (19%). According to the JLARC publication taking data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Virginia state and local revenue as a percentage of personal income is 46h lowest among the states. The 50-state average is 22.9 percent; Virginia is at 17.0 percent. Only Connecticut at 16.9, New Hampshire at 16.8, South Dakota at 16.7, and Maryland at 16.7 percent are lower than Virginia. Virginia has ranked in the bottom five states in state and local revenue as a percentage of personal income since 2004.
Virginia's per capita state revenue at $4,648 is 37th lowest among the states for FY 2008, the most recent year for which comparative data are available. The national average is $5,939. Per capita state revenue in Virginia decreased by almost $1,500 in 2008 compared to 2007. During that period of time the state's rank went from 32nd to 37th lowest. Per capita state taxes at $2,361 is 31st lowest among the states and decreased from 2007 to 2008.
Virginia's motor fuel excise tax per gallon at 17.5 cents is 37th lowest among the states. The last time the gas tax was changed was in 1986. The 50-state average for state gasoline taxes is 20.9 cents. The federal gas tax collected in all states is 18.4 cents per gallon. As anyone can detect from riding on Virginia roads, our per capita road expenditures is $633, 42nd lowest among the states, while our state-maintained highway system of 58,000 miles is the third highest in the nation.
The details on Virginia's taxes demonstrate why the state is considered the best managed in the Nation. While this information will not fit on a slick postcard, it is essential to an understanding of our state and its government of which I am pleased to be a part.
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"Virginia Report" on Reston Comcast Channel 28
Tonight - Wednesday, April 20 at 10:30 p.m. - Catherine Meloy, President CEO of Goodwill of Greater Washington - "Training and Work Opportunities trough Goodwill"
Tuesday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, April 27 at 10:30 p.m. - Northern Virginia Clergy Council for the Prevention of HIV and AIDS - "Reaching Out About HIV and AIDS"
View "Virginia Report" online via video streaming using the following link: www.rctv28.com/shows/studio/community/virginiareport.html
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Plum and Howell Talk About Redistricting
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Photo by Catherine S. Read
Delegate Ken Plum and Senator Janet Howell spoke about Virginia's redistricting plans at a local community group's meeting on Monday morning. The General Assembly is back in special session for a day this week following the Governor's veto last Friday of the General Assembly's redistricting bill. |
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Announcements
Networking for the Environment
Join the Facebook page Fairfax County Environment for interesting announcements and events.
Non-Profit Seeks Volunteer Caregiver Award Nominations
LifeCircle Alliances, a non-profit charitable organization, announces their "Kudos for Community Caregivers" awards program, an annual awards program that recognizes outstanding volunteer caregivers in Fairfax County and the cities of Falls Church and Fairfax. Nominations submitted may be for an individual, a family, a faith community, an organization, or a corporation in the area. Nominees must be actively providing care to older adult(s) 18+ with developmental, intellectual, or physical disabilities. Any individual, faith community, corporation or organization in the greater Fairfax County area may submit a nomination; only one nomination per year may be submitted. Deadline for submission of award nominations is 5:00 p.m. June 30, 2011, to LifeCircle Alliances, 4031 University Drive, Suite 200, Fairfax, VA 22030. Nominees must provide volunteer care giving within Fairfax County or the cities of Falls Church or Fairfax City. For the nomination application form, visit www.lifecirclealliances.org. For more informaiton, contact Christine Hyland at LifeCircle Alliances office at 571.321.2018 or chyland@lifecirclealliances.org. Awards will be presented at the second annual LifeCircle Alliances' "Kudos for Community Caregivers" awards breakfast slated for September 26 at The Mason Inn on the campus of George Mason University. Scheduled Keynote Spoeaker will be best-selling author, journalist, and lecturer, Gail Sheehy.
Reading for Darfur and Granting a Wish for a Generation
Reston resident Lorraine Kleinwaks and her son, Logan Kleinwaks, founded Book Wish Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, in 2007 to bring books -- literacy and education -- to hundreds of thousands of Darfur refugees in Chad. They have now conceived an exciting book to raise funds to build libraries in the refugee camps. The book, What You Wish For: A Book for Darfur, is a collection of short stories and poems about wishes for young adults by stellar authors such as Nikki Giovanni (Rosa L. Parks Woman of Courage Award), Alexander McCall Smith (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, best-sellers made into a cable television series), Meg Cabot (The Princess Diaries series, best-sellers made into major motion pictures), R.L. Stine (Goosebumps, 350+ million sold), Ann M. Martin (The Baby-sitters Club, 175+ million sold), Jane Yolen (Caldecott Medal, Nebula Award), Gary Soto (Hispanic Heritage Foundation Literature Award), Cynthia Voigt (Newbery Medal-winning Dicey's Song), Karen Hesse (Newbery Medal-winning Out of the Dust), Naomi Shihab Nye (Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, Arab American Book Award), and others. Mia Farrow, actress/activist/UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, has written a moving Foreword. The book will be published in September, and one hundred percent of the proceeds of the book will be donated to the UN Refugee Agency to fund libraries for the 250,000 Darfuris living in refugee camps.
The publisher of What You Wish For: A Book for Darfur, Penguin/GP Putnam's Sons, is providing an opportunity to publish the names of 1,000 Darfur supporters in the book. Be one of the first 1,000 to donate $20 to this remarkable cause at www.bookwish.org, and your name -- or your child's name if you prefer -- will be printed in the book. If concerned about privacy but still wanting to support this admirable undertaking, print just the last initial instead of the last name. All names and donations must be received by April 30 to be included in the book. With 1,000 supporters, Book Wish Foundation will have enough funds to give to UNHCR for the first refugee camp library!
Book Wish Foundation is 100% volunteer run. Visit www.bookwish.org to find out more about the organization, the book, and how you can be a part of this ambitious project. |
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Calendar of Events
Due to last weekend's weather forecast, Reston Community Center's annual Eggnormous Egg Hunt has been rescheduled to this Saturday, April 23. All details are the same -- Brown's Chapel Park from 10:00 -11:30 a.m. There will still be carnival games and many fun features. The actual egg hunt starts at 10:30 a.m. sharp, so don't be late!
Kids' Trout-Fishing Day is this Saturday, April 23, 8:00 a.m. to Noon, at Snakeden Branch stream between Soapstone Drive and Lake Audubon (parking at Glade Pool, 11550 Glade Drive) for children ages 2-12. Snakeden Branch will be stocked with hundreds of trout. All necessary equipment will be provided to make the day a success, and Trout Unlimited members will help clean and store the fish your child catches. Volunteers will teach how to bait, cast, hook, and cook your trout. Wear shoes you can get wet and muddy -- no sandals. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Teens and adults ages 16 and up helping must have a Virginia State Fishing License, available online at www.dgif.state.va.gov. Adults are not permitted to fish during kids' fishing time. Reston's Kids' Trout-Fishing Day is made possible by a partnership with Reston Association, Northern Virginia Trout Unlimited, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, and Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. To reserve a fishing rod for your child or to volunteer, contact Ha Brock at 703.435.7986 or email habrock@reston.org.
Give blood and save a life at the INOVA Blood Drive on Tuesday, April 26, noon to 7:30 p.m. at Reston Town Center alongside the Pavilion. Schedule a time at 1.866.256.6372 or www.inova.org/donateblood. You can also register on site.
This month's "Meet Me at the Movies - Senior Movie Day" is April 27 featuring "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" at the Reston Town Center Theater. Doors open at 9:15; show time is 10:00 a.m. This event is free for ages 55 and older. Refreshments are provided, and door prizes are distributed prior to the movie.
Attend the 20th Annual Best of Reston Awards on Thursday, April 28, at the Hyatt Regency Reston. This special evening honors individuals, civic and community organizations, and businesses that have demonstrated significant contributions in their commitment to community service, excellence, and involvement and is presented by Reston Interfaith and the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce. Visit www.restoninterfaith.org or www.restonchamber.org for sponsorship opportunities and ticket information for this spectacular event. Proceeds go to the work of Reston Interfaith in helping clients build more stable lives by connecting them to vital resources that solve their needs for housing, childcare, food, or financial assistance.
Empty Bowls, an annual fundraiser for hunger relief sponsored by the Giving Circle of HOPE, will be held on Friday, April 29, 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 11900 Lawyers Road, Reston. A $20 ticket buys you a soup dinner and a handmade pottery bowl that you select. Reserve your tickets at emptybowls@givingcircleofhope.org. Lake Anne Elementary School (LAES) will celebrate its Spring Fiesta on Saturday, April 30. LAES students, their families, friends, faculty, and staff will celebrate the rich diversity of the LAES population with fun games, great food, and many exciting activities. The Reston Chorale, with The Amadeus Orchestra, will present "King David" on Saturday, April 30, 7:30 p.m. at Vienna Presbyterian Church, 124 Park Street NE, Vienna. Through music, narration, and media this dramatic and artistic work tells the biblical story of King David's life. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.restonchorale.org or at the door the evening of the performance. The Northern Virginia Jewish Community's 3rd Annual Yom Ha'Shoah (Holocaust Day) Community Commemoration will be held on Sunday, May 1, 7:00-8:30 p.m. on the George Mason University Fairfax Campus, Student Union Building II (SUB II). This year's theme is "Closing Doors: Immigration Policy During the Holocaust Years." Enjoy readings, reflection, music, a candle lighting ceremony, and keynote address by author and historian Professor Severin Hochberg. Additional seminars and discussions will take place between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. Visit www.jcouncil.org for more information. Interfaith Communities for Dialogue presents "The Messiah: Who, When, How? What Judaism, Christianity and Islam Believe" on Wednesday, May 4, 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. (registration at 6:45 p.m.) at Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center, 3159 Row Street, Falls Church. Register by email at CILUSER@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703.324.3452 by April 29. The Commonwealth Transportation Board will conduct a public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2012-2017 Six Year Improvement Plan (FY 12-17 SYIP) on Wednesday, May 4, 7:00 p.m. at the Virginia Department of Transportation's Northern Virginia District Office, 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax 22030. Written comments can also be submitted during the hearing, or they can be mailed or emailed after the hearing. If you cannot attend the hearing, you may send your comments to Programming Director, 1401 E. Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219 or email them to Six-YearProgram@vdot.virginia.gov. Foundation Fighting Blindness' Northern Virginia VisionWalk will be held on Saturday, May 7, at Browns Chapel Park in Reston. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m ; walk begins at 10:00 a.m. Tony Perkins of Fox 5 Television will again serve as event emcee. This event is a fun, family oriented walkathon event with hundreds of people gathering in support of curing retinal diseases. Register for the VisionWalk and learn more about the work of Foundation Fighting Blindness at at www.fightblindness.org.
The Women Supporting Women (WSW) Family Fun Fest will be held on Saturday, May 7, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on the grounds of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, 432 Van Buren Street, Herndon. This awesome afternoon of fun for the whole family is a charity fundraiser for Artemis House, a domestic violence shelter. The Family Fun Fest will feature a petting zoo, story telling, yoga for adults and kids, music, entertainer Groovy Nate, arts & crafts, ongoing activities for all ages, a silent auction, and much more. Auction items include gift certificates for food, services, and products at great places like Landsdowne Resort, Massage Envy, McCormick & Schmick's, Pony to Go, Jammin Java, Wintergreen Resort, Big Bowl, Skatequest -- the list goes on and on! Enter to win JetBlue airline tickets, an iPod shuffle, dinner at Bazin's on Church. Learn more about Artemis House at www.shelterhouse.org. Find out more about the Family Fun Fest, donating, and sponsorship opportunities at www.wswonline.org. It's a Bicycle Safety Rodeo on Saturday, May 7, ongoing from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. (stop by anytime; course takes 20 minutes to complete) at the Lake Newport Pool Facility, 11601 Lake Newport Road! Join the Reston Association, State Farm Insurance, and The Reston Bicycle Club for the Annual Bicycle Safety Rodeo. Children will complete eight safety stations which include a bike inspection and earn their bicyclist's license. Children must bring their own bicycles and helmets. No registration required. If you have a bike you wish to donate for a child who may not have one, you can drop it off at this event. Bikes will be donated first to children who wish to participate in the Reston Kids Triathlon in August. Event will be canceled in the event of rain. Contact Ashleigh@reston.org or all 703.435.6577 for more information or weather-related cancellations.
The American Cancer Society's 2011 Reston Relay for Life will be held on Saturday, May 14, at South Lakes High School. Sign up to start a team, join a team, or make a donation at www.relayforlife.org/reston.
Sign up for The Fourth Annual 5k Race - 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk for Spinal Health - "We've Got Your Back"- to be held on Saturday, May 14. Race begins and ends at The Virginia Spine Institute (corner of Wiehle Avenue and Sunset Hills Road). The 2011 course has been redesigned to challenge the most competitive runners and provide a scenic and enjoyable workout for walkers. Check out the race course map and register at www.wevegotyourback5k.org. Race Festivities and Spinal Health Fair will be held from 8:00 a.m. to Noon at the site at 1831 Wiehle Avenue. Packet Pickup is May 13, 1 a.m. to 6 p.m. at The Virginia Spine Institute. Form a team - dash for cash (over $1,000 in prizes awarded) - donate your gently worn footwear to people in need at a Soles for Souls collection bin at the site. This event's Honorary Chairs are Redskins players Reed Doughty, London Fletcher, Rocky McIntosh, and James Thrash - all will be there, along with a special appearance and autographs by the Redskins cheerleaders.
Run/walk to raise awareness about ovarian cancer at the Break the Silence 5k & 1 Mile Walk on Saturday, May 14, 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Reston Town Center. Registration, entry fee information, and other details are at www.ovarian.org.
The March of Dimes Annual March for Babies will be held on Sunday, May 15, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Reston Town Center Pavilion. Enjoy a 4-mile walk, picnic, live band, and children's activities to support the March of Dimes. Go to www.marchforbabies.com or call 703.824.01111 for more information.
The 2011 Bike to Work Day celebration in Reston will be held on Friday, May 20, 6:30 to 9:00 a.m. at the Reston Town Center Pavilion. This year's event will feature food and drinks for the cyclists, gift raffles every half hour, and information displays from a number of local and regional organizations. Join the festivities to find out more about biking to work!
The Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival will be held on May 21 and 22 at the Reston Town Center. This year's Festival will also be a celebration of its 20th anniversary with exciting new activities including dance performances and entertainment, a raffle for a unique piece of art, and additional merchandise dedicated to the 20th Anniversary. This top-rated, juried festival providing an interactivee experience to view and purchase art from more than 200 unique and talented aaists from across the nation is not to be missed! Children's art area, live entertainment, and more, presented to you by the Greater Reston Arts Center. Visit http://northernvirginiafineartsfestival.org/GFMS/VolunteerForm1.php to volunteer.
Learn how your faith community can make an impact - learn about our community's efforts to end homelessness - at "Faith Communities Housing Engagement Event" on Wednesday, June 1, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center Board Auditorium, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax. Learn how the Housing Blueprint supports ending homelessness and how to leverage faith-based assets to provide housing subsidies and create affordable housing. For more information, contact Fairfax County Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH) at 703.324.9492, TTY 711, or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/homeless.
Herndon-Reston FISH (friendly, instant, sympathetic help) invites you to lunch on June 12 at the Port of Baltimore on the Carnival Pride Cruise Ship. Through Anoop Mittra (Cruise Partners of Herndon), Carnival Cruise Lines has offered Herndon-Reston FiSH another lovely fundraising opportunity. Carnival is sponsoring a five-course grand luncheon with wine on their ship Carnival Pride. Reston Limousine will provide transportation from Reston to and from the ship, which is docked at the Baltimore harbor, an increasingly popular departure point for cruises. Carnival is donating 25 spots at this luncheon to FISH. Transportation fee is $25 per person with $10 of that fee going to Carnival's charity, St. Jude Children's Hospital. There will be an opportunity for participants to donate to FISH on the minibus ride to Baltimore. Sign up by April 20 via email to Sherri.Longhill@HerndonRestonFISH.org or call Sherri at The Bargain Loft at 703.437.0600.
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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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