Lowest Score in the House

Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum

We politicians like to take credit for accomplishments even when our connection to what has been achieved may sometimes seem less than clear.  We also tend to ignore things that are not going as well as they might.  For example, Governor McDonnell as most governors before him regularly announces new jobs that are created in the state as though they might have something to do with a private business decision that will be implemented over many years.  When there are job layoffs and companies closing, the news is announced in the business section of the newspaper with no press releases from the governor's office.

As an eternal optimist I tend to focus on the good things that are happening with less emphasis on what goes wrong.  Hopefully you read my recent columns in which I made sure you knew about my perfect score on the Virginia League of Conservation Voters scorecard leading them to call me a "champion of the environment."  Or you may have heard about the Virginia teachers giving me their "Solid as a Rock for Public Education" recognition for my perfect voting record on public education issues.  And there are others (www.kenplum.com).

To be fair, if I am going to point out when I am doing well, I may need to point out when I do not do too well.  For example, on the 2010-2011 Virginia Family Foundation Report Card I and four other delegates made the lowest scores in the House of Delegates (www.familyfoundation.org).  Our scores were 5 out of a possible score of 100.  As near as I can tell, they did not make any errors in their calculations.  While I highly value family, we just disagree fundamentally on what constitutes family values.  They did not like my vote against a constitutional amendment that would have attempted to define parents' rights in the U.S. Constitution; another amendment protecting public prayer; and one that defined state sovereignty under the Constitution.  They did not like my vote against denying funding for stem cell research and Planned Parenthood.  I also voted against their position to increase regulations for clinics in which abortions may be conducted and against their bill to require that all women seeking an abortion be given an ultrasound and be offered a chance to review it.

Others will be able to see my low score on the Family Foundation Scorecard as the group has plans to distribute 100,000 copies of them and a half-million voter guides through their campaign IGNITE, "an enduring cultural transformation."  Among "our Biblically-based beliefs" they intend to promote are the ideas that "moral, physical and spiritual absolutes exist and were given to mankind to govern all of life...the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman is the essential element of the family."  Actually, their involvement in the fall campaign will give me an opportunity to talk about my family and my values.  It will provide me a chance to explain why I believe my lowest score in the House of Delegates correctly reflects my position on the issues considered and the opinion of a majority of my constituents.

Don't Forget to Vote!

Vote for Reston Citiens Association Board and officers at the Reston Festival held at Town Center on July 9 and 10.  Learn more about the candidates at www.restoncitiensassociation.org.

Pet Connection - Special Edition

Connection readers love their pets!  Send in photos of you or other members of your family with your pet with a caption that includes the full names of everyone pictured, the ages of the pet(s) and any children in the photos, information about the pet(s), and a description of what is happening in the photo.  Include your town name as well as the who, what, where, when, and why that is going on in the photo.  The Connection welcomes photos, drawings or other artwork, stories and anecdotes about what makes your pet special, how you came to adopt your pet, or anything else interesting about your pet,and advice for others on adopting or caring for pets.  Send photos and other submissions by July 21 to kemal@connectionnewspapers.com if you receive the Reston or Oak Hill/Herndon Connection.  A special edition, Pet Connection, will appear July 27.

Respite

Are you looking for a respite from your duties as a caregiver?  Try this site for more information:  www.easyaccess.virginia.gov.

New Interactive Broadband Availability Map Released 

A new broadband availability map for Virginia has been released.  The most comprehensive and interactive map of Virginia to date, it is available for use by policy makers, government leaders, providers, and citizens to identify where broadband services are available as well as identify unserved or underserved areas in the state.  The broadband mapping project is part of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Broadband Mapping Initiative.  The new map is the second one for Virginia; the first edition was released by Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology in 2009.  To view the latest broadband availability map, visit www.wired.virginia.gov.

Virginia Relay Technology for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

For seniors who are deaf, hard of hearing, or late deafened, Virginia Relay offers the technology and services you need to stay n touch:

* TTY (text telephone) - A phone with a keyboard and text screen.

* Voice Carry-Over (VCO) - For people who speak clearly, yet have hearing loss that keeps them from conversing over a standard telephone.

* CapTel (captioned telephone) - Read the captioned conversation on the display screen and listen to the voice of the person you're calling at the same time.

* Internet Relay - Make calls using your computer, Web phone, personal digital assistant (PDA) or any other Internet-capable device.

* VDDHH Equipment Distribution Program - Qualified Virginia residents may choose from a variety of devices, incuding amplified telephones, at no cost.

To learn more about these and other services, get in touch with Virginia Relay at 1-800-552-7917 (voice/TTY) or www.VARelay.org.  Virginia Relay is a public service of the Commonwealth of Virginia that enables people who are deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind or speech disabled to communicate with standard telephone users.

Pre-Existing Condition Insurance 

People who have had difficulty finding health coverage, who have been turned down for coverage because of a pre-existing condition, or who couldn't afford the premiums are not out of luck.  They may now be eligible for a new program created by the Affordable Care Act - the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP).  PCIP is one way the Affordable Care Act helps uninsured people with pre-existing conditions get care at affordable prices, and the premiums for PCIP will drop as much as 40%.  PCIP is designed as a bridge to 2014 while the nation transitions to a new marketplace and all Americans - regardless of their health status - will have access to health coverage through a competitive marketplace for health plans called the Health Insurance Exhange.  For more information, including eligibility, plan benefits, rates, and how to apply, go to www.pcip.gov and select "Find Your State."  Then select your state from a map of the United States or from the drop-down menu.  The PCIP Call Center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. at 1.866.717.5826 (TTY 1.866.561.160).  (Source for this information is Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.)

Helping Those Most Vulnerable to Stay Cool 

Fairfax County residents who need help to keep their homes cool this summer and prevent a health emergency resulting from extreme heat may be able to get assistance from two programs locally administered by the county's Department of Family Services.

* Cooling Assistance, a federally funded program, helps eligible low-income households with at least one person considered especially vulnerable to heat:  a child under age six, a disabled individual, or an adult age 60 or older.  For more informaiton or an application form, visit the Virginia Department of Social Services Cooling Assistance page at www.dss.virginia.gov/benefit/ea/cooling/index.html.  Complete the application and fax it along with a copy of your current electric bill and pay stub to 703.324.8242.  You also may mail it along with the documentation to Fairfax County Department of Family Serices, Pennino Building, c/o Energy Assistance, 12011 Government Center Parkway, Suite 232, Fairfax, VA  22035.

* Fan Care is another program that can help older adults stay safe in the summer heat.  This electric fan distribution program, sponsored by Dominion Virginia Power in partnership with the Virginia Department for the Aging, annually provides about 200 free fans and/or window air conditioners to eligible senior adults in the Fairfax area.  To qualify for Fan Care, a person must be at least 60 years old, need a fan to prevent heat-related health programs, and meet income eligibility requirements.  The Fan Care program runs through the end of September.  For more information or to request an application, call the Fairfax County Department of Family Services, Fairfax Area Agency on Aging, at 703.324.7694, TTY 711.