Northern Virginia by the Numbers

Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum 

Most people know the biggest and best numbers about Northern Virginia.  We live in a remarkable region of the country.  Some of our jurisdictions have among the highest incomes in the country.  The educational attainment of adults is among the highest in the country.  By most quality of life measures, Northern Virginia is one of the best regions in the country in which to live.  Virginia is the twelfth largest state in the nation, and a quarter of its eight million people live in Northern Virginia.

Lost in the big-picture look of the Washington, D.C., suburbs are thousands of people who are not among the highest paid, best educated, or living the good life.  In May, 2012, the Commonwealth Institute (www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org) that does studies of public policies with particular attention to their impacts on low and moderate income persons released a report, Under Pressure:  The State of Working Northern Virginia, that describes those less well-off in the region.  The description that follows is taken directly from the report for which they deserve full credit.  It focuses on the Great Recession of 2007 to the present.  I find the work of The Commonwealth Institute to be of immense value to me in my legislative work.

Virginia weathered the Great Recession about as well as any state.  Its unemployment rate of about 5.5 percent is among the best in the Nation.  All the jurisdictions in Northern Virginia have unemployment levels less than the state average with Fairfax County as an example having a rate of 3.7 percent.  Due to the large population of the Northern Virginia region, however, the area is home to more than one in four unemployed Virginians which is more than any other region of the state.  According to the Institute report, Northern Virginia's "job gap" - the number of jobs needed to return to pre-recession employment levels, after considering population growth, is a needed 100,000 new jobs.

Poverty levels in the region range from 3.5 percent in Loudoun County to 9.9 percent in Alexandria with the numbers increasing since 2007.  Since January 2007, Northern Virginia has seen a 131 percent increase in the number of persons receiving SNAP (food stamps) benefits while statewide participation only increased by 77 percent, according to the report.  In 2010, households in Northern Virginia had a median income of approximately $98,747, over 60 percent above the statewide median but still below the region's pre-recession level of $102,644.

The report concluded that "the Northern Virginia economy deserves its reputation as one of the most robust and prosperous in the nation, but for substantial segments of the Northern Virginia workforce, its promises of opportunity and wealth are elusive, and overall Northern Virginians experience cost of living pressure higher than their peers in other parts of the state."  Public and private institutions need to recognize the unique and special needs of Northern Virginians who are a small percentage of the population but a very big number.

Explore Virginia Online

For information about Virginia's history that includes images, videos, maps, quotes of the day, and fascinating facts, visit www.encyclopediavirginia.org.

New DMV-Related Laws Effective July 1

Listed below are just a few of the new DMV-related laws that went into effect earlier this week.

SAFETY:

* An ignition interlock device is rquired after one DUI conviction.  Previously, the requirement for an ignition interlock was imposed after two DUI convictions.  If the offender's blood-alcohol content (BAC) is 0.15 percent or above, even if it's the driver's first DUI, an ignition interlock is also required.  A Virginia driver's BAC must be below 0.08.

* If a driver's license applicant fails the behind-the-wheel examination administered by DMV, the applicant must wait two days before taking another behind-the-wheel test.  Also, before taking a behind-the-wheel test administered by DMV, an applicant must first hold a learner's permit for 60 days, instead of the previous requirement of 30 days.

* Before taking the behind-the-wheel exam, applicants must either show documents proving they've completed a state-approved driver education class, or certify that they have practiced the driving maneuvers they wil be expected to complete during the behind-the-wheel test.

MILITARY:

* Federal legislaiton allows the behind-the-wheel exam, or roads skills test, to be waived for qualified military personnel appying for a Virginia commercial driver's license (CDL).  Under the Troops to Trucks program, these applicants are required to pass only one DMV-issued test - the written knowledge exam - and are not required to take the behind-the-wheel exam.

* A previous law allowed active duty members of the U.S. military who were deployed outside of Virginia and planned to return to apply for an extension on their driver's license validity for three years, or for 90 days after the driver returned to the U.S., whichever occurred first.  A new law extends the validity period to 180 days after the driver returns to the U.S.

* Another previous law allowed members of the military to obtain 90-day extensions on the expiration of their license plate registrations or vehicle registrations while they were deployed outside the U.S.  A new law offers this extension to the member's spouse or dependents when they return after accompanying the member while he or she is deployed outside the U.S.  The service member, spouse, or dependent has 90 days from the date of return to the U.S. to renew or register.

PLATES:

* An exemption was extended for vehicles registered with clean special fuel license plates to continue to use certain High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes regardless of the number of passengers.

* Two new special license plates are authorized for purchase - Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, which will be available in the coming months.

FEE CHANGES:

* A $10 late fee is added if customers renew their vehicle registrations (decals) from DMV after they expire.  If you renew on time, no late fee.

* All driver's licenses cost at least $20.  Most Virginians get a driver's license that's valid for 8 years costing $32.  The new law requires individuals who have lost their licenses to pay $20 for the replacement.

* Cost for vehicle titles is now standardized at $10, including replacement and supplemental titles.

* An annual $50 license tax is required for electric motor vehicles registered in Virginia.

Tell Mosquitoes to Buzz Off This Summer

It is important to know how to help control the mosquito population where you live.  Not only are they a nuisance, they have the potential to spread disease.  A single mosquito bite can give you West Nile virus (WNV).  Why take a chance?  Follow these suggestions from Fairfax County to control mosquitoes in your yard:

1.  Eiminate standing water.  Mosquitoes can breed in a container as small as a bottle cap.

2.  Treat standing water.  Larvicides can help to control mosquito breeding sites.

3.  Spray your yard.  Used carefully, an insecticide can help eliminate mosquitoes.

Even if you get rid of most of their breeding grounds, mosquitoes can still find you.  Follow these tips to "fight the bite":

* Defend yourself.  Wear insect repellent.

* Avoid peak times.  Stay indoors at dawn and early evening.

* Dress right.  Wear long, loose and light-colored clothing when outdoors.

* Keep them outside.  Install, repair or replace screens on windows and doors.

Know the symptoms of West Nile virus which can be transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.

*Serious symptoms in a few people - About one in 150 people infected with WNV will develop severe illness.  The severe symptoms can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness, and paralysis.  These symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent.

* Milder symptoms in some people - Up to 20 percent of the people who become infected have symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach, and back.  Symptoms can last for as short as a few days, though even healthy people have become sick for several weeks.

* No symptoms in most people - Approximately 80 percent of people (about 4 out of 5) who are infected with WNV will not show any symptoms at all.

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The Golden Gazette is a free, 24-page monthly newsletter covering news to use for older adults in the Fairfax area.  Each month, the Golden Gazette features senior center highlights, a community calendar, a gardening column, and articles on important and timely health, legal, financial, and consumer issues.  Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/olderadultservices/goldengazette.htm to get your free subscription started by mail or by e-mail.