News from Delegate Ken Plum

June 12, 2013

36th District

Reston, Virginia

Delegate Plum was part of the news broadcast at Armstrong Elementary School last week on Walk or Bike to School Day.

Delegate Ken Plum's

Virginia e-News

Commentary

Measure of Being Poor in Virginia

Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum

I have always maintained that the poor in Northern Virginia are worse off than others living in less affluent parts of the state because the cost of living is higher in this region. The difference can be seen most clearly in the cost of housing; and there have been many notable efforts on the part of local governments to increase the stock of workforce, affordable housing. The traffic coming into Northern Virginia from the west and south is made up largely of people who cannot afford housing in the area.

Oddly the official poverty measure that has been used to calculate the official poverty rate has been a one-size-fits-all statistic that does not account for regional differences in the cost of living. That situation is about to change with the introduction of the Virginia Poverty Measure (VPM) by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia (www.coopercenter.org). These are the professionals who maintain all the demographics of Virginia's population and who produce official population estimates upon which many programs are funded and decisions are made. Their work follows that done in other states and by other agencies seeking to get a more accurate measure of poverty.

The VPM takes into account regional differences in the cost of living, updated consumer patterns, government programs that affect family income, taxes, and credits, and health care costs. While the formula to arrive at a realistic number that reflects poverty-level living conditions is more complex, it is also likely to be more realistic as to actual experiences of individuals. Those interested in the details of the calculations are encouraged to review the full report "The Virginia Poverty Measure: An Alternative Poverty Measure for the Commonwealth" at The Virginia Poverty Measure.

The introduction of the VPM brings some significant changes to our understanding of poverty. Under the VPM, Northern Virginia counties and cities with some of the highest median incomes in the nation are shown to have a significantly greater extent of economic deprivation than what official poverty statistics suggest. The inside the beltway official poverty rate goes from 7.4 percent to 12.3 percent under the VPM. Fairfax goes from 6.4 percent to 9.7 percent. In contrast, Southwest Virginia goes from an official rate of 21 percent to 16 percent. The main explanation for the change is taking into account differences in cost of living and the existence of programs to relieve poverty. Calculation of the new rate found that fewer children are in poverty, dropping from 15.6 percent to 13 percent. Under the VPM, more Virginians are in "near poverty" and fewer are in "deep poverty."

To the degree that the new methodology creates a better understanding of the existence of poverty, it will be a challenging task for policy makers to incorporate this information into budget and program decisions. Presumably there could be a shift of resources among the regions of the state, and such changes can create winners and losers. The new numbers should be a wake-up call to wealthy Northern Virginians that there are more in need among us than we had previously thought to be the case. The new method of measuring being poor is an important new tool for policymakers.

Virginia Report on Comcast Channel 28

Virginia Report Tune in to Ken's weekly television program, Virginia Report, on Reston Comcast Channel 28 for public service programming. Ken interviews state and local leaders who are making news by making a difference. Watch these upcoming programs:

TONIGHT - Wednesday, June 12 at 10:30 p.m. - Elaine Tholen and Talia Schmitt, NoVA Outside, "School Environmental Action Showcase"

Tuesday, June 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, June 19 at 10:30 p.m. - Karen Elliott and Diane Blust, Sustainable Reston, "Reston Community Energy Fair"

"Virginia Report" is also available online at www.rctv28.com/virginiareport.html for viewing on your computer or iPad.

Bulletin Board

Major Bridge Event at Reston Town Center: The Mid-Atlantic Bridge Conference (MABC) and the ACBL (American Contract Bridge League) are sponsoring a Regional Duplicate Bridge Tournament at the Hyatt Regency in Reston Town Center July 1 through July 7. Bridge games begin at 9:30 every morning and continue throughout the day. Guaranteed partners are provided, so bring your partner or come alone and get matched up to play. Go to www.NVBA.org to see the full schedule. For newer players, there's an "Advance Your Game" lesson taught on Monday, July 1, at 1:30 p.m. for $25 per person. Contact Shawn Stringer at shstringer@aol.com for details and registration. There are also two free mini-lessons every day. In other good news for beginners, all games are FREE on Tuesday, July 2 for those with under 5 Masterpoints. Questions? Call Ron or Mary Ann Kral at 703-437-0342 or send e-mail to: DCINProgram@gmail.com.

MedReturn Box offers you an environmentally safe disposal option for your unwanted medicines. It's worth a trip to keep prescription medicines away from children and out of the water supply. The MedReturn Box can be used for prescription patches, medicines, over the counter medications, vitamins, samples, and medications for pets. Not accepted are inhalers, aerosol cans, hydrogen peroxide, thermometers, needles, ointments or lotions. The MedReturn Box is located at the North County Governmental Center, 12000 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston.

Calendar of Events

Tonight: Wednesday, June 12, video screening of The History of Transportation in Fairfax County, 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., at the Angelika Film Center & Cafe in Merrifield, 2911 District Ave. @ Lee Highway & Gallows Road, Fairfax. A distinguished panel will discuss the past, present, and future of transportation in Fairfax County. Free admission. Free parking. Open to all. For more information, visit Evolution of Transportation. Click here to register: Register now!

Tonight: Public Hearing, June 12, 7:00 p.m. Fairfax County Public Library will hold a public hearing on the library's Internet safety policy that applies to customers using county equipment in all county library buildings. Public libraries can receive discounted telecommunications services through the E-rate program, which was established in 1997. The hearing will take place at George Mason Regional Library and be followed by the library's regularly scheduled Board of Trustees meeting. To sign up to speak at the public hearing call Karen Gates 703-324-8324, TTY 711.

It has been six months since the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. In honer of the 26 lives lost on December 14, 2012, and the more than 4,500 lives lost since that day, Newtown Action Alliance is planning a series of events on Thursday, June 13 on Capitol Hill. More information is at Six Months and No Action.

Thursday, June 13, 7:30-9:00 p.m., Trinity Presbyterian Church in Herndon will host a showing of the documentary Trigger: The Ripple Effect of Gun Violence. Trigger addresses the critical issue of gun violence prevention (such as keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill) by moving the conversation away from the polarizing extremes that have long dominated the debate and lifting up the voices and experiences of those who seek common ground and a new way forward. Trinity is located at 651 Drainesville Road, Herndon. For more information call 703-437-5500 or email pastor@trinityherndon.org.

The Strong Kids, Strong Virginia campaign is getting underway in our area with a gathering on Thursday, June 20, 11:00 a.m. at the Child Development Center of the Annandale Christian Community for Action, 7200 Columbia Pike, Annandale. More information is at www.strongkidsstrongvirginia.com.

Electric Sunday TV and Computer Recycling, Sunday, June 23, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., I-66 Transfer Station, 4618 West Ox Road, Fairfax. For updates, cancellations, and notifications of events, call 703-324-5052.

Delegate Ken Plum's State of the Commonwealth Breakfast, Wednesday, June 26, 8:00-9:00 a.m., American Tap Room, 1811 Library Street in Reston Town Center. Come hear Ken's "wag of the finger and tip of the hat." RSVP at https://secure.actblue.com/page/2013soc.

Reston's First Community Energy Fair will be on Sunday, July 14, 1:00-4:00 p.m. at the Walker Nature Center. Fair is free, but there will be a small materials fee for some activities. Will include a Green Living workshop on "How to Build a Solar Generator" (requires preregistration and fee). To volunteer or participate, email klpelliott@verizon.net.

Bullying Prevention 101 Facilitators' Training, Wednesday, July 17, 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sign-in opens at 8:30 a.m. Pennino Building, Room 734, 12011 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax. Space is limited. Register at Bullying Prevention 101 - Facilitator Training.

Wednesday, July 24, 5:00-7:00 p.m., Community Cookout at Hunters Woods Pool, 2501 Reston Parkway. For more information contact Kevin Danaher at kevin.danaher@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-390-6166.

Monday, August 5, 8:00 a.m.-8:30 p.m. The Governor's K-12 Education Reform Summit at the Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles, 14750 Conference Center Drive, Chantilly. For more information about the initiative, visit www.allstudents.virginia.gov. Register at http://govk12summit.eventbrite.com/#.

Tuesday, August 6, 5:00-7:00 p.m., Community Cookout at Lake Newport Pool, 11601 Lake Newport Road. For more information contact Kevin Danaher at kevin.danaher@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-390-6166.

On August 11 at 8:00 a.m. the YMCA Fairfax County Reston and Reston Association will be holding the third annual Reston Kid's Triathlon. The event is intended to be a fun opportunity for youngsters to stay active through the summer and learn about the fast growing sport of triathlon. In keeping with the missions of the sponsoring organizations, a number of the participants will be from families who might not be able to afford the entry fee and equipment for the event. Through individual and corporate sponsors their costs will be covered. All net proceeds from this event will be used for the Y and RA youth scholarship programs. For more information, visit www.restonkidstri.org.

In This Issue

Commentary..."Measure of Being Poor in Virginia"

"Virginia Report" on Comcast Channel 28

Bulletin Board

Check Your Calendar

Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum

Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia E-News

703-758-9733 * kenplum@aol.com * www.kenplum.com

*Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia e-News* is authorized by Kenneth R. Plum and paid for by Friends of Delegate Ken Plum.**