Weekly Column: Crossover Approaches, Protecting Women & Expanding Solar Access

The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of February 8, 2023.  

 Crossover Approaches, Protecting Women & Expanding Solar Access

               The middle of the General Assembly session is called “Crossover” – the day that each chamber must complete work on all bills originating in each chamber before starting work on bills that have “crossed over” from the other Chamber.

               I introduced thirty-one pieces of legislation and twenty-nine appear to be on track to cross to the House of Delegates where passage will be much more difficult.  I was disappointed that my bill to turn the VA529 Plan’s $1.4 billion actuarial surplus into an endowment for Pell-eligible students failed, but no competing bills passed and both chambers appear poised to set up committees to further study the issue over the coming year to see if we can develop a consensus approach. 

Weekly Column: Important Bills Are Moving in the State Legislature

The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of January 29, 2023.  

Important Bills Are Moving in the State Legislature

After three weeks into this General Assembly session, many of my bills are moving through committees or have been approved by the Senate and sent to the House of Delegates.

Stronger Consumer Protections

               The regulation of monopoly utilities is one of the most complex topics for crafting good policy.  Virginia’s two investor-owned utilities, Dominion Power and Appalachian Power, have combined revenues of nearly $20 billion from their customers.  That is nearly half the state’s $43.5 billion in General Fund revenues, but unfortunately, the legislature invests very little time supervising this spending by Virginia’s residents and businesses. 

Weekly Column: Bills Starting to Move Along

The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of January 22, 2023.   

              The second week of the General Assembly is in the books and I am carrying thirty-one bills and over a dozen budget amendments.  Several saw movement this week. 

               Earlier this year, it was discovered that a guidance counselor was working in Glasgow Middle School two years after having been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor.  It is not clear whether the Chesterfield County Sheriff failed to notify Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) or whether FCPS failed to take action after receiving notice.  His employment was discovered after he was charged with solicitation a second time and discovered at that time.

Weekly Column: The 2023 General Assembly Has Started Its Work

The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of January 15, 2023.   

The 2023 General Assembly Has Started Its Work

The first week of the General Assembly session is in the books. We spent most of it getting organized. 

On the day before the session started, we learned that Virginia Beach voters had elected Virginia Beach Councilman Aaron Rouse to the state Senate in a special election to replace now-Congresswoman Jen Kiggans.  That changed the party composition of the Senate to 22 Democrats and 18 Republicans.  Senator-elect Rouse will be sworn in this week after his election is certified and he will be a welcome addition.   

Weekly Column: Budgeting Is a Careful Balancing Act

The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the first week of January in 2023.   

Budgeting Is a Careful Balancing Act

                 In December, Governor Youngkin proposed amendments to the state’s two-year budget.  While he did include some laudable proposals, he also continued to promote some unacceptable strategies.

               Virginia’s revenue picture continues to be very positive, but many of our advisors have indicated that our revenue gains could be ephemeral.  First, inflation continues to be up and when things cost more, people spend more and employers give raises to keep up with inflation.  Since Virginia’s General Fund is largely funded by sales and income taxes, our revenues are up compared to some past years.

Weekly Column: Continuing Our Progress - Working for You

The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of November 28, 2022.   

Continuing Our Progress - Working for You

            It has been an honor to serve our community in the Virginia legislature for the last 12 years.  I am letting you know that I will run for re-election to represent the 34^th District in the Senate of Virginia in 2023.

A New District
            The redistricting of state and federal elected officials’ districts made substantial changes in the Senate district I have represented for the last six years. The area of Fairfax County south of Alexandria and east of Interstate 95/495 is currently divided between three state Senate districts.  After the election in 2023, there will only be one district and it has been renumbered as the 34^th Senate District similar to the configuration in our area before 2001.  The new boundaries are roughly everything in Fairfax County south of Alexandria, west of the Potomac River, north of the Occoquan River and east of the CSX railroad tracks that run from Alexandria to Richmond, Pohick Creek and the former Lorton Prison.  

The New 34th Senate District 

Yellow Line Service Follow Up: Alternative Service Options

Several Alternative Travel Options Available While Yellow Line Service is Suspended

Need help navigating your options? Check out: https://novatransit.org/programs/novarides/

YELLOW LINE PASSENGERS: As you may recall, back in March the WMATA announced they are suspending Yellow Line service across the Potomac between Pentagon and L’Enfant stations for eight months, starting Sept. 10th, 2022. You can see my blog post about it here: Yellow Line Service Disruptions. As promised, I wanted to provide you with information for alternative service options while the Yellow Line is suspended.

WMATA is providing several travel alternatives over the next eight months. This includes free shuttle bus service, alternative rail routes, free passage on the Virginia Railway Express (VRE), and Northern Virginia supplemental services from DASH, OmniRide, and Fairfax Connector. Riders can plan ahead by visiting the project’s Service Impacts and Travel Alternatives information webpage now.

Weekly Column: Working for a Safer, More Efficient Transportation System

The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of August 1, 2022.   

Working for a Safer, More Efficient Transportation System

This is an update on several important transportation projects underway in our area, including the U.S. 1 Speed Study, undergrounding utilities on U.S. 1, the I-495 Southside Express Lanes Study, and the Youngkin Administration’s reallocation of transit funds.

Since 2017, we have seen the following on U.S. 1 in Fairfax County:

• 1,785 crashes
• 1,185 injuries
• 15 deaths

The per-lane-miles-travelled accident rate between Fort Belvoir and Hybla Valley is 70% higher than the Virginia and Fairfax County averages.  From Hybla Valley to Alexandria it is 40% higher. These are troubling numbers.  The $800 million widening of U.S. 1 and construction of bus rapid transit will bring significant safety improvements and is being engineered with lane widths assuming a 35 MPH speed limit.

Sign the petition to Underground Utilities on U.S. 1

On July 26, Mt. Vernon Supervisor Dan Storck is bringing a board matter before his colleagues that would raise the funds to finally underground utilities on U.S. 1 and other revitalizations areas in Fairfax County.  His plan creates a revolving fund with revenue raised by a utility fee capped capped at $1/month and reimbursed by development proffers.  Fairfax County is the only jurisdiction in Virginia authorized to impose this fee.

Weekly Column: U.S. Supreme Court Puts Virginian's Safety at Risk

The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of July 4, 2022.   

U.S. Supreme Court Puts Virginian's Safety at Risk

The U.S. Supreme Court on June 23 issued a disturbing decision on guns, the New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn. v. Bruen case, which clarified the scope of firearms rules declared by the Supreme Court in a previous case, D.C. v. Heller, decided in 2008. This is yet another disappointing decision from that court, like the one I wrote about last week,  the Dobbs case, which would severely limit women’s reproductive rights.

                Before 2008, American courts interpreted the Second Amendment as authorizing states the freedom to regulate their militias – today’s National Guard.  In Heller, the Court invalidated the District of Columbia’s handgun ban and requirement that rifles in the home be stored with trigger locks and unassembled.  This was the first time the Court found such a right existed. 

Weekly Column: The U.S. Supreme Court Decision Threatens Women’s Fundamental Rights

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Prince William Times, The Fort Hunt Herald, and Potomac Local in the week of June 26, 2022.

The U.S. Supreme Court Decision Threatens Women’s Fundamental Rights

Last week the U.S. Supreme Court issued three very important decisions: Carson v. Maikin, New York Rifle & Pistol Assn v. Bruen and Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Org. (Dobbs).  The Carson case relates to taxpayer funding of religious schools.  NY Rifle affects firearm violence prevention.  Dobbs eviscerates a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions.  This column addresses the Dobbs decision.  I will discuss NY Rifle next week, Carson and the Governor’s budget amendments in future columns. 

             The Dobbs case overruled the landmark Roe v. Wade decision which has been the law of the land since January 22, 1973.  That decision held that the right to privacy embodied in various amendments in the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights gave women a constitutional right to make their own healthcare decisions.  Justice Samuel Alito wrote that the Roe case was wrongly decided and should no longer stand. 

Weekly Column: Historic Investment In K-12 Education

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Prince William Times, The Fort Hunt Herald, and Potomac Local in the week of June 7, 2022.

                Last week, I wrote about some of the local effects of the bipartisan budget agreement that we sent to the Governor last week.  This week I will write about some of the broader issues addressed in the budget.

               First, I was not pleased with the tax cuts which I believe are short-sighted.  The budget contains several other priorities I do not support such as a new $100 million “college laboratory school” program and new funds for school resource officers, but bipartisanship requires compromise.