Senator Creigh Deeds

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Session Newsletter (Jan. 18)

January 18, 2013 by Creigh Deeds

The 2013 Session of the Virginia General Assembly is moving rapidly toward the crossover, the date when each house has to finish work on its respective bills. The short, 46-day session does not leave much time for delay or maneuver. Things move fast, and many issues of importance have already come up for debate.

This past week saw the initial committee consideration of Governor McDonnell’s  appointments. Key among those appointments, at least to many of my constituents, was the reappointment of Helen Dragas of Virginia Beach to the University of Virginia Board of Visitors. Many will recall the drama of this past summer, and I do not need to rehash the events concerning the firing and rehiring of President Teresa Sullivan. The Governor reappointed Mrs. Dragas to the Board of Visitors, and that appointment is subject to confirmation by the General Assembly.

The first leg of the legislative journey toward reappointment occurs in the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee, of which I am a member. The meetings are public, and I was surprised that not one person who had written or called me came to testify against the confirmation this past Monday. Several of my colleagues and I spoke, but we did not have sufficient votes to remove her name from the Resolution. Only Senators Janet Howell and Ralph Northam joined me in opposing the reappointment.

In my comments, I spoke to my belief that this General Assembly ought to be focused on the University’s central position to our mission to provide educational and economic opportunity to young Virginians. I relayed to my colleagues that this issue has resonated with my constituents and has brought great dishonor to the University. Central to that dishonor is the lack of transparency and the secretive manner in which the Board handled the events leading up to and following the President’s dismissal. The public needs to have confidence in its state institutions, and I told the committee that the only way to begin the process of healing, of restoring public trust in the University, was to replace Mrs. Dragas. The resolution will be voted on by the full Senate early next week before heading to the House of Delegates.

Bills I have introduced are working through the process as well. In fact, as of today, six of my bills have been reported out of committee. Those bills are as follows:

  • Senate Bill 882 will ensure the state continues providing some level of funding to the public library in Clifton Forge.
  • Senate Bill 884, which came about during a discussion with a constituent in Rockbridge County, will require notice be given when the water flow from certain dams increases significantly.
  • Senate Bills 885 and 888 limit the number of inoperable vehicles that can be kept in public view on properties in Albemarle County and allow counties to enter into agreements with the Virginia Department of Transportation to not only remove signs in rights of ways but to retain civil penalties that are collected when those signs are placed illegally.
  • Senate Bill 886 makes a technical change in the affordable housing statute for the City of Charlottesville.
  • Senate Bill 887, which I introduced at the request of a constituent in Highland County, increases the distance a farm use vehicle can travel from 30 to 50 miles.

The votes on two bills have been delayed to allow for input and recommendations from stakeholders.  Senate Bill 880 would require the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to inventory streams that are open to the public.  Senate Bill 881, which I introduced following meetings with Rockbridge County officials, would allow localities to bill insurance companies directly for emergency services provided to automobile crashes on interstate highways. Both bills have generated visits from state agencies and other interested parties. I am hopeful the language is finalized quickly so that the bills can be heard next week.

As a member of the Privileges and Elections Committee, I often sponsor legislation related to the electoral process. This year, in addition to my continued attempts to establish a redistricting commission in Virginia, I sponsored Senate Bill 883 to require new voter cards be issued every year. This bill acknowledges the success of Governor McDonnell’s initiative in 2012 to send out voter cards prior to the election. In my view, the issuance of the cards limited the number of problems Virginia voters had with the new voter ID law. People move, precinct locations change, and voters would benefit from up-to-date information. I expect this bill will receive significant opposition, but it has not yet come up for a vote.

Senate Bill 906 was brought to me by general registrars and would establish a pilot project for the use of vote centers. Vote centers would combine two or more precincts in low turnout, primary elections, thus reducing costs to local registrars. The bill has made it out of subcommittee and should be taken up in full committee next week. The key, of course, is to ensure vote centers can be utilized without unduly confusing voters.

The situation at the University of Virginia was not just about the personalities involved. At a minimum, we should take the opportunity to review what happened to identify ways to improve governance at our colleges and universities. Senate Bills 1085 and 1086 were developed with the assistance of many constituents in the Charlottesville area and Delegate Toscano. While Governor of Virginia, Senator Mark Warner established the Virginia Commission on Higher Education Board Appointments, which was later codified in 2005. One of my bills would make certain the Commission reviews and makes recommendations for all appointments, not just at the request of the Governor. The other bill makes certain changes to the composition and rules governing the Board of Visitors at the University of Virginia, including requiring a nonvoting faculty representative on the Board and ensuring one of the appointments be a person with experience in higher education. Unfortunately, the bills have been caught up in this polarized situation surrounding Mrs. Dragas and are in trouble.

I have introduced several other bills, but none of the remaining bills have come up for consideration as of this morning. A complete list of my bills is here.

Thank you for allowing me to serve you in the Senate of Virginia. If I can be of service to you, or if you would like information about this process, please contact us at [email protected] or (804) 698-7525.

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Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly Session

Session Newsletter (Jan. 11)

January 11, 2013 by Creigh Deeds

The 2013 Session of the General Assembly began on an unseasonably mild January 9.  This is the short session, meaning that the legislature will be in session only 46 days.  Adjournment is scheduled for the 23rd of February. We are charged with adopting amendments to the 2012 – 2014 budget and dealing with over 2000 bills. Needless to say, it will be a busy session. It has been my experience that delegates and senators try to do as much work in a short session as in the longer 60-day session.

This year’s session will not lack big issues. Chief among them is whether we lift the 31 year moratorium on uranium mining. The moratorium was put in place in 1982, following a 1979 discovery of a large uranium deposit in Pittsylvania County. Geologic surveys have shown that uranium deposits exist throughout the Piedmont of Virginia. A group of Southside businessmen interested in mining uranium are spearheading an effort this year to lift the moratorium. The introduced bill is limited to the Pittsylvania County deposit, but as uranium exists elsewhere in the Commonwealth, it will certainly have a precedential value and be of interest to all Virginians. I remain concerned about the proposal to lift the moratorium, and you can expect I will be paying close attention as the legislation is debated.

Transportation remains a big issue for Virginia. Because state law requires that we cover maintenance costs before we build, the state dollars designated for construction have been flowing in ever increasing amounts to the maintenance fund. The dwindling construction dollars are used to obtain federal matching funds, which are derived from the federal gas tax we pay at the pump. The construction fund is expected to be depleted in just a matter of years, which means we will forfeit Virginia’s share of federal gas taxes. Already, the significant construction projects for the past several years have been funded either by federal stimulus dollars or through bonded indebtedness. I expect a number of bills to be filed in the area of transportation.  Historically, very few bills of significance, especially those that come with a price tag, have been adopted by the General Assembly in a state election year.

On the eve of this session, the Governor made a dramatic proposal to raise new money  for transportation. The Governor’s plan would:

  • eliminate the gas tax and replace it with a 0.8 percent sales tax increase
  • divert 0.25 percent of current sales tax revenue from the General Fund to the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF)
  • take advantage of a proposed change in federal law to allow states to tax out-of-state internet sales to further supplement the coffers of the TTF
  • establish a $15 annual vehicle registration fee to support rail
  • create a $100 fee for alternative fuel vehicles

Altogether, he says that his plan will generate over $3.2 billion for transportation over the next five years. This sounds like a significant investment.

The gas tax is projected to generate $3.5 billion by FY 2018. Currently, about a third of that is paid by non-residents, because it is paid by those who buy gasoline and use Virginia highways. The new sales tax revenue generated by the .8 percent increase is almost $5 billion.  Less than one-fifth of that revenue would come from non-residents. So, to a large extent, the bulk of the revenue in this most significant portion of the Governor’s plan would be paid for by residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The $811 million in additional sales tax money diverted from the General Fund would come from other core services, such as public education, higher education, public health, and public safety. The Governor would generate a billion dollars for the TTF and about $138 million for localities by taxing all internet sales. Unfortunately, the federal legislation to enable Virginia to do this has been defeated in the U.S. Congress before. If Congress fails to pass this legislation, a third of the Governor’s new dollars evaporate.

The vehicle registration fee would generate about $545 million. Many people have been concerned that alternative fuel vehicles do not contribute their fair share to the use of the highways. However, the alternative fuel vehicles only amount to 1.2 percent of registered vehicles in Virginia. This fee would generate about $67 million for mass transit. Certainly  any transportation plan needs to encompass more than just our highways, and I support the Governor’s effort to identify dedicated funding sources for transit and rail.

The Governor’s proposal will compete with bills introduced by other legislators, and it is difficult to know at this point which ideas will advance. But it is important to understand that the Governor, albeit very late in the process, has put significant ideas before the General Assembly.  I certainly cannot support the idea of putting the prime responsibility for funding transportation on the consumer rather than on those who use the highways. In my view, the sales tax is a regressive tax, and I do not believe it is a good idea to increase it for transportation. My position remains unchanged with respect to taking money out of the General Fund and away from other core services for transportation.

However, I applaud the Governor for coming up with a series of ideas. It is my hope that we can work together to develop a long-term, sustainable plan for funding transportation.  As I discussed in this column in past years, I honestly believe the future vitality of Virginia’s economy rests on smart investments in transportation.

It is my honor to serve you in the Senate of Virginia. If I can be of service to you, or if you would like to share your thoughts or ask a question, or if you would like to visit  Richmond and see the legislative process in action, please contact us at [email protected] or (804) 698-7525.

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Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly Session Tagged With: Uranium mining, Virginia General Assembly, Virginia transportation funding

Ending Political Gridlock

January 9, 2013 by Creigh Deeds

Deeds and Toscano Introduce Redistricting Commission Bill

(Charlottesville, VA – January 4, 2013) – Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds and House of Delegates Democratic Leader David Toscano are introducing a bill to reform the redistricting process. The bill will amend the Virginia Constitution to establish the Virginia Redistricting Commission, a bipartisan group that would create Congressional and State legislative districts which are contiguous, compact, and respect city and county boundaries – and specifically be drawn without favor to a political party or legislator.

“The main reason for political gridlock is legislative districts that have been gerrymandered to overwhelmingly favor an incumbent’s party, resulting in hyperpartisan legislators unable to work together for the common good” said Senator Deeds, who has been championing non-partisan redistricting since 2003. “This bill would result in much more competitive elections, and revive an endangered political species, the political moderate”.

Stated Delegate Toscano, a co-patron of the measure, “Redistricting has become a way by which those in power maintain their control – and both parties have done it. We are in a unique position right now. The next redistricting will occur after the 2020 census. Hopefully this will make it easier for incumbents to put aside narrow self-interest and make a change to help the Commonwealth’s interest.”

Senator Deeds noted how partisan redistricting has resulted in Charlottesville and Albemarle being part of a congressional district that runs from Danville to Fauquier County, a result of incumbent protectionism driving redistricting. “Instead of voters choosing their legislators, legislators are choosing their constituents. That must change.”

The Virginia Redistricting Commission would have 13 members, none of whom could be sitting legislators or employees of the US Congress or the Virginia General Assembly. Six would be appointed by Democrats, six by Republicans, with an independent member appointed jointly, to serve as Chairman.

The Commission would redistrict according to specific criteria to create districts that are contiguous and compact, with an aim of avoiding the division of cities and counties into more than one district. Districts could not be drawn for the purpose of favoring a political party or incumbent legislator or member of Congress, and would not use election results or demographic information except as required by federal law.

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Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly Session

2013 General Assembly Session

November 20, 2012 by Creigh Deeds

The General Assembly will convene on Wednesday, January 9, 2013. The filing period for new bills is underway. You can review all legislation at https://lis.virginia.gov/.  If you have any suggestions or legislative ideas, please send me an email at [email protected].

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Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly Session

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