Why I’m Running for Re-election

May 4, 2015 by Creigh Deeds

After much thought, I want to announce that I will run for re-election to the State Senate this fall. I am proud of the many things we have been able to accomplish, working together, to protect the most vulnerable, Virginia’s children, to conserve Virginia’s open space, to rebuild Virginia’s economy, and recently to reform our system of mental health care. I will be humbled to ask the voters in the 25th Senatorial District for their votes on November 3rd so that I may continue my work.

One of my primary goals is to ensure the integrity of the electoral process. The past 12 years I have been working to reform the redistricting process, to follow the lead of other states and ensure that voters pick their legislators rather than the elected picking their electorate. I remain dedicated to the idea that we can organically change the way government works by fixing the way district lines are drawn.

Virginia’s economy is changing in fundamental ways. Sequestration at the federal level has laid bare our dependence on federal spending and increased our necessity to rebuild, diversify and expand our economy. More than ever, we must invest in infrastructure. We have to build our intellectual infrastructure and continue to prioritize K-12 and higher education so that we develop a workforce to meet the needs of 21st Century businesses and give our citizens the opportunity to live the American dream. In the same vein, we have to continue to improve our transportation network so that people and goods can move from place to place and from farm to market. We have one of the largest state maintained systems of highways in the country. The system must work well throughout Virginia, and we need to continue to explore the expansion of passenger rail.

Finally, I am dedicated to building a system of public mental healthcare that meets the needs of all Virginians. This is an issue that drives me. I am proud of the work that we have accomplished thus far. The changes we have made will result in real change for families who are struggling. However we have only touched the tip of the iceberg. We have so much work to do, and I am committed to achieving meaningful reform. The system has failed too many people.

I look forward to a discussion of the issues and how we move Virginia forward.

Judges

Only one week remains of the 2019 Session the General Assembly. Bills are being heard and meeting their fates at an ever quicker pace. Multiple meetings are scheduled at the same time. Legislators, staff, interested citizens, and lobbyists are all running around trying to protect their turf or see that their interests are being met.

This past week, any legislation dealing with revenues had to be considered by both houses and put into conference if the two chambers had any disagreement over the language of the bills. Conference committees generally are made up of three senators and three delegates. The most significant conference committee appointed every year is on the budget. Seven members of each chamber achieve that coveted assignment. Unlike past years, broad agreement exists already on key elements of the budget. Over $900 million of the surplus will be returned to citizens over the biennium through larger tax returns and in a one-time payment later this year.

Even with the rebates, this budget invests considerable new money into a number of priorities. The budget will include a 5% pay increase for teachers and significant expenditures on mental health services. The full funding of the earned income tax credit, as the Governor proposed, is no longer under consideration. That proposal would have helped those who struggle the most financially. [Read More…]

Summer Update

August 23, 2018 By Creigh Deeds

The 2019 legislative session is just around the corner, which is hard to believe since it feels like the 2018 Session just ended. In fact, the General Assembly has yet to adjourn the special session. A couple of issues remain unresolved.

The Governor initially called for a special session because the General Assembly did not reach a budget agreement. After months of wrangling, the legislature adopted a budget on May 30 that included Medicaid expansion. It was a huge bipartisan accomplishment. Nevertheless, the Senate and House of Delegates did not adjourn sine die because the party in the majority has not agreed on the selection of certain judges. Periodically I’ve heard rumors that the General Assembly will be called back to Richmond for a vote, but those rumors have thus far proven to be untrue. In the meantime, another critical issue has arisen. [Read More…]

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