Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Proposal could raise $500 million annually, but Virginia governor gives few details Wednesday at transportation conference in Tysons.
Gov. Bob McDonnell announced Wednesday a potential solution to Virginia’s growing transportation funding problem, but cautioned those gathered at his Annual Transportation Conference in Tysons Corner he’ll need to get it through the General Assembly’s 2013 session first. The governor’s proposed package, he said during a keynote appearance Wednesday, would eliminate the need to dip into construction money by 2019 and raise $500 million annually for new roads, bridges and transit projects. How exactly remains to be seen: McDonnell gave few details about his proposal, saying he would reveal specifics in the coming weeks. Maintenance takes priority to construction of new roads in Virginia, McDonnell said, and since 2002, approximately $3.3 …
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Virginia's gas tax is a flat rate tax, but changes could be in the making.
Next year’s Thanksgiving road trip may be a little more expensive as Virginia officials grapple with how to adequately fund Virginia’s growing transportation infrastructure needs. Gov. Bob McDonnell said earlier this month that raising Virginia’s gas tax, tying it to inflation or otherwise adjusting it is not off the table. “I’m looking at a range of things,” McDonnell told reporters in Richmond. “I can tell you that every other major tax in Virginia—the sales tax, the corporate income tax, and the [personal] income tax—all fluctuate with economic activity because they’re a percentage. ... We’re looking at whether or not ... it should fluctuate with economic activity, like every other tax in Virginia.” Right now, Virginia’s state gas tax …
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
'Multiple internal control issues' prompt review of Virginia Railway Express management.
Gov. Bob McDonnell has asked for a review of Virginia Railway Express (VRE) relating to its governance and management practices. "There are multiple internal control issues that have arisen recently which are summarized below, which call into question the management of Virginia Railway Express," wrote McDonnell in an Oct. 3 letter to Virginia Inspector General Michael Morehart and Auditor of Public Accounts Walter Kucharski. McDonnell said he'd learned of the issues in question "through multiple sources." At Tuesday night's Fredericksburg City Council Meeting, Ward III Council Member and VRE Board Member Fred Howe announced he was participating in the review process. "The Governor has undertaken a review of VRE based on some whistle …
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Politico reports that McAuliffe announced his intentions to his supporters in an email Thursday.
Just days after the presidential campaign season ended, another campaign is about to gear up. McLean resident Terry McAuliffe announced Thursday he intends to run for governor of Virginia in 2013, when Gov. Bob McDonnell's term ends, Politico reports. McAuliffe, the former DNC chairman and co-chair of Bill Clinton's 1996 re-election campaign, wrote in an email to supporters on Thursday: "I realize that after any election some people’s immediate question is about the next campaign. I want to be straightforward with you: I plan on running for Governor of Virginia in 2013. Over the past four years, I’ve traveled to every corner of Virginia for over 2,400 meetings and events. It is absolutely clear to me that Virginians want their next …
Sunday, November 4, 2012
The Virginia governor and sons of Mitt Romney visited students and their parents during a swing state visit focused on getting out the Asian-American vote.
Gov. Bob McDonnell visited Hope Chinese School with Tagg and Ben Romney, sons of Gov. Mitt Romney, Sunday afternoon in an effort to court Asian-American voters ahead of the election on Tuesday. McDonnell and the Romney sons met with around 75 students and their parents, taking photos, signing Romney/Ryan stickers and accepting gifts from students during the visit. Hope Chinese School staff also gave McDonnell backpacks and other supplies to donate toward Hurricane Sandy relief. McDonnell told the crowd that Romney believes deeply in religious and political freedom and spoke about Romney's commitment to getting young people back to work and getting the country out of debt. "I'm supporting Mitt Romney partly because he's a great leader. He's…
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
The governor said power should be restored to all Dominion customers by Thursday.
Gov. Bob McDonnell said in his final press briefing for Hurricane Sandy that Virginia was "spared a significant event." “First responders and private partners, they have really done an amazing job preparing for the storm and applying lessons learned from previous storms and putting in an incredible amount of hours,” McDonnell said. McDonnell cited concerns about rivers cresting as flood waters go into the major arteries, and he expected an update on that later Tuesday. Virginia was awarded a federal disaster declaration yesterday, said McDonnell, noting he was “delighted” that President Barack Obama and FEMA were on it immediately. "That is only for federal direct assistance to allow them to provide resources directly and as we do our …
Friday, October 5, 2012
Virginia governor, local contractor say cuts to defense spending would be devastating to the local economy.
Hours after President Barack Obama’s campaign stop at George Mason University, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell hosted a press conference call Friday afternoon taking to task the president’s handling of massive, looming defense cuts. If Congress doesn’t make key budget decisions by the end of the year, $1.2 trillion in cuts to defense and other spending will kick in automatically. McDonnell, who was joined on the call by U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes (R-4th) and Ashburn defense contractor Joe Travez, who repeatedly said the cuts would be “devastating,” especially in Virginia. Approximately 200,000 Virginians would be at risk of losing their jobs if sequestration is implemented in January 2013, and McDonnell said that can’t happen. Virginia is home to …
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Virginia governor issues proclamation recognizing day of remembrance, patriotism and prayer.
- GOVERNMENT
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Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Gov. Bob McDonnell issued the following proclamation, recognizing Sept. 11, 2012 as a Day of Remembrance, Patriotism and Prayer in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The governor also invited all to witness a one-minute, statewide Moment of Silence starting at 9:39 a.m., when American Airlines Flight 77 impacted with the Pentagon in Arlington County. 9/11 Day Of Remembrance, Patriotism And Prayer WHEREAS, the events of September 11, 2001 have profoundly affected-and continue to affect-all aspects of our society, and the lives of Virginians, Americans and people across the world were changed forever following the destruction of the World Trade Center complex in New York City, the attack against the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and the …
Friday, September 7, 2012
By Matt Fleming, Capital News Service
- ELECTIONS
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Friday, September 7, 2012
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Virginia's Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell was dispatched to the Democratic National Convention Thursday to open fire on the Obama administration, a role much like that his neighbor Gov. Martin O'Malley played last week at the GOP convention. McDonnell joined other Republicans at a news conference at the temporary Republican headquarters inside NASCAR Plaza, calling attention to high gas prices, a high unemployment rate and the national deficit, and unveiling a new anti-Obama ad that is scheduled for release following the convention. "On Monday, we learned that gas prices are the highest they've been on Labor Day in the history of America," said McDonnell. "On Tuesday, we learned that the national debt had reached $16 …
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Virginia's Governor has a prime speaking slot on Tuesday evening.
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell will give a speech on small business and the economy Tuesday during the Republican National Convention. According to The Richmond Times Dispatch’s Virginia politics blog, McDonnell’s keynote address will air after 8 p.m. on Tuesday — a premium speaking slot. McDonnell's speech is titled “We Built It,” referring to a remark made by President Barack Obama during a July event in Roanoke that has since become controversial on the campaign trail. Obama was speaking about the role of government investment in infrastructure and businesses when he said, “If you’ve got a business, you didn’t build that,” Obama said in July. “Somebody else made that happen.” The statement, which some argue has been taken out of context in…
Sally Spangler
11:13 am on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
To Anoneemous: It would be truly wonderous if the state would make transportation a "core service" of the state. Unfortunately, we probably will be lucky to see anything at all from our "Commonwealth". Whether now or later. more ›