Next year in the General Assembly

 

 

Social distancing during the legislative information session.

While the whole world obsessed with the presidential election, county government looks toward 2021.

On Monday, November 9, Goochland’s delegation to the Virginia General Assembly—Lee Ware 65^th District Delegate; John McGuire, 56^th District Delegate, and Mark Peake, 22^nd District State Senator—met with the board of supervisors, school board, county administration, economic development authority, and Constitutional Officers. Held in the Central High School Cultural and Educational Center’s auditorium configured to accommodate social distancing, the gathering reflected on the 2020 legislature and looked forward to next year.

As with everything else in 2020, the current year’s General Assembly was “like no other.” In fact, the special session called by the governor in the summer, had not yet adjourned. Ware observed that the “special session” was longer than a biannual “long”60-day session.

Although the alleged purpose of the special session was to address state budget shortfalls caused by the Covid lockdowns, Ware and Peake reported that the legislators instead focused on police reform and social justice matters. “We talked about everything but the budget for six weeks,” Peake said.

Peake thanked Goochland for organizing the meeting—typically held in late summer—to exchange information. “It was a terrible year” for the legislature. After March, said Peake, there was no opportunity for committee discussions and things came up with little notice. He lamented the lack of communication at all levels and contended that house democrats do not even talk to senate democrats.

Ware too thanked Goochland for its annual discussions with legislators in advance of the General Assembly session, which begins in January. “This is a great opportunity to get a sense of Goochland’s priorities for the new year.” He said that the revised state school budget held school funding harmless. Covid underlined the importance of broadband expansion, resulting in a modest $60 million increase in grant funds.

McGuire added his thanks to the county for the meeting. “This helps us to be your voice in the General Assembly.” He too lamented the focus of the special session on criminal and social justice reform as the state looked at a several billion-dollar shortfall in state revenues. The Commonwealth is required to have a balanced budget. “If you have $20, you can’t spend $40,” McGuire said.

Peake reported that this year, when budget matters were addressed, no amendments were accepted, there was no input from many members of the GA.

Each year our county and school division prepare a legislative agenda that lists matters of concern and requested actions and a list of policy positions. A first draft of this was discussed on November 9. The list will be honed and presented to the legislators before the GA convenes next January.

Broadband expansion topped the list. Covid highlighted the crucial importance of universal access to hi speed internet. While money to build the physical components of broadband is a significant obstacle, so are regulatory impairments. Goochland “supports improvements to existing state law to make it easier for wireless communication companies to either use existing tall structures or build communication structures so long as localities’ ability to regulate land use is preserved. The county supports the adoption and implementation of new technology that will improve and expand citizen access to broadband internet,” the draft said in part.

Reimbursement for the compensation of the electoral board and general registrar is an evergreen item on the county’s legislative agenda. Funding from the federal CARES act helped to offset the extraordinary expenses of the 2020 general election. State monies appropriated for this has dwindled over the years shifting the cost burden for elections, including partisan primaries, to localities. Robin Lind, secretary of the Goochland Electoral Board said he has no idea how much the 2020 general election will cost.

Redistricting will also increase local election costs next year. Lind opined that primaries—Virginia elects a governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and the entire house of delegates in 2021—will not be held before August as new districts will not be defined and approved by the traditional June primary dates.

Our school division had a longer list of priority requests, including support for legislation that increases early childhood education and preschool opportunities for students to lessen the discrepancy of kindergarten-readiness in preschool children. Schools generally oppose erosion of local control, including the ability to maintain teacher quality through performance evaluation.

Assorted other subjects were discussed. Transporting out of state refuse to landfills in Virginia is protected by the commerce clause of the United States Constitution.

McGuire spoke to criminal justice reform. “If we have no law enforcement, we have no country,” he said.

Board of Supervisors’ chair Susan Lascolette, District 1, said she was concerned about efforts to eliminate qualified immunity, which protects a government official from civil lawsuits alleging that the official violated a plaintiff's rights, only allowing suits where officials violated a “clearly established” statutory or constitutional right—for law enforcement officers.

McGuire said that if LEOs hesitate to take appropriate actions, the results could be deadly. Recruitment for these jobs is very difficult as it is.

Peake said there needs to be some parole reform, but an omnibus bill presented in the GA did not help. “There were some poorly worded sections mixed in with good ideas,” he said of the legislation. “Adding social workers to law enforcement is a bad idea. LEOs don’t want to kill innocent people but they don’t need to be concerned about unintended consequences.”

Lascolette said that more resources are needed for mental health issues.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jeremy Raley said that he is very thankful for our school resource officers (SROs) who are doing exemplary work and acting as roles models for students in the high and middle schools. Deputies visit our elementary schools as they patrol.

Peake said that some members of the GA want to eliminate SROs.

No discussion of state budgets and departments would be complete with at least touching on VDOT—the state agency whose motto is Oops!”. In Goochland, roads are built and maintained by VDOT (Note: the wonderful folks who cut grass, plow snow, fill potholes, and remove downed trees and dead deer are not part of the OOPs! Division)

County Administrator Kenneth Young reported that several bridges in the county—on Haskins, Old Columbia, and Whitehall Roads—are structurally deficient and unable to support the weight of fire-rescue vehicles. Fire-rescue chief D.E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. explained that, because we are a rural area, our fire apparatus carries a great deal of water. A fire engine can weigh upwards of 60k pounds and an ambulance up to 14k pounds. A loaded school bus up to 30k pounds.

Ferguson said that using alternate routes to avoid these bridges can add at least three to five minutes to already lengthy response times in the western end of the county.

Peake said that in addition to Covid related revenue shortfalls, declines in gas taxes caused by reduction in travel during the pandemic have put VDOT in a spending bind. He predicted that there will be no more money for roads or transportation projects until revenues increase.

Lascolette said that more than half of the calls she receives from constituents concern transportation issues.

Jonathan Lyle, Director of the Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District raised concerns about legislation that impinges on a property owner’s right to farm. He cited instances where residents of subdivisions built in agricultural areas petitioned to regulate the kind of crops that could be grown around them. “Cows don’t call 911 or show up in classrooms,” Lyle said. He opposes any legislation or regulation that makes farming impossible.

The two-hour meeting was chock full of constructive interaction among attendees on a wide range of topics. Goochland’s delegation understands the county’s position on nuts and bolts issues. The bottom line seemed to be that the next session of the Virginia General Assembly will be challenging at best.