Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Virginia governor says savings on construction will be passed on to savings by drivers.
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell says the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority's five proposals for construction of Phase 2 of the Silver Line came in far below expectations - which he predicts will mean major savings for Virginia taxpayers and users of the Dulles Toll Road. MWAA received proposals last week from Bechtel Transit Partners, Capital Rail Constructors, Dulles APC Railbuilders, Dulles Metrorail Connectors, and Silver Line Constructors. The estimates range from $1.17 billion to $1.37 billion, MWAA said. MWAA is expected to conduct a detailed review of the proposals and award a contract later this spring. The $2.7 billion Phase 2 is being built without federal funding (Phase 1 received $900 million in federal dollars). It will …
Saturday, April 6, 2013
The Virginia Senate voted 20 - 19 in favor of an amendment that will prohibit certain health insurance companies in Virginia from providing coverage for women seeking an abortion.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Saturday, April 6
By Mark Robinson Capital News Service The General Assembly on Wednesday narrowly approved an amendment by Gov. Bob McDonnell that will prohibit certain health insurance companies in Virginia from providing coverage for women seeking an abortion. McDonnell added the anti-abortion amendment to House Bill 1900, sponsored by Delegate Thomas Davis Rust (R-Herndon). McLean-area Sens. Janet Howell and Barbara Favola both voted against the amendment. The assembly passed the bill in February to comply with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Under the system, Virginians who cannot afford health insurance will participate in a federally operated health insurance exchange. McDonnell’s amendment will prohibit insurers …
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Sen. Chap Petersen (Fairfax City) introduced the bill, which will make it easier for local officials to enforce a growing number of zoning violations across Fairfax County.
A new Virginia law will make it easier for localities to prosecute the renters behind illegal boarding houses. Gov. Bob McDonnell signed the bill, SB 894, into law in March, giving local officials the power to issue summons and fines directly to renters, leasers or subleasers for zoning violations. Sen. Chap Petersen introduced the bill. "Unfortunately illegal boarding houses have become a problem in Virginia,” Petersen said in a statement. “What this law means is that if you have an illegal boarding house in your community, law enforcement can go directly to the person living in that home and breaking the law." In Virginia, no more than four unrelated people are legally allowed to live in a single-family home. But last year NBC …
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Does the commonwealth need another name on the ballot?
Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling took himself out of Virginia's race for governor last week, leaving, at least for now, what's shaping up to be a two-person race. The choice for the Old Dominion's next governor, seven months before Election Day, seems to have boiled down to presumptive Republican nominee Ken Cuccinelli, the state's socially conservative attorney general, against likely Democratic nominee Terry McAuliffe, the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and a McLean businessman. The Republican Party of Virginia will hold its convention on May 17 and 18 in Richmond to formally select its nominee. Democrats go to the polls on June 11 to cast their ballots in several races, including governor and lieutenant governor. …
Friday, March 15, 2013
A local resident congratulates Gov. Bob McDonnell and Del. Barbara Comstock on the law.
Oakton resident H. Lillian Vogl submitted the following letter to Tysons Corner Patch regarding the "Lyme Disclosure Act," which was signed into law this week. It appears below unedited. Appreciation is due to Governor Bob McDonnell and the local legislators who helped enact the “Lyme Disclosure Act,” into law on Wednesday. Special recognition is due to Delegate Comstock for introducing the measure and Delegate Hugo for being a Co-Patron. Lyme Disease is becoming alarmingly prevalent in our community, and this is a small but important step to help those affected get early diagnosis and effective treatment. Several years ago, my mother was finally diagnosed with Lyme Disease after more than twenty years of mysterious symptoms and incorrect…
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Terry McAuliffe said he disagreed with parts of bill but thought supporting the compromise that passed the Senate on Saturday was crucial.
The former chairman of the Democratic National Committee on Tuesday praised the work of Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell. Terry McAuliffe, the Democrat hoping to succeed McDonnell, said he spent hours on the phone calling members of both parties urging them to support a transportation compromise, which ultimately passed this weekend in the hours before the 2013 General Assembly session ended. "When you work on these major projects, it's not about a partisan agenda," McAuliffe told about a half-dozen reporters at a news conference in Northern Virginia. "This was a big deal. Was this a legacy item for Governor McDonnell? You bet it was." The event was designed to paint Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli — McAuliffe's likely rival for …
Monday, February 25, 2013
That figure does not include 'ripple effects' through the economy from an expected slow down in consumer spending.
The White House Sunday released state-by-state information on how sequestration may affect residents of all 50 states—and Virginia stands to lose millions. When Patch asked its readers this weekend whether President Obama and Senate Democrats are “to blame” for sequestration or if fault lies with John Boehner and the House Republicans, opinions were mixed. “Both parties are to blamed for this event, as neither are attempting to compromise on the issues that each party brings to the table. Neither party is governing at this point in time,” said reader Roger Todd. See: Thanks to Sequestration, You’re About to Lose Your Job: Who’s to Blame? Another reader, who went by the username cmvorhees, wrote, “It is absurd that the failure of elected …
Friday, February 22, 2013
Bill aiming to build consensus around Bob McDonnell's plan to bring $3 billion to transportation projects met with mixed reviews.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Friday, February 22
By Whitney Spicer, Capital News Service Critics of the transportation funding compromise reached by legislative negotiators say the plan would place a huge burden on Virginia taxpayers. The Virginia House of Delegates Friday passed House Bill 2313, which would raise about $900 million a year for transportation and transit projects. The 98-page compromise must win approval the Senate before it can be signed into law by the governor. The legislative session ends Saturday. The new plan, which was hammered out by a 10-member conference committee over the past week, would potentially raise close to $900 million a year in transportation revenue. It could be the first transportation funding overhaul in Virginia since 1986 if it passes this week…
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Plan reduces state gas tax and could raise nearly $900 million a year in transportation funds.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Thursday, February 21
By Whitney Spicer Capital News Service RICHMOND – Negotiators from both the House and Senate came to an agreement Wednesday on a transportation plan that, if passed, would be the first transportation funding overhaul in Virginia since 1986. “This is a huge moment for Virginia,” said Sen. Frank W. Wagner (R-Virginia Beach) a member of the conference committee. “We are on the cusp of bringing home real and lasting transportation solutions that will move Virginia forward now and in the future.” The transportation compromise, which was hammered out by a 10-member conference committee over the past week, would potentially raise nearly $900 million a year in transportation revenue. The plan reduces the state’s gasoline tax by replacing the …
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Bill would impose harsher penalties, make texting while driving a primary offense.
A bill that would impose tougher penalties on those convicted of texting while driving cleared the state Senate on Tuesday and now heads to the desk of Gov. Bob McDonnell. The bill increases the fine to $250 — up from $20 — for the first texting-while-driving offense and $500 for each subsequent conviction. It also makes texting while driving an aggravating circumstance to reckless driving, and so anyone convicted of such would face a mandatory minimum $500 penalty if they were texting while they were driving recklessly. Texting while driving would also become a primary offense, which means police can stop someone on the suspicion that a driver is texting; current law allows police to charge someone with texting while driving only if they'…
Michelle Thomas
5:38 pm on Wednesday, April 24, 2013
I for one find T-Bird to be a complete and utter buffoonery of a poster. Has anyone ever read his post what a wanker. This is a tomfoolery of mental illness to the extreme. I can believe such a person walks this earth with the hatred and bigotry abounds in "its" (T-bird) rants. Its the way it (T-Bird) comes across as holier than all and to be damned to anyone in which disagrees. A real honest to … more ›