Report from Richmond

Report from the capital city after two and a half weeks: as the days of this 2010 session go by, the stronger the partisanship displayed in the House. We have dealt with the perennial Virginia General Assembly social issues: abortion, and the death penalty–gun control will be up soon. The votes have all lined up along party lines. 

We have barely touched education. Today we unfortunately passed (35 opposed & 64 in favor) a bill demanding that all VA school systems report the % of their budgets that are ‘related to instructional spending in the classroom’ and are required to spend at least 65% in the classroom. If a system cannot demonstrate that 65% of their budget goes to the classroom, it must submit a plan for improvement. While perhaps sounding benign, this is simply another mandated reporting requirement that will take time and money away from the classroom to fulfill. It is also an empty political gesture to show legislators’ pro-education vote for the next election. This vote is also an endorsement of one of McDonnell’s campaign promises. If we are really pro-education and value the teacher in the classroom, the numbers we should be looking at are our teachers’ salaries. Virginia is 31st in the nation in average teacher salary. Not a very pro-education number.

I filed and defended a bill declaring that Virginia aspire to setting teachers’ salaries at least the national average. This bill was defeated in committee by a purely partisan vote.  Our House of Delegates is not even willing to ‘aspire’ to fair salaries for our overworked teachers!

And speaking of money–we continue to talk about tax credits with no mention of increased revenue or even a conversation about covering the hole in our budget that these tax credits will make.

Today one bill, which I filed, passed the House–it will increase the number of required electronic state income tax filings.  This bill will save money and trees.  Another  environmentally postive bill which has passed the House is one I co-patroned with David Bulova.  This will allow localities to borrow  from the revolving state water board funds in order to prevent stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces. These two small positve steps may make it through the Senate.

The House Democrats held a bipartisan press conference to endorse a Senate bill for a bipartisan redistricting process.  McDonnell has said while campaigning that he supports this.  We will see.

We also passed a bill, which I did not support, which will raise the threshold for public disclosure of water damage to used cars. The current amount below which no disclosure need occur is $1000.  The House raised it to $5000. No other state has such an anti-consumer law. No other state has any ’safe harbor’ dollar amount of water damage to car that can be withheld from a buyer. So this new legislation encourages insurance companies to bring Katrina-damaged cars to Virginia to sell.

Finally, my bill to increase funding for mass transit failed in subcommittee, my bills to offer tax credits (words the new administration here uses constantly) for energy audits and renewable energy usage (based upon Maryland’s laws) failed in subcommittee, and my bill banning all guns from schools and school property has not been assigned to a committee.

The good news is that I can continue to loudly advocate for school funding, environmentally sound practices, transportation $ for Northern Virginia, no discrimination on any basis in the workplace & work at building for the future.

The LCI, good government, and science and technology will have to wait for my next blog post.  I am heading home before the blizzard.
 
Kaye Kory