Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Gov. Bob McDonnell's task force releases recommendations to the General Assembly.
- GOVERNMENT
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Tuesday, February 5
By Blake Belden, Capital News Service Gov. Bob McDonnell is urging state legislators to approve recommendations from his School and Campus Safety Task Force that would increase sentences for illegally buying guns, require mandatory lockdown drills at schools and establish more comprehensive suicide prevention programs, among other suggestions. McDonnell sent the General Assembly a letter outlining initial recommendations from the panel, which the governor established in the wake of December’s school shootings in Newtown, Conn., where a gunman killed 26 people, including 20 children. In the letter, McDonnell highlighted those recommendations he wants legislators to give the "most priority": 10 of them involve public safety (including …
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Del. Mark Keam votes for the amended package, which would eliminate Virginia's gas tax and hike sales taxes to raise $3 billion over five years.
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s controversial transportation bill passed the House of Delegates Finance Committee on Wednesday, moving past its first hurdle in the state's 2013 General Assembly session. In a 14-8 vote, the committee passed McDonnell’s package, which calls for eliminating the state’s 17.5 cents per gallon gas tax and raising the state sales tax from 5 percent to 5.8 percent. The plan would also keep the 17.5 tax on diesel fuel and increase vehicle registration fees. It would also raise the amount of the state’s sales tax that goes to transportation from 5 to 75 cents over a five-year period. McDonnell said the bill would raise approximately $3 billion in that time, including $1.8 billion for new construction. The committee — …
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell tours state Thursday asking for support, says plan could jumpstart several projects in Northern Virginia.
Gov. Bob McDonnell spent Thursday traveling across the state to urge area business leaders and residents to support his “Virginia’s Road to the Future” transportation plan, saying his proposal could help jumpstart a number of projects in Northern Virginia that have seemed to stall. The plan has gotten mixed reviews from some state legislators so far this session, but a new poll from Christopher Newport University showed 63 percent of Virginia voters support McDonnell's plan, which hinges on doing away with the state’s 17.5 cents per gallon gas tax and increasing the state sales tax from 5 percent to 5.8 percent. The poll, released Thursday, surveyed 1,015 people across the state on a number of issues, including the governor's plan. …
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Governor lays out proposals, challenges in speech to state lawmakers.
Transportation funding, teacher raises and restoring rights to non-violent offenders were a few of the topics explored Wednesday night by Gov. Bob McDonnell in his State of the Commonwealth speech at the Capitol in Richmond. "The Virginia General Assembly has met in this building for 220 years — the Speaker was just a young boy during that first session," the governor said, grinning at Speaker Bill Howell (R-28th) seated behind him. "I ask that you not conclude this session without approving a long-term transportation funding plan for Virginia," said McDonnell to members of the General Assembly in the House Chamber. "Do not send me a budget that does not include new transportation funding. We are all out of excuses. We must act now." "We …
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Local officials don't agree with directing $48 million of general fund money to transportation projects.
Gov. Bob McDonnell announced Monday a series of amendments to the Virginia State Budget that would increase net spending by more than $200 million. The amendments find $500 million in savings in the state’s two-year, $80 billion budget. But they propose an additional $736 million in new spending for teacher raises, funding to state colleges and increases in funding to local governments, along with transportation projects and teacher salary. “The budget amendments that I am presenting today reflect … the realities of this economy and the looming uncertainty that budget gridlock in Washington and the fiscal cliff are having on our economy,” McDonnell said in a statement. “Yet they look forward to building upon our legacy of conservative and…
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 …
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Industry leader Intelsat will bring 430 jobs from DC to the developing Tysons Corner.
Gov. Bob McDonnell announced Wednesday the world leader in satellite services will be moving its headquarters from Washington D.C. to Tysons in Fairfax County. Intelsat will bring 430 jobs to Northern Virginia, leasing approximately 188,000 square feet at the new Tysons Tower, which is still under construction. Officials expect a mid-2014 move-in date. “Adding an industry leader such as Intelsat, with its rich and storied history, to the roster of companies doing business in Virginia is a testament to the strong business climate that we are focused on continually improving,” McDonnell said in a statement. “I welcome Intelsat to Virginia, and am confident they will be a great corporate citizen and partner.” McDonnell approved a $1.3 million…
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 …
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
MWAA board member will no longer battle spending ouster and will resign instead.
- GOVERNMENT
- Karen Goff
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Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell announced Wednesday that the Commonwealth and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority have reached a settlement with Dennis Martire, the former MWAA Board Member who was was fighting his removal from the group for questionable spending. “Today, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and former board member Dennis Martire reached agreement on the terms of a settlement that put to an end the months of unnecessary and costly litigation between the parties regarding my decision to remove Martire for cause as a board member of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority," McDonnell said in a statement. "The full MWAA board considered and approved the terms of the …
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Should he have chosen McDonnell? What role could McDonnell play in a Romney administration?
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney announced his VP choice, Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, Saturday morning as he prepares for a day of campaigning across Virginia. Romney will be in Manassas this afternoon on a campaign stop. (Go to Manassas Patch for live updates starting at 4 p.m. Saturday.) Who is scheduled to stand alongside Romney today in Manassas helping him campaign? Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, who was talked about as a possible running mate for Romney. McDonnell has spent time this year campaigning with Romney across Virginia, as well as South Carolina, Florida and other states. McDonnell endorsed Romney after longtime McDonnell friend Texas Gov. Rick Perry dropped out of the race. On Saturday morning, McDonnell …
Erica R. Hendry
9:58 am on Thursday, January 31, 2013
Hi Paul, You probably caught the 5:30 a.m. version of this story, which had that the vote was along party lines. That clause was removed and corrected later in the morning. Thanks for reading! Erica more ›