eNews

 

In this issue:

• 2018 VML Conference a success
• Introducing the 2018-2019 VML Executive committee
• 2019 Legislative Program
• Conference and Mayors Institute speaker presentations available soon
• Updates from the redistricting battle
• Wireless infrastructure group makes progress
• VDOT group discusses new guidelines and permits
• Amazon wage increase to affect local governments?
• Virginia shipyards benefit from bipartisan cooperation
• Data sharing initiative may help fight opioid addiction
• Public-private options discussed for school modernization
• Study of private day special education service rates set to begin

 

Hampton hosts a fantastic conference

From the opening session to the closing banquet the 2018 VML Conference was a great success. Governor Ralph Northam, Senator Mark Warner, Senator Tim Kaine, and Prince William County Board Chair Corey Stewart all spoke at the conference. Thanks to Mayor Tuck and the City of Hampton for putting on a beautiful host night event at Fort Monroe. Thanks also to the more than 80 exhibitors who displayed their wares and services as well as this year’s sponsors: VHDA, VML Insurance Programs, Dominion Energy, FirstNet built with AT&T and Verizon Wireless.

 

2018-2019 VML Executive Committee officers

It’s official: Roanoke Council Member Anita James Price is VML’s new President! Norfolk Council Member Tommy Smigiel is President-Elect and Staunton Vice-Mayor Ophie Kier is Vice President. Dr. Patricia P. Woodbury, Council Member, City of Newport News, is the Immediate Past President.

Executive Committee Members At-Large are Marion Town Manager Bill Rush (who will fill out Ophie Kier’s terms which expires in 2020), City of Galax Council Member Willie Green who was elected to a 3-year term and Town of Vienna Mayor Laurie DiRocco who was re-elected to a 3-year term. Town of Farmville Vice-Mayor Chuckie Reid will fill the final year of retiring member Martinsville Mayor Gene Teague. Pennington Gap Council Member Jill Carson and Town of Middleburg Mayor Bridge Littleton continue to serve on the committee.

The section chairs are:

• City – Council Member Jon Stehle (City of Fairfax)
• Town – Council Member Sean Polster (Town of Warrenton)
• Urban – Council Member Shannon Kane (City of Virginia Beach)

 

2019 Legislative Program adopted

VML members adopted the 2018 VML Legislative Program on Tuesday, Oct. 2, at the business meeting of the 2018 annual conference in Hampton. The program reflects VML’s positions on potential legislative issues and will be shared with legislators in advance of the 2018 General Assembly session. Small revisions made at the meeting are being confirmed and incorporated into the final document which will be posted to VML’s website next week.

VML contact: Janet Areson

 

2018 VML Conference, Mayors Institute presentations available soon

Did you miss a presentation you wanted to attend? Did you hear a speaker you thought knocked it out of the park and you want to review their presentation? Were you unable to make to the conference this year? Don’t worry – we will be posting many of the presentations to our website. If you were speaker and would like us to add yours, send it and we’ll get it posted.

Please note – some speakers requested that we not share their presentations.

VML Contact: Rob Bullington, rbullington@vml.org

 

Battle lines drawn as Oct. 30^th redistricting deadline approaches

Governor Northam threatens veto

The third redistricting proposal reviewed by the House  Committee on Privileges and Elections, HB 7003 (the Jones Plan), faced stiff headwinds on Oct.  2^nd after Governor Ralph Northam threatened in a press release to veto it for what he described as a “partisan process.”

While it’s true that HB 7003 passed along partisan lines, with a 12-10 vote on Sept. 27^th, HB 7003 succeeded in incorporating input from delegates on both sides of the aisle, something that the two previous proposals failed to do.

As maps of the various plans indicate, HB 7003 would affect more districts (32) than the previous two plans. Governor Northam has previously expressed a preference for a nonpartisan, court-drawn map, while members of the General Assembly argue that a new map should be drawn by elected representatives.

No date for a full House vote has been set.

VML Contact: Jessica Ackerman, jackerman@vml.org

 

Wireless communications infrastructure work group makes progress

Report due to General Assembly by Dec. 15

The Wireless Communications Infrastructure work group is making progress on the development of a plan to expand access to wireless service in unserved and underserved areas of the state. The group, which held its most recent meeting on Sept. 24, was created by legislation (HB405) passed in the 2018 General Assembly session.

The legislation stipulates that the plan created by the work group will have the following components:

1.  A definition of unserved and underserved areas
2.  Identification of barriers to access to wireless services in such areas
3.  A proposed expedited review process for such areas
4.  Identification of ways to encourage industry to locate in such areas
5.  Consideration of a lower fee for such an expedited review process.

At its Sept. 24 meeting, the work group decided that there should be separate work groups for each of these five components and they agreed to discuss each area soon in conference calls. The work group also discussed how best to define “unserved” and “underserved” but did not reach a consensus on these definitions.

Two days after this group met, the FCC voted to approve a Declaratory Ruling and Third Report and Order that may have an impact on this charge and was not discussed at the meeting.

As this group progresses towards its December 15 deadline, hopefully there will be a draft for us all to review and comment on.

The work group includes state, industry, and local representation.

VML Contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org

 

VDOT wireless stakeholder group discusses new guidelines and permits

For more than a year, a stakeholder group convened by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has held meetings to examine issues that wireless communication companies and VDOT have with new infrastructure, attachments to existing infrastructure and the new Virginia code sections governing zoning for wireless infrastructure passed during the 2017 and 2018 sessions of the General Assembly.

The most recent meeting was the first time that the whole group had the opportunity to discuss the new VDOT guidelines and permits for wireless facilities (listed below).

• General Wireless Permit Package Submission and Review Guidelines
• District-wide permit – Wireless small cell facility
• Private entrance installation
• Single-use wireless small cell facility
• Single use permit surveying operations
• Single-use permit – Wireless Support Structure
• District-wide permit – Surveying operations
• Land use permit application

 It’s important to note that none of these permits can be used for interstate highways until they receive approval from the Federal Government, which is expected sometime in November.

This group will continue to meet and work through issues related to wireless facility placement.  As with the Wireless Communications Infrastructure work group (discussed in the previous article), The FCC vote to approve a Declaratory Ruling and Third Report and Order may have an impact on the VDOT stakeholder group’s work. We will let you know developments on that!

VML Contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org

 

Amazon raises minimum wage for employees

Fiscal impact of Amazon’s decision could affect public sector employment

Amazon’s founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos, announced earlier this week that the company plans to raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour beginning this November. That rate is more than twice the state and federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

The Washington Post reports that Amazon has some 4,500 full-time hourly employees in the company’s Virginia fulfillment centers located in Chesterfield County, Frederick County, City of Petersburg, and Fairfax County. Amazon also has a sorting center in the Town of Ashland.

The Virginia Chamber of Commerce was quoted in the Post article that it isn’t surprised about the wage boost given the tightening labor market and low 3% unemployment rate in Virginia and elsewhere. “The Virginia Chamber supports a free-market approach to establishing wages. We will also continue to advocate for policies that will help Virginians gain access to job training and skills that will allow them to earn higher wages.”

Amazon said in a press release that it encourages its competitors and other large employers to join in the effort to raise their employees’ minimum wage. If the wage initiative catches fire, local governments will have to review their pay structure and policies to ensure they stay competitive in attracting workers.

VML Contact: Neal Menkes, nmenkes@vml.org

 

Virginia shipyards to benefit from new federal spending plan

Bipartisan cooperation peaks through political storm clouds

Despite what often seems like interminable partisan squabbling preceding the mid-term federal elections, Congress and President Donald Trump managed a rare feat last week — the passage and signing of an $854 billion spending bill to keep the government running through December 7.

In a statement released to the news media, the president noted that the spending legislation will “rebuild our military, protect our communities, and deliver a better future for all Americans.”

The spending plan includes $675 billion for the Defense Department, with money for new fighter planes, helicopters, battleships, and an increase of 2.6 percent in military pay.  There are also increases in spending for health and human services, education, and workforce programs.

The spending targeted for naval construction is good news for Virginia’s shipbuilders and workers.  It represents a commitment to meet the Navy’s 355-ship goal, requiring an additional $5 billion to $5.5 billion in annual spending over the next 30 years, according to the Congressional Research Service.  The Navy’s shipbuilding goal includes a new aircraft carrier to be built in Virginia which will provide a big boost to shipyards that have struggled because of past budget caps that restricted funding for new ships.

An April 2018 article by the National Council of State Legislatures, “Military’s Impact on State Economies,” ranked Virginia highest among the 50-states in terms of total defense spending as well as highest in defense spending as a percentage of the state’s gross domestic product.

VML Contact: Neal Menkes, nmenkes@vml.org

 

Proposed data sharing initiative may help local governments combat opioid addiction

How do agencies within state government, much less among the state and local governments, share information so that better decisions are made but concerns related to confidentiality are addressed?  At the state level, the Data Sharing and Analytics Advisory Committee is examining this issue, including looking at a proposed pilot project on opioid addiction, abuse, and overdose. The goal is to have state agencies and local partners in the health, behavioral health, corrections, law enforcement and other domains collect data and share information regarding opioid addiction.

The committee was created to advise the new position of state’s Chief Data Officer. The role of the committee was laid out in SB580, which passed during the 2018 General Assembly session.

The committee has been meeting weekly to work through the details of how information can be shared and used while complying with state and federal laws on privacy and confidentiality.

Thus far, the committee’s recommended actions include:

• Stakeholder Identification and Engagement Use Cases
• Data Governance Research
• Data Analysis
• Governance Policy Development
• Governance Policy Report to the General Assembly
• Governance Policy Implementation and Pilot Projects and Initiatives

The project on opioid addiction is a priority pilot program, and hopefully will begin soon.

The committee’s charge as set out in SB580 is:

“That a Data Sharing and Analytics Advisory Committee (the Advisory Committee) is hereby created to advise the Chief Data Officer of the Commonwealth in the establishment of the initial business rules, guidelines, and best practices required pursuant to § 2.2-203.2:4 of the Code of Virginia, as created by this act…”

VML and other local and state organizations and agencies have designated seats on the council.

VML Contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org

 

Public-private cost-saving options for school modernization presented and discussed

Presenters at the Sept. 27th meeting in Norfolk of the Senate Local Government Committee’s Subcommittee on School Facilities Modernization suggested that school districts could save up to 80% by leasing newly constructed, energy efficient buildings in low-income areas that qualify for federal tax credits instead of building new schools on their own. The presentations were made by developers specializing in public-private partnerships.

A brief case study of the Norfolk public school system, which is Virginia’s seventh-largest district and is home to the state’s oldest operational high school, also was given. The division faces up to $600 million in estimated capital renewal expenses; the ages of the division’s school buildings averages between 46 and 57 years.

Public-private options notwithstanding, the subcommittee plans to submit a bill to increase state support for local school construction ahead of the 2019 Session.

VML Contact: Jessica Ackerman, jackerman@vml.org

 

Study of private day special education use and rates set to begin

If you follow the Children’s Services Act (CSA), you know that the main cost-drivers for this program are the increasing use and cost of rates paid by localities to providers of private day special education services

In keeping with Appropriations Act language approved by the 2018 General Assembly (Item 282.M), which called for an outside study of the costs and rates paid by localities for private day special education, the Office of Children’s Services (OCS) has contracted with Public Consulting Group (PCG).

As a part of the study launch, PCG will have an orientation session on Oct. 29^th from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. at the Twin Hickory Public Library in Glen Allen (Henrico County). The session is for anyone in local government interested in learning about the study.

Additional opportunities for public engagement will take place as the study progresses.

PCG will submit an initial report in December 2018, and a final report by July 1, 2019.

VML Contact: Janet Areson, jareson@vml.org

 

 

 

In this issue

• VML conference reminders and updates
• Register for 2019 Finance Forum and VML Legislative Day
• 5G meeting at the Capitol
• School safety issues considered by House committee
• Federal government shutdown likely avoided
• Republicans propose alternative map in redistricting battle
• Good and bad news from the Labor Department
• Eviction issues and homebuilding trends
• Virginia tax collections exceed forecast
• Support for no-excuse absentee voting
• Evictions subcommittee discusses issues

 

VML Conference reminders and updates

Cancellation Deadline – Registration Availability – Updated Program – Guest’s Activity

• The cancellation deadline for the VML annual conference and the Virginia Mayors Institute is Friday, 21^st. No cancellation refunds will be made after Sept. 21^st.
  • Notifications of cancellations should be sent to Joni Terry at jterry@vml.org. Also, if you cancel your conference registration, don’t forget to cancel your hotel reservation(s) as well.
• Although there is a deadline for cancellation, there is no deadline to register. You can register for the annual VML Conference and the Mayor’s Conference events until they begin.
  • If you haven’t already, check out the updated conference program. It’s going to be a great one this year!
• Guest’s Activity on Tuesday, October 2^nd.
  • Register for Painting with Wine & Design from 11:45 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the Embassy Suites Mercury Ballroom
  • Box lunches & Wine provided

 

Registrations open for the Finance Forum and VML Legislative Day

Register for the VML Finance Forum to be held on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center (Richmond, VA).

• The forum provides an excellent opportunity for local elected officials and staff to be brought up to date on important issues.

Register for the VML Legislative Day to be held on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019 at the Omni Hotel Richmond (Richmond, VA).

• This special legislative event provides an outstanding opportunity for local government officials to interact with members of the General Assembly.

 

5G meeting at the Capitol

On Thursday, Sept. 13^th staff from VML and the Town of Warrenton attended meetings with Senator Mark Warner and United States Representative Barbara Comstock to discuss the Senate bill related to 5G as well as the FCC proposal on 5G. General concern over aging infrastructure and how it affects our communities was also relayed to their respective staffs.

These meetings were scheduled by the National League of Cities whose staff also attended.

VML Contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org

 

House select committee recommends steps to address school safety issues

At the September 11^th meeting of the full House Select Committee on School Safety, its first since April, House Speaker Kirk Cox proposed removing State funding caps on school aides, counselors, psychologists and other support staff. The Committee also approved a preliminary list of 57 recommendations for deeper debate ahead of the 2019 Session. While the Committee reserved time for questions and comments from members, details behind each of the proposals – including costs – were not addressed.

These initiatives reflected months of testimony gathered by subcommittees both in Richmond and across the Commonwealth. Chairs for each of three subcommittees – Delegates Nick Rush (Infrastructure and Security), Steve Landes (Student Behavior and Intervention) and Chris Peace (Prevention and Response Protocol) – presented suggestions to the Committee that largely reflected the concerns raised by educators, students, mental health experts and industry professionals over the past summer.

Lawmakers and staff will spend the next two months analyzing areas of potential overlap, in addition to broader fiscal and policy impacts, for all 57 recommendations before reconvening in November.

VML Contact: Jessica Ackerman, jackerman@vml.org

October federal government shutdown avoided

Congress takes action (What?!?!)

House and Senate budget conferees agreed last week on a deal to fund two-thirds of the federal government’s operations. The final fiscal 2019 spending package consists of five appropriation bills and includes a continuing resolution to keep the government open for business through at least December 7^th.

The appropriation bills include spending for federal agencies in Defense, Labor-Health, and Human Services-Education areas. Language amendments called “riders,” which oftentimes are tied to partisan positions, were mostly excluded from the compromise, meaning lawmakers rejected attempts to defund Planned Parenthood, destabilize the Affordable Care Act, or prohibit federal funding to buy guns for teachers.

Congressional leaders expect President Trump to sign the bills. The congressional action marks the first time in almost ten-years that these appropriation bills were passed on time. The new federal fiscal year begins on October 1^st.

 VML Contact: Neal Menkes, nmenkes@vml.org

 

Republicans propose alternative map in redistricting battle

Deadline to avoid court involvement approaching

On Tuesday, September 18^th, Republican leadership in the House of Delegates responded to the House Democrat’s redistricting map (the Bagby Plan) proposed at last month’s special session of the General Assembly, with their own redistricting map. While Speaker Kirk Cox described the House Republican’s map as “race-blind,” it’s worth noting that both versions have drawn charges of partisanship from across the aisle as they place two members of the opposite party into the same district.

For his part, Governor Ralph Northam has indicated in a letter to General Assembly leaders his readiness to allow the court to draw a new map.

Virginia has until October 30^th to pass a new map, following a June 26^th federal court ruling that the current map is unconstitutionally discriminatory. The House Privileges and Elections Committee is scheduled to reconvene on September 27^th to review both maps.

 VML Contact: Jessica Ackerman, jackerman@vml.org

U.S. Labor Department delivers news: Good and Bad

Good News:

The U.S. Labor Department reported September 7^th that wages for workers grew at 2.9% in the past year. This is the fastest growth since 2009. After years of sluggish gains, this news is seen as an encouraging sign that wages might finally be moving higher. The chief economist for Moody’s Analytics attributed the wage climb to a tightening labor market as employers struggle to: 1. fill open job slots and 2. retain the workers already in their employ.

The national unemployment rate shrunk in August to 3.9%, one of the lowest levels in some fifty years (Virginia’s July unemployment rate measured 3.1%, which is the lowest rate since August 2007).

Bad News:

Inflation is rising, resulting in much of the pay increases mentioned above getting wiped out by more expensive gas and housing costs.

A slowdown in trade and the tariff slugfest is causing concern here and abroad. The largest U.S. business groups in China issued a plea last week to President Trump to stop the tariffs. Nearly two-thirds of more than 430 U.S. firms doing business in China say the duties the U.S. placed on billions of dollars of Chinese imports this summer have hurt their businesses, citing increases in production costs and decreasing demand for their goods. The survey conducted by the AmCham China and AmCham Shanghai reported that just 6% of respondents said they would consider moving their factories to the United States.

American businesses stated that they are getting hammered by tariffs and Chinese actions requiring more inspections, delayed customs clearance and other forms of regulatory scrutiny.

In the U.S., more than 60 industry groups have launched a coalition called Americans for Free Trade to halt the next round of proposed tariffs. A multi-million-dollar campaign, made up of thousands of companies, farmers and manufacturers, argues that the trade war will kill U.S. jobs and raise prices for American consumers.

The Virginian-Pilot reported this week that the U.S. trade deficit has been growing at the fastest rate since 2015. Monthly deficits in trade with China and the European Union are at record highs. The article noted that in addition to the pain Virginia soybean farmers are feeling, a trade slowdown could have serious negative effects on the Port of Virginia, affecting dockworkers, business owners and consumers.

For example, Virginia-based Dollar Tree imports more than 40% of the items on its shelves. The company is already facing increased expenses because of a tariff to be imposed on the decorative plastic ribbons that are a big Christmas-time seller. Also, the homebuilding industry is dealing with tariffs placed on Canadian softwood lumbers, causing prices to increase and creating a scarcity of supplies.  Consumers are also paying more for houses and remodeling.

The last piece of bad news is that the federal government’s budget deficit is abnormally high for a robust economy and is growing faster than the gross domestic product (GDP).  The government spent $895 billion more than it brought in from taxes and other revenue sources during the past 11-months, according to the Congressional Budget Office. That’s a 33% increase over the same period last year.

It is typical for the deficit to shrink in a strong economy as tax collections rise and the need for government support decreases. A nose dive in tax revenues resulting from congressional actions in 2017 and the bipartisan agreement to do away with budget caps (sequestration) for discretionary defense and non-defense spending have combined to propel the deficit. As the government borrows to fill the gap between revenue and spending, the nation’s debt grows, sticking future generations of Americans with the bill and reducing the country’s flexibility to respond to unforeseen financial crises or natural- or man-made disasters. The government has $21.5 trillion in debt, up from $12.8 trillion in 2010. Interest payments next fiscal year will be almost as great as the entire $401 billion budget for Medicaid.

Although both the trade issue and the deficit issue influence the business cycle and will eventually be felt, neither appears strong enough to stymie the growing economy.

VML Contact: Neal Menkes, nmenkes@vml.org

 

Housing Commission meets

Considers issues related to evictions and trends in homebuilding

At a meeting on September 12^th, the Housing Commission took up the issue of evictions and heard a report on trends in homebuilding. The Honorable Barbara J. Gaden, Chief Judge, Retired, 13^th Judicial District, General District Court gave a presentation on evictions and provided a perspective from the bench. She also provided a brief overview of the eviction process and how it works through the courts.

Preston Lloyd, Jr. from Williams Mullen then presented on the Virginia housing market. He observed:

• In 2017 there was a decrease in building permits for new single-family homes, but an increase in multifamily building permits.
• Housing stock in Virginia is trending older: in 2016, 31% of the housing stock was 47 or more years old compared to 24% in 2006.
• Other trends include a decline in the rate of home ownership and the price of housing outpacing wage increases.
• Market demand is evolving, with age-restricted communities and inner suburb with urban style infill developments as two examples of pending large projects.

The Housing Commission also heard reports from the Neighborhood Transitions and Land Use subcommittee, the Affordable Housing & Real Estate Law subcommittee and the Common Interest Communities subcommittee.

VML Contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org

 

State tax collections surpass annual forecast

In a memorandum to Gov. Ralph Northam, the Secretary of Finance, Aubrey Layne, reported that “(t)otal general fund revenues rose 4.5% in August, driven by solid gains in payroll withholding and sales taxes. On a fiscal year-to-date basis, total revenue collections rose 1.9% through August, ahead of the annual forecast of 1.5% growth.”

However, August is not considered a significant month for revenue collections. September collections will mark the end of the first quarter of FY 2019 and will provide a clearer assessment of revenue growth. September revenues will also include the first estimated payments in FY19 from individuals, corporations and insurance companies.

Economic Background:

Payroll employment performance rose 1.6% in July 2018 compared with a year earlier, adding a net 12,000 jobs. Total employment performance in Virginia matched the national average change of 1.6%.  The largest contributors were professional and business services (7,100 jobs) and manufacturing (2,100 jobs). Smaller gains were reported in government (1,500 jobs), leisure and hospitality (1,200 jobs), and “other” services (1,000 jobs). Job losses were in education and health services (900), information (600), and construction (300).

There is also evidence that real personal income is on the rise. The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond reported that in the first quarter of 2018, real personal income rose 0.6% and was up 1.6% since the first quarter of 2017. The national year-over-year average change from the first quarter of 2017 was 1.8%.

In addition, the Virginia Leading Index rose 0.2% in July after falling 0.2% in June.

Net Income Tax Collections:

Taking into consideration payroll withholding, individual non-withholding and individual income tax refunds for July and August, the net income tax growth for the same period last year is 0.3%, trailing the annual estimate calling for a 0.6% increase.

Sales Tax Collections:

Sales taxes comprise almost 18% of the state general fund. Collections in both July and August increased by 7.5%. This surpasses the annual estimate of 2.5% growth. However, the August comparison to a year earlier is overstated by about four percentage points because of one-time large prior year refunds made to data centers.  (Under state law, computer equipment or enabling software purchased or leased for data centers are exempt from the Sales and Use Tax provided that the purchases or leases result in new capital investment of at least $150 million and in the creation of at least 50 new jobs.)

Recordation Taxes:

Collections of wills, suits, deeds, and contracts – mainly recordation taxes – were $36.0 million in August, compared with $36.5 million in August of last year, a decline of 1.4%. On a year-to-date basis, collections are down 6.1%, falling behind the annual forecast of 3.1% growth.

Bottom Line:

Reviewing the past 18-years of revenue collections, FY19 closely matches historic averages. From FY00 to FY18, 13.4% of the state general fund had been collected in the months of July and August. In FY19, 13.0% of the forecasted amount has been deposited to the state treasury.

Over the next 90 days, Gov. Northam’s advisors will provide him a new revenue forecast to use in his budget amendments for the 2019 Session. It is interesting to note that the Northam Administration is sharing with the legislative money committees and the public known funding commitments and risks that will have to be addressed next year.

The seven items identified thus far include:

1. Major Employment and Investment Obligations, including $70 million for Micron Technology, Inc.
2. Virginia Retirement System investment earnings
3. Federal Actions on grants to the state and localities and federal spending on defense-related activities
4. State Agency Projects, including $100 million for the Northrop Grumman Settlement and Transition
5. State Transportation Funding
6. State Capital Projects
7. Hurricane Florence with $60 million authorized as of last week

VML Contact: Neal Menkes, nmenkes@vml.org

 

Joint subcommittee appears to support no-excuse absentee voting

Although firm commitments were lacking, members of the Joint Subcommittee on Election Laws seemed to support the concept of no-excuse absentee voting after hearing testimony from Virginia registrars and voters on Tuesday, September 18^th.

Testimonials included statements from representatives from the League of Women Voters, the American Civil Liberties Union and Indivisible Arlington. These representatives highlighted the benefits of no-excuse absentee voting including increased protection of voter privacy to the prevention of long Election Day lines at polling places, like those seen in several localities statewide during the 2012 election.

None of the 14 bills referred to the Subcommittee during the 2018 Session were specifically addressed, but the Subcommittee did discuss key factors of any potential policy implementation, including State support for any newly-added local responsibilities.

The Joint Subcommittee expects to meet again to discuss the matter further, though no date has been set.

VML Contact: Jessica Ackerman, jackerman@vml.org

 

Evictions Subcommittee discusses issues

The Evictions subcommittee met on September 18^th to discuss writs of possession, unlawful detainers and the tenant’s right of redemption. There was lively discussion and agreement that draft legislation would be prepared and presented at their next meeting which will be held sometime prior to November 2^nd.

VML Contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org

 

In this issue

• Register now for VML annual conference; Mayors Institute; Sept. 21 is cancellation deadline
• Bullington joins VML staff
• Proposed policy statements now available
• House school safety subcommittee hears from students
• Questions raised about proposed funding model for school modernization
• Redistricting debate heats up in Richmond
• Registration now open for Oct. 30 broadband summit
• VRS realizes 7.5 percent investment return rate: GASB 75 help is on the way
• Preschool grant application process opens

 

Register now for VML annual conference; Mayors Institute

Sept. 21 is cancellation deadline

The VML annual conference on Sept. 30-Oct. 2 is fast approaching! Don’t miss out on this “must attend” event.”  The Virginia Mayors Institute is Sept. 29-Sept. 30.  Registration and program information for both events can be found here.

As a reminder, the cancellation deadline for the VML annual conference and the Virginia Mayors Institute is Sept. 21.

Important to Remember: No cancellation refunds will be made after Sept. 21.

Notifications of cancellations should be sent to Joni Terry at jterry@vml.org.  Also, if you cancel your conference registration, don’t forget to cancel your hotel reservation(s) as well.

 

Bullington joins VML staff

VML is delighted to announce that Rob Bulllington began working this past Tuesday, Sept. 4 as the league’s Director of Communications. He has worked as a writer, editor and instructor for 20 years. As a freelancer, he completed projects for clients such as The Library of Congress, Publications International and the Saylor Foundation. He is also a founding member of the Virginia-based old-time and bluegrass group The Hackensaw Boys and was a touring and recording member for 12 years. Most recently, Rob was a Content Manager for Capital One Financial Corporation for 8 years during which time he handled internal communications, training and content consulting duties. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from James Madison University and a Master of Arts degree in English from the University of Virginia. Rob is the editor of the League magazine, Virginia Town & City and the newsletter VML eNews. Rob’s phone number is (804) 523-8527 and his email is rbullington@vml.org.

 

Proposed policy statements now available

VML’s 2019 proposed policy statements are now posted on the VML website for members to review ahead of the annual business meeting at the VML Annual Conference in Hampton on Tuesday, Oct. 2.

Each of VML’s six policy committees reviewed and proposed revisions to the policy statements during their meetings in late July. The policy chairs will present the proposals during the annual business meeting so that members may discuss and vote on the changes.

The proposed policy statements are available now.

VML contact:  Janet Areson (jareson@vml.org; 804/523-8522)

 

House school safety subcommittee hears from students

Current and recent high school students in western Virginia testified before a subcommittee of the House Select Committee on School Safety, speaking about the need for expanded mental health services in public schools. The group of nine young adults detailed their own experiences and those of their peers to underscore the negative impact of high counselor-student ratios and limited teacher training when dealing with mental health crises. The meeting was held at Blue Ridge Community College on Aug. 28^th.

Following the student-led group, representatives of the Virginia School Counselor Association (VSCA) made their own case for lower counselor-student ratios. In testimony like that at other subcommittee meetings, VSCA called for the hiring of more than 1,000 additional school counselors to bring ratios at all grade levels down to 1:250 and to allow counselors to dedicate at least 80 percent of their workloads to direct services.

The subcommittee closed with testimony on the correlation of student mental health and academic function from John Lody, Director of Diagnostic and Preventive Services for Loudoun County Public Schools. While agreeing with VSCA’s recommendations, Mr. Lody offered additional suggestions, such as the adoption of certified school crisis response training curricula, training teachers in positive classroom discipline methods, and the development of strong relationships between school staff and other community members supporting student mental health (e.g., law enforcement, social workers, Community Services Boards, etc.).

The full Select Committee on School Safety will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 11^th to review testimony and discuss preliminary recommendations.

VML contact: Jessica Ackerman, jackerman@vml.org

 

Questions raised about proposed funding model for school modernization

Members of both the Senate Local Government Subcommittee on School Facilities Modernization and the public highlighted potential challenges facing Senator Bill Stanley’s plan to use online sales tax revenue to fund what would be the largest push for Virginia school renovations and construction in more than 70 years. In a Sept. 5^th hearing at the Schar School of Public Policy at George Mason University, Senator Stanley and committee advisor Paul Goldman offered arguments in favor of investing half of an estimated $500 million to $600 million in bonds to fund up to $3 billion in school modernization projects.

While other members of the subcommittee spoke to the need for action at the state level, several also raised questions about the provision of equitable resources and services across school districts, potential flaws in current estimates of online sales tax revenue to be collected, funding distribution methods, and local fiscal impact. Likewise, students, faculty and local school administrators in attendance posed questions about how to define “modernization” among inequitable schools, how to prioritize the needs of different schools and populations, and whether the spirit of a 2013 law dedicating the bulk of any future tax income from online sales to transportation might not rule out any major school construction goals.

The subcommittee is scheduled to meet again on Thursday, Sept. 28^th in Norfolk.

VML contact: Jessica Ackerman, jackerman@vml.org

 

Redistricting debate heats up in Richmond

Governor Ralph Northam brought the General Assembly back in session on Aug. 30^th to address redistricting. The House Committee on Privileges and Elections saw the most action, as a bill (HB7001-Bagby) containing a newly-drawn electoral map presented by House Democrats was referred to that committee. The proposed map follows a June 26^th court order citing unconstitutional discrimination of people of color and directing the state to amend its current district boundaries by Oct. 30^th.

Questioning by the committee grew heated as members from each side of the aisle accused the other of partisanship. Whereas the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia found racial gerrymandering in 11 state voting districts, the map presented to the Committee by House Minority Leader David Toscano and Del. Lamont Bagby showed changes to other districts as well, including at least three that shared no borders with any of the original districts identified in the ruling. Republicans, on the other hand, offered neither an alternative map nor recommendations to amend the Democrats’ proposal, inciting accusations of deliberately hindering the redistricting process.

Advocates, meanwhile, are pressing for the independent development of a new map. OneVirginia2021, a nonpartisan nonprofit involved in the redistricting debate, announced the launch of a bipartisan commission to draft a constitutional amendment ahead of the 2019 legislative session.  VML has a policy position supporting redistricting reform, including the use of a non-partisan independent commission to draw state legislative and Congressional lines.

The committee adjourned without taking any action. In the meantime, Speaker of the House Kirk Cox has appealed the June 26^th court order requiring that districts be redrawn.

A joint meeting of the Elections Subcommittees of both the House and Senate Privileges and Elections Committees has been scheduled for Sept. 18^th.

VML contact: Jessica Ackerman, jackerman@vml.org

 

Registration now open for Oct. 30 broadband summit

Speakers and attendees from Virginia, federal agencies and across the country will come together on October 30, at the Virginia Broadband Summit at Roanoke’s South County Library to explore ways to facilitate the expansion of broadband capacity, access and utilization.

The summit, hosted by National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s BroadbandUSA Program (in partnership with Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology), will provide the public and stakeholders with information on how to accelerate broadband connectivity, improve digital inclusion, and support local priorities.

How to Attend:

• TheVirginia Broadband Summit is open to the public.
• Pre-registration is required and space is limited.
• Registration information, meeting updates, including changes in the agenda, and relevant documents will be available onNTIA’s website at Virginia Broadband Summit – Partnerships for Connecting the Commonwealth.

For more information, contact: BroadbandUSAevents@ntia.doc.gov.

 

VRS realizes 7.5 percent investment return rate

GASB 75 help is on the way

The Virginia Retirement System (VRS) achieved a 7.5 percent return, net of fees, on its investment portfolio for fiscal year 2018, according to an August 29 press release.  The trust fund ended the year with approximately $78.6 billion, marking a new high point for the fund.

The VRS also announced that information to assist employers with filings related to GASB 75 requirements would be available soon on its website or, in some cases, mailed directly to employers.  GASB 75 relates to accounting and financial reporting for post-employment benefits other than pensions (such as health insurance). Additional information is in VRS’ September Employer Update.

VML contact: Jessica Ackerman, jackerman@vml.org

 

Preschool grant application process opens

The application process for the FY19 Mixed-Delivery Preschool Grant Program is now open.  The Request for Proposals (RFP) and instructions for applying can be found at those links.

An informational webinar will be held Sept. 11 at 2 p.m. on the RFP. You can register here. The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation will hold individual sessions for applicants upon request during the week of Sept. 24. Finally, A follow-up Q&A webinar will be held Oct. 4 at 2 p.m.; register here.

The grant program provides Virginia communities the opportunity to field-test strategies and solutions to barriers that have prevented all eligible children from participating in Virginia’s preschool initiative. Grantees will promote flexible public-private partnerships to increase the proportion of preschoolers served in private child care sites, demonstrating community-driven collaboration and shared decision-making among education leaders.

Additional details about the FY19 Mixed-Delivery Preschool grants, including grant priorities, eligibility requirements, and award amounts can be found in the Grant Announcement.

Completed applications are due Nov. 8 by 5:00 p.m. Award notifications will be made in December.

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