• About
  • Contact

Virginia Municipal League

Building Better Communities Through Sound Government

BETTER COMMUNITIES THROUGH SOUND GOVERNMENT

  • Organization
    • About the League
      • Strategic vision and goals
      • Benefits of VML Membership
      • Directions to the VML office
    • Board of Directors
      • Executive Meeting Packets
      • Serving on the Executive Board
      • VML Past Presidents
    • League Staff
    • Local Government Members
      • Benefits of VML Membership
    • Affiliate Organizations
    • VML/VACo APCO Steering Committee
      • VML/VACO APCo Steering Committee Board
    • Partners
  • Member Resources
    • General Assembly
    • ARPA Resources
    • Publications
    • Presentations
    • General Forum
    • Account
    • Reset Password
  • Education
    • Events >
      • 2023 Local Government Day
      • Virginia Local Elected Officials Conference
      • Annual Conference >
        • 2022 Annual Conference
        • 2021 Annual Conference
        • 2020 Annual Conference
        • Past Annual Conference Programs
        • Future Conference Dates
      • Virginia Mayors Institute >
        • 2022 Virginia Mayors Institute
        • 2021 Virginia Mayors Institute
        • 2020 Virginia Mayors Institute
      • 2022 Hurricane Season Briefing
      • ARPA Monitoring & Reporting Compliance Webinar
    • Essay Contest
      • Essay Contest Past Winners
    • Civility. Respect. Solutions.
    • American Rescue Plan Act Resources
    • Coronavirus Resources
    • Innovation Awards
      • Innovation Award Past Winners
    • Virginia You Love: 2022 Survey Contest
    • Racial Inequality – Local Statements
    • Wallerstein Scholarship
  • Advocacy
    • 2023 General Assembly
      • 2022 GA Resources
      • 2021 GA Resources
      • 2020 GA Resources
    • 2023 Local Government Day
      • 2022 Local Government Day
      • 2021 Local Government Day
    • Legislative Program
    • Legislative Committee
    • Policy Statements
    • Policy Committees
      • Community & Economic Development
      • Finance
      • General Laws
      • Human Development & Education
      • Infrastructure, Transportation & Environmental Quality
    • State Budget Overview Session
    • Local Federal Issues
    • Federal Advocacy
  • Media
    • VTC Magazine
    • eNews Newsletter
    • VML Voice Podcast
      • Subscribe: The VML Voice
    • Get the VML APP
    • Legal Resources
    • Local Officials’ Resources Series
    • Other Publications
    • News Releases
  • Calendar
  • Classifieds
    • Job Openings
    • Create Jobs
  • Corporate Engagement
    • Community Business Membership
      • Community Business Members Listings
    • Advertising with VML
    • Terms & Conditions
  • eNews
  • Town and City
  • Subscribe: The VML Voice
  • Legal Resources
  • Local Officials’ Resources Series
  • Other publications
  • News Releases

eNews April 10: ACTION ALERT

Tuesday, April 10, 2018 - 02:08pm

 

Support wireless amendments

Please call your senators and delegates

We are delighted to report that Gov. Ralph Northam has sent down amendments to the wireless public rights-of-way fees bills (HB1427 and SB823) and to the wireless infrastructure bills/zoning (HB1258 and SB405).

But we need your help one more time on these bills. Please get in touch with your delegates and senators in strong support of these amendments! The General Assembly will consider them next Wednesday, April 18, at the reconvened session. Gov. Northam has listened to the concerns voiced by local officials, but we have to work now, and work hard, to make sure that his recommendations are approved on April 18.

Here’s the explanation.

First, city- and town-owned public rights-of-way are removed from the fee bills! As HB1427 and SB823 moved through the General Assembly, the Virginia Department of Transportation agreed to a cap on these fees. Local governments were not a party to those negotiations even though both state and local rights-of-way fees were affected. The Governor’s amendments appropriately removed city and town owned public-rights-of-way from the bills, leaving the cap on the fees for the use of state rights-of-way. It is very important that local officials urge the adoption of the amendments!

The amendments to the wireless infrastructure/zoning bills (HB1258 and SB405) address the most important issue identified by local representatives. Our members said that the bills needed to make sure that wireless carriers were compared to similar users, not to utilities (which are covered by franchise agreements). The amendments do that. Further, the amendments include a reenactment clause that will set up a stakeholders group that is instructed to develop a plan for expanding access to wireless services in unserved and underserved areas of the Commonwealth. These are commonsense amendments and it is very important that local officials urge their adoption.

Follow these links for the Richmond and home district telephone numbers for the delegates and senators. As always, please keep us informed of the results of your phone calls or visits. You can email Michelle Gowdy at mgowdy@vml.org.

Thank you for all that you have done and thank you for continuing your efforts. This is our last chance. Please call your delegates and senators.

Comments and questions about this website or the data provided may be addressed to Manuel Timbreza
©2023 Virginia Municipal League
Virginia Municipal League
P.O. Box 12164, Richmond, VA 23241
13 E. Franklin St., Richmond, VA 23219
804-649-8471

Copyright © 2023 · Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Terms and Conditions