Yesterday Senator Ryan McDougle (R-Hanover) made the difficult decision to vote against the biennial budget as proposed by his Senate Democrat colleagues. This year the state faces the most challenging budget dilemma in the modern era.  As is the case throughout the country, the Commonwealth must contend with decreased revenue as businesses and citizens have struggled to maintain fiscal balance in this distressed economy. Senator McDougle decided to vote against the Senate version of the budget because it continues to fund recently-created programs and seeks to reverse sound policy in vital areas where public safety could be vulnerable.  

Senator McDougle concedes that the Senate’s budget bill as passed made significant strides towards a balanced budget, but not enough. In particular, certain programs initiated during the past two administrations remain funded at levels commensurate with the higher revenue levels from those periods. “Obviously it is extremely difficult to reduce government programs so dramatically, however just as most Virginians have personally faced tough budget decisions, it is our responsibility to do the same,” said Senator McDougle. “The fact remains we simply cannot spend money that we don’t have. It’s a bad government habit that represents a long, slippery slope if we become accustomed to asking our citizens for more, especially when so many of them are earning less. It just doesn’t add up.”

The Senator is also deeply concerned about measures within the Senate budget amendments that challenge great gains made in public safety in past years by former Governor George Allen.  According to a report written in 2001 called Truth-In-Sentencing in Virginia, “Truth-in-sentencing (TIS) is the most prominent sentencing reform movement of the 1990’s.  The primary objective of TIS is to more closely align the sentence imposed by the judge with the actual amount of time served in prison by restricting or eliminating parole eligibility and good time.  In many instances, these reforms are accompanied by significant increases in the penalties for violent offenders.”

The Senate budget language erodes Virginia’s truth-in-sentencing no parole reform policy and authorizes the use of alternative sentencing regardless of what was ordered by the Judge or Jury and expands early release provisions for certain inmates.  

“Cuts to education, social and healthcare programs are problematic for all Virginians; however, safety must come first,” said Senator McDougle. “Law enforcement history is laden with tragic results of bad public safety policies established for the sake of misguided budget decisions.”

Senator McDougle Supports Fiscal Responsibility, Tax Incentive Legislation

In order to encourage more responsible state spending moving forward, the Senate passed Senate Bill 431, a bill that mandates certain reporting and absolute transparency in state agencies. The bill, which passed the Senate without opposition and now is working its way through the House, will require state agencies to maintain a transaction register including a complete record of all expenditures made with details such as the vendor’s name, date of payment and amount and description of the expense. It also requires posting of credit card reports for all state employees that have been issued one. “In keeping with our fresh approach of implementing best practices in our financial management for our state, this legislation provides for more accountability within our state agencies, making it clear what is being spent with our taxpayer’s valuable dollars,” Senator McDougle said. 

Continuing its trend towards improving the environment for sound economic recovery, the Generally Assembly continues to pass meaningful legislation meant to provide tax relief to Virginia residents and businesses. Senate Bill 428, which recently passed through the Senate unanimously, is now swiftly moving in the House. The law would provide tax exemptions for capital gains for the amount taxed under federal income tax standards. “Anything the Virginia legislature can reasonably do to encourage private investment in Virginia right now is good government,” according to Senator McDougle.

Senate, House Pass Offshore Royalties Bill
On Monday the Senate approved a bipartisan bill, House Bill 756, meant to ensure that revenues received from future offshore oil exploration will be earmarked to two crucial areas: alternative energy research and Virginia’s transportation needs. Introduced in the House by Del. Chris Stolle (R-Virginia Beach), the bill directs 70% of those revenues and royalties to the Transportation Trust Fund, the state’s road and rail fund; 10% to local transportation projects; and 20% to the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium. Although critics claim the measure is largely symbolic because any benefits are likely years away, Senator McDougle says the groundwork must be established early to ensure the state receives and allocates the future oil exploration revenues to critical areas.  This action marks a shift of opinion from Democrat members, who less than a month ago voted on a purely party line vote to kill the Senate companion to this bill.    

“While Virginia and nearly every other state in the country are plagued by budget problems, North Dakota is flush with a $600 million surplus due to their newfound oil development industry,” noted Senator McDougle. “Although their discovery was obviously under dry ground and easier to reach than offshore deposits, their story provides an excellent example of the dramatic benefits to states engaged in environmentally responsible oil exploration.”

Following Crossover, House Considers Common Sense Legislation Passed by Senate

Senator McDougle is pleased to see the House acting quickly on bi-partisan legislation already passed through the Senate:

Senate Bill 467 – Safeguards Virginia residents by requiring court officials to work directly with counter-part officials in other states to ensure that protective orders of the Commonwealth are executed elsewhere.

Senate Bill 55 – Extends the period to 45 days before an election for absentee ballots to be available and accepted, making it easier for temporarily out-of-state residents to vote. This law will support citizens away due to active duty military service, membership in the merchant marines, or in temporary residence outside of the country. Spouses are also included.

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This was “crossover” week in the Virginia General Assembly, a busy period when all Senate bills had to be considered and voted on by the Senate before being transferred to the House of Delegates and vice-versa.  From this time forward the Senate will be voting on House bills, which have passed successfully through the House committee process and full House chamber.  �

Senator McDougle Acts to Prevent Proposed Federal Emissions Standards from Crippling State’s Energy Infrastructure 

A bill sponsored by Senator Ryan McDougle (R-Hanover) aimed at protecting Virginia residents and businesses from potentially significant electricity rate increases due to newly-proposed federal regulations passed the Senate on Monday with wide bipartisan support. Senate Bill 128 will ensure that Virginia electricity generators will be able to meet current and future demand despite the enactment of new, more stringent ozone standards proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA). 

The Commonwealth participates in the US-EPA’s emissions trading program whereby electricity generators must have sufficient “emissions allocations” in order to generate electricity. This is considered to be the most cost effective method to achieve maximum environmental benefits. Specifically, the existing system limits the discharge of nitrogen and sulfur air emissions. However, based on regulations promulgated by the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board, electricity generators are prohibited from purchasing these important emissions allocations if they do not meet a federally-established benchmark known as the 8-hour ozone standard.

Currently all but one area in Virginia satisfies this standard.  However, the newly-proposed US-EPA changes to the standard, which would take effect early next year, would render nearly every developed area in the state as “nonattainment” for exceeding the new, stricter standard. Without the passage of the legislation sponsored by Senator McDougle, virtually all electricity generators in the Commonwealth could be prohibited from purchasing the required emissions allocations, severely limiting the state’s electricity infrastructure. Coal-fired generation currently accounts for approximately 50 percent of the states generating capabilities. Thus, without this new law, major price increases would result from switching from coal-based to much more expensive fuel sources and imported power. 

“Virginia is the only state in the country with regulations that restrict the purchase of emissions allocations, which are legally required for electricity generators to operate,” said Senator McDougle. “Our citizens and businesses cannot afford the change that this represents. If these generators can’t purchase sufficient allocations, electricity shortages and price increases are almost a certain result.  After careful review, both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have voted for my bill, agreeing that this is the best way to meet electricity needs and to stay economically viable.” 

Looking to next week, the Senate must produce amendments to former Governor Kaine’s introduced budget on Sunday, February 21^st after Senate Finance Committee members meet and decide which budget items to amend from former Governor Kaine’s proposed budget.  The full Senate intends to vote on the budget and amendments on Thursday, February 25th.  As the General Assembly moves towards the half way mark, the major focus will continue to be balancing the state budget.  Senator McDougle is carefully considering which cuts must be made in the state’s biennial budget and is reviewing the Senate Finance Committee’s recommendations.  He appreciates the hearing the views and feedback of thousands of his constituents.  To express views on legislation or a budget matter, constituents are encouraged to continue to contact Senator McDougle at district04@senate.virginia.gov or by phone at 804-698-7504.  For weekly news updates, please visit www.ryanmcdougle.com.

Richmond – Despite unfortunate setbacks this week related to Senate Republican efforts to improve the Commonwealth’s financial management process (see Wednesday, Feb. 10 press release), there are positive developments taking place in Richmond focused on the critical goal of creating jobs. Senator Ryan McDougle (R-Hanover), co-patron of SB 472, applauds the passage of this major component of the Governor’s Jobs and Opportunities agenda.

The Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit (SB 472) targets much more than big business. The bill encourages private investment in Virginia’s workforce by extending considerable tax relief to companies of all sizes that create at least 50 jobs.

“The citizens within my district echo the sentiments of Virginians everywhere. They want job growth now. `A few years down the road’ is not good enough as we work to emerge from this recession,” said Senator McDougle. “As a co-patron of this bill, I join Governor McDonnell and Senator Watkins in promoting tangible solutions that empower the private sector to establish or expand businesses within the Commonwealth, soon. Under this measure, the extent to which a company benefits grows relative to the number of jobs generated, therefore assisting small and medium sized businesses, as well as large corporations,” he said.

This jobs growth bill is broad in scope not only because of the types of businesses it will help, but also because of who it will benefit. Tax incentives will help those establishing new businesses in economically distressed areas or those designated as enterprise zones. Private enterprises in these areas will benefit with the creation of 25 jobs, as opposed to the 50 employee standard elsewhere.

Energy Independence, Transportation Funding Denied by Partisan Politics

This week Senate Democrats continued to obstruct efforts to bolster the state’s financial security well into the future. In addition to Wednesday’s narrow defeat of Senator McDougle’s bill that would have improved the state’s antiquated budget cycle, an important measure enabling the State of Virginia to take advantage of offshore drilling royalties was also voted down. SB 601, which Senator McDougle co-patroned, ensured that the state’s many transportation demands would benefit from oil exploration off of Virginia’s coastline.

“This bill would have reaffirmed that the Commonwealth is ready and willing to lead the nation in energy independence and provided much-needed support for the state’s transportation needs,” said Senator McDougle. “The issue has enjoyed bi-partisan support with our Governor and both of the state’s U.S. Senators eager for Washington to award offshore leases, which would in-turn lead to job creation and economic stimulus. Unfortunately Wednesday’s defeat of SB 601 indicates that Senate Democrats are still placing partisan politics ahead of our pressing energy and financial needs. This negative posture couldn’t come at a worse time. Legislators in Richmond should all consider jobs and the state’s financial outlook their top priorities.”

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What you think….

At the beginning of the General Assembly session in January, I asked you to fill out my 2010 Legislative Survey. Thank you for participating and for expressing your views! Over 425 citizens participated in the survey and below, I will share the results with you. When I asked you what were the top 3 issues facing the Commonwealth this year, many of you focused on jobs; the economy; the budget; funding for transportation, education and the Chesapeake Bay; reducing taxes in addition to many more issues of importance to you. Reading your feedback is important to me and allows me to represent you better. If you have not yet filled out the survey and would still like to make me aware of your views, please visit my website home page at www.ryanmcdougle.com.

Ryan

2010 Legislative Survey Results:

1. Should Virginia’s Right-to-Work Law be made part of the Virginia Constitution?

Yes: 65.8% No: 34.2%

2. The federal government is debating legislation to cap the amount of carbon emissions produced by business and allowing them to buy offsets in order to exceed that cap. The legislation is commonly referred to as “cap and trade.” Do you support or opposed this legislation?

Support: 20.5% Oppose: 79.5%

3. Do you support or oppose drilling and exploration for oil in the Atlantic Ocean 50 miles off the Virginia Coast?

Support: 80.3% Oppose: 19.7%

4. What comes closest to your view on Virginia’s laws on abortion?

Virginia’s laws are too restrictive and should be loosened to make abortions easier to access: 13% Virginia’s laws are about right: 54.3% Virginia’s laws need to be toughened to make it harder for people to have an abortion: 32.7%

5. Would you support privatizing Virginia’s ABC operations and using the proceeds to fund transportation improvements?

Support: 84.2% Oppose: 15.8%

6. Do you support requiring that 65% of education dollars be spent in the classroom rather than on administrative and non-instructional services?

Yes: 89% No: 11%

7. Do you support efforts in Congress to provide a government health insurance program to all uninsured citizens?

Support: 27.1% Oppose: 72.9%

8. Do you support or oppose requiring private citizens selling firearms at gun shows to perform background checks before they sell a firearm?

Suport: 71.8% Oppose: 28.2%

9. Virginia is currently facing a budget shortfall of about $4.5 billion due to the nationwide recession. From the following list of options, please select the strategy that best reflects your opinion of how Virginia should address this budget shortfall?

Cut spending on state programs: 71.8% Increase general taxes: 20.3% Increase Virginia’s debt and borrow funds for certain projects: 7.9%

10. When asked to rank services provided by state government you feel are most important that the state continue to fund at high levels, the top three answers ranked at #1 were K-12 Education, Public Safety, and Economic Development/Job Creation.

Richmond – Today Senator Ryan McDougle (R-Hanover) voiced great concern after Senate Democrats voted against restoration of commonsense financial management and accountability to the state budget process. The 21-19 vote narrowly defeated Senate Bill 102, introduced by Senator McDougle, which aims to alter the timing of Virginia’s budgeting process so that a biennial budget would be adopted in odd-numbered years and revised in even-numbered years.  The lengths of the General Assembly session would be altered accordingly.  This legislation was also introduced by McDougle during the 2009 session.  It has been considered by the General Assembly as far back as 2005, when the concept passed unanimously in the Senate.  Today on the floor of the Senate, the Senate Democrats voted to re-refer the bill to the Finance Committee with a recommendation that it be carried over for a year.  The vote was along party lines with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Colgan (D-Prince William) crossing the aisle to vote with Republicans against the motion. 

“This year is the perfect year to pass this legislation,” McDougle commented.  “The current struggle over the budget has only been exacerbated by the fact that the introduced budget we have before us was written by a governor who is no longer in office and it is based on priorities vastly different from those of our current Governor.  For weeks, we have heard the Senate Democrats call for leadership on the budget.  Yet when given an opportunity to show leadership themselves, the members of the majority party balked,” said McDougle.   

“Senate Democrats have once again demonstrated that they are not attuned to the mood of the citizens of Virginia,” said Senator McDougle. “The Democratic majority in the Senate narrowly defeated a bill that represented the exact type of improvement to our fiscal management process that Virginians want to see.”

In December, Governor McDonnell released a statement in support of the change to the budgetary cycle. “Regardless of who is governor, or the political parties present, the current process does not serve the public’s best interest nor does it create a fiscally prudent planning process. It needs to be reformed,” said Governor McDonnell. “It is important, especially in tough fiscal times, to continue to look for reforms in all areas of government, to make it simpler and more efficient and to get results.”

This improvement to the budgetary process was originally suggested by Democrat Governor L. Douglas Wilder in 2002 as a recommendation of his bi-partisan Commission on Efficiency and Effectiveness.  “This legislation was not partisan, focused on good governance and was originally suggested by former Governor Wilder,” noted McDougle.  “There is no reason why a governor should propose a budget during his or her last month in office when he or she will not be present to guide the bill through the General Assembly or to govern within the constraints of the budget he or she proposed.  That is why I introduced this legislation last year and that is why the Senate passed it unanimously in 2005. I cannot imagine what has changed so drastically in five years that the bill has gone from being unanimously supported to being killed through procedural nuances,” added Senator McDougle.  

“I will continue this effort in the future so that all Virginians, the General Assembly and future Governors will be able to benefit from a more commonsense, efficient budget process,” said Senator McDougle.

Richmond – The national healthcare debate came to Richmond earlier this week and a key Senate vote on the important issue resulted in victories for the basic freedoms that Virginians currently enjoy. Senator Ryan McDougle (R-Hanover) is a co-patron of Senate Bill 417, often termed a Healthcare Freedom bill. He joined 17 Republican colleagues, as well as 5 Senate Democrats to pass the legislation designed to protect citizens from any federally imposed healthcare mandates.  This Healthcare Freedom legislation would ensure that residents of the Commonwealth shall not be required to obtain or maintain a policy of individual insurance coverage if ever mandated by the federal government.

“I was proud to sponsor and cast my vote for the fundamental rights of Virginians,” said Senator McDougle. “The people from my district have made it clear that they don’t appreciate the closed-door healthcare debate process taking place in Washington. Certainly our healthcare system needs reform, but it remains the best in the world and is not something to be hastily changed for the sake of political expediency.” Senator McDougle noted that more than 30 states across the country are considering similar bills that preserve the rights of their citizens with regards to healthcare coverage.

As Senator McDougle and his colleagues attempt to remedy the state’s $4.5 billion budget shortfall, he is advocating another legislative initiative to fundamentally adjust the biennial budget fiscal calendar. Under the language set forth in Senate Bill 102, new budgets would begin in July of odd number years, rather than the current standard beginning in even years. The effect is a Virginia governor would be in office to see the impact of his or her proposed budget. This week Senate Bill 102 passed successfully through the Senate Finance Committee by a vote of 10-5.  This legislation is a bi-partisan move forward for Virginia and will help to ensure our best managed state status for the future. Senator McDougle’s legislation will now be voted on the Senate floor.  

“We are working hard to correct an awkward budgetary cycle that requires incoming gubernatorial administrations to contend with fiscal suggestions made by a previous governor, often from another party,” according to Senator McDougle.

Senator McDougle also has been working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to craft needed legislation to reform the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA). VITA’s management of the privately-awarded $2.36 billion dollar state Information Technology overhaul has been a constant cause for concern due to expensive delays and payments made to the contractor. Based on the recommendations of a two year study of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), Senator McDougle has introduced SB390, which will eliminate the ineffective Information Technology Investment Board and give the Governor authority to appoint the state’s Chief Information Officer, with the requirement that the General Assembly confirm the appointment.  Among many changes to the technology agency within this legislation, the Secretary of Technology and a newly appointed CIO will have more oversight and review of major technology projects proposed within the agency.  The bill will improve the decision-making process for funding new IT projects by providing policymakers with better information on the need for these IT projects and it will also prevent loss and waste of funds from failed projects by retaining and updating statutory review of IT projects. 

“I agree with the JLARC assessment that the oversight methodology under the Information Technology Investment Board and statutory authority within the agency is not working. The citizens whom I represent have told me that they want the state to be responsible with their tax dollars and this legislation will bring needed accountability and oversight of VITA.  Under the Secretary of Technology and a new Chief Information Officer both appointed by the Governor, sensible, pragmatic decisions can be made promptly and the custodians of Virginia’s largest outsourced contract will be held sufficiently accountable,” said McDougle. 

Senator McDougle continues to seek feedback from his constituents during the legislative session.  This week he hosted a live Tele-Town Hall phone call and talked with over 1500 citizens in his district.  Senator McDougle encourages his constituents to continue expressing their views by e-mail at district04@senate.virginia.gov, by phone at 804-698-7504 or through his website at www.ryanmcdougle.com. 

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