Delegate Ken Plum’s Virginia E-News – December 7, 2005

COMMENTARY

Transportation Issue Called Urgent

Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum

         One clear message came out of the Virginia Conference on Economic Leadership I attended last week in Richmond: Virginia faces a major threat to its economic competitiveness, and that threat is in its failing transportation infrastructure. As Jack Reasor, Chairman of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce who sponsored the conference expressed it, “No single issue stands as a more formidable obstacle to Virginia’s short-term and long-term competitiveness than transportation.” According to numbers cited by Reasor, Virginia’s poor transportation system costs Virginians more than $4 billion every year – in lost time, increased fuel costs, greater repair bills, and accidents.

         Governor-elect Tim Kaine addressed the Conference at lunch. He emphasized as he had throughout his campaign his understanding of the urgency of the transportation crisis. Even before he takes office on January 14, 2006, Governor-elect Kaine has been going about the state listening to the public about their transportation concerns. Each stop on his tour has attracted hundreds of citizens eager to tell the newly elected governor what they want done and how we should go about doing it. His stops last week included Manassas and Leesburg.

         Some refreshing points are being made in these intense discussions about transportation. There seems to be a clear understanding that we cannot put off the issue any longer. The Governor-elect emphasized the urgency of the need. Clearly the public is tired of waiting. And the chairman of the State Chamber expressed a view much broader than any I have seen coming out of that organization when he said, “we must adopt a long-term plan grounded in a vision of statewide investments in transportation, encompassing all modes of moving freight and people, utilizing new technologies and providing for the maintenance of our transportation network.”

         The Governor-elect’s comments always reference mass transit and include the seaports and airports as well. A true understanding seems to be emerging that roads alone will not solve our problem. Our plans must be multi-modal. Most exciting, however, is the Governor-elect’s understanding of the relationship between land use planning and transportation. While such a position makes some vested economic interests nervous, it is clear that such a linkage must be made for the future and in the word of the Governor-elect is “critical.”

         Over the next month the State Chamber has promised a plan, the House Republicans will offer a plan, the Senate Finance Committee is working on what might be the most ambitious plan on transportation, and Governor-elect Kaine will offer his plan that Democrats will fall in behind. There may need to be a special session of the General Assembly in 2006 just to deal with transportation. The good news is that there is a sense of movement, an urgency, and a clear public unrest. From all that, maybe a transportation improvement plan as farsighted as the legislature last passed 20 years ago will emerge.

         To express your views on the transportation issue to Governor-elect Tim Kaine, send an email to Transportation@govelect.virginia.gov and to me at kenplum@aol.com.

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Delegate Ken Plum’s Weekly “Virginia Report”

 on Comcast Channel 28

Wednesday, December 7 at 10:30 p.m. – Jane Anthony, Reston citizen and activist for the retarded – “Community and Institutional Residential Settings for Retarded Citizens” Agency of Northern Virginia – “New Medicare Prescription Drug Plans – Choosing the Right One for You”

Tuesday, December 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, December 14 at 10:30 p.m. – John Lynch, Virginia Department of Transportation – “Context-Sensitive Design”

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Congratulations to Leila Gordon, performing and fine arts director, and Cindy Fortuno, graphic designer, at the Reston Community Center. Both were recently recognized by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for their work on the Center’s publication, CenterStage 2004-2005 Professional Touring Artist Series Brochure. The publication has been recognized by the Virginia Recreation and Park Society as the best promotional effort for basic promotional piece.

A new General Assembly website design was recently unveiled. While many benefits will be realized with the new design, the most significant is the addition of a Google search tool that will allow users to search across all Virginia legislative agencies. Also, a link to the Legislative Information System has been added to the header and “Who’s My Legislator” is now available under the QuickLinks section on most pages. The new design also offers a place to provide up to date information under Current Events on the homepage. Check out the website at www.virginia.gov. Click on Government; click on General Assembly.

Share your opinions with your neighbors on Backfence.com. Find out what your Reston neighbors think about what’s going on in our community by visiting Backfence. Go to www.backfence.com and log on. Post your opinions there if you have something to share.

Governor Mark Warner invites you to the Forward Together website, www.ForwardTogetherPAC.com, a new federal leadership PAC for which he is the honorary chair. Check out the information about what he has been working on in Virginia and join the discussion of where the country needs to head in the coming months and years.

Volunteers are needed to help low-income families file income taxes. The Fairfax County CASH (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope) program is now recruiting volunteers to help meet the goal of getting $2 million back into the hands of low-income residents by helping them claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (worth up to $4,000 a family). To volunteer or for more information, contact Tom Meagher at 703.324.5139 or tom.meagher@fairfaxcounty.gov or contact Mredith Eisenberg at 703.324.5194. Visit the Office of Partnerships web page at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/partnerships.

Learn more about the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project by attending a Public Information Session on Thursday, December 8, 6:00 to 8:30 p.m., at Spring Hill Elementary School, 8201 Lewinsville Road, McLean. The session is hosted by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and will feature a project overview, latest engineering plans, station locations, a timeline, and a funding update. Call 703.288.7000 with questions or visit www.dullesmetro.com for additional information.

The Reston Transportation Implementation Committee wants your input. Do you have an idea that might improve traffic flow or pedestrian safety or otherwise make things work better in our intersections or on the roadways in Reston? If you do, the Reston Transportation Implementation Committee (RTIC) would like to hear from you. RTIC was created at the urging of joint resolutions of the Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia Senate and consists of state legislators and transportation officials, the Hunter Mill Supervisor and Fairfax County transportation staff, and representatives of community organizations. The Committee identifies priority transportation needs in the Reston area with the help of residents and seeks to focus state and county agencies on addressing the priorities. If you have a suggestion for a low-cost improvement, please send the following information: (1) brief description of the problem; (2) exact location of the improvement you propose; (3) precise and concise description of the proposed improvement; (4) the benefit you would expect if proposal is implemented; and (5) your contact information (telephone number, email address) so you can be reached for further information if needed. Send the suggestion to: RTIC, 11437 Washington Plaza West, Reston, VA 20190.

I will be speaking at the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce’s Regional Policy Update held prior to the General Assembly session. This year’s pre-session Update will be held on Friday, December 9 at the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce offices, 1763 Fountain Drive, Reston. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.; continental breakfast is available. If you are a Chamber member, attend this information packed event to find out how election results will change the dynamics of the session and the future of the Commonwealth.

CHILDREN DOING TIME – Children of Incarcerated Parents and the Juvenile Justice System – is the theme of Virginia CURE’s annual meeting on Saturday, December 10, 2005, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Alfred Street Baptist Church, 301 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. For more information visit www.vacure.org or phone/fax 703.765.6549.

Super Sunday is a special day each year in which the Jewish community comes together for one day to raise funds that support and enrich the quality of life for Jews locally, in Israel, and around the world. This year Super Sunday is on December 11, 2005, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia, 8900 Little River Turnpike, Fairfax, VA. Volunteer to make calls or answer the phone. Learn more at www.supersunday2005.org.

Fairfax County has organized a Hunter Mill Special Study Task Force to determine the public’s vision for the Hunter Mill Road area. The final meeting of the Special Study Task Force is scheduled for December 14, 7:00 p.m., at Lake Anne Elementary School, 11510 North Shore Drive. The meeting is open to the public, and all are encouraged to attend.

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Authorized and paid for by Kenneth R. Plum.

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