Higlighted Blogs

Senator Mark Obenshain’s bill to prevent the state from mandating “project labor agreements” passed the Senate on 20-20 vote, with Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling casting the tie-breaking vote. The measure now goes to the House, where a companion bill, patroned by Del. Barbara Comstock, passed 69-27.

The aim of these bills is to open up contracts to bids from both union and non-union firms. In a press release, Obenshain states that union-only contracts significantly increased construction costs on several recent projects. But there’s a local jobs angle, too:

Since 95% of contractors in Virginia are not unionized, moreover, such requirements make it disproportionately likely that out-of-state contractors will be hired for this and other contract work bound by PLAs. “PLAs don’t just inflate costs – they give the work we’re paying for to out-of-state union companies,” said Obenshain.

Speaking of his tie-breaking vote on the Senate Bill, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling said:

Public dollars should not be diverted to projects involving Project Labor Agreements that favor union shops over merit shops. This critical legislation protects our right-to-work law and continues to promote a pro-business environment.

Chalk it up as another example of how elections really do have consequences…in this case, of the good kind.

Virginia Gentleman: First, on a political note, there has been discussion of a rivalry or division between Northern Virginia Republicans and Richmond Republicans.  Do you think the divide is real or exaggerated?

Lt.Gov. Bill Bolling: I’m not aware of any division between Northern Virginia Republicans and RichmondRepublicans. We’re are all on the same team and we’re all working toward the same goal of defeating President Obama and Tim Kaine in November.

Virginia Gentleman: With the Senate now evenly split what type of power sharing arrangement do you envision?

Lt. Gov.Bill Bolling: When the Senate organized last week we organized with a Republican majority, I was pleased to cast the tie breaking vote to give us that majority.  As a result we now have a Republican floor leader, Republican chairmen on all committees and Republican majorities on all but one committee.  I think that will improve the quality of leadership in the Senate, and it will help Governor McDonnell and me advance our legislative priorities.

Virginia Gentleman: What will be some of your top priorities this session?

Lt. Gov.Bill Bolling: Our focus has not changed.  We will continue to emphasize the need to govern Virginiain a fiscally responsible way and pursue policies that will help get our economy growing again and create jobs.  In addition, we’ll work to make investments in the core responsibilities of state government, things like education, transportation, public safety and the like.  Finally, we’ll be pursuing an aggressive government reform agenda this year, looking for ways to streamline state government and make it smaller and smarter.

Virginia Gentleman: How would you judge the McDonnell record as Governor so far?

Lt.Gov.Bill Bolling: I’m very pleased with the progress we have made in our first two years.  We’ve worked hard to restore our state’s financial foundation.  When we took office we inherited a $6B budget shortfall, but by reducing spending and emphasizing economic growth we have balanced our budget and produced surpluses of almost $1B over the past two years.We have also emphasized job creation, and we’ve had a lot of success there.  In the past two years, we have closed over 700 economic development deals in our state, we have created over 55,000  net new jobs and reduced our unemployment rate from 7.2% to 6.2%. And now that our economy is growing again, we have made significant reinvestments in higher education and transportation.  In fact, last year we made the largest investment in highway construction and maintenance in 25 years. We still have a lot of work to do, but we’ve accomplished a lot in the past two years.

Virginia Gentleman: Do you think Republicans will carry Virginia in this year’s race for President?

Lt.Gov.Bill Bolling: I think so.  Virginians recognize that President Obama has been a failed president.  His policies have failed to improve the economy, and his anti-business approach has actually made it worse.  And internationally this President has abandoned our allies, embraced our adversaries and made us weaker and less safe.  In 2008, Virginians gave President Obama the benefit of the doubt and embraced his call for hope and change, but they now know that was a mistake.  I don’t think they’ll make that mistake again.  I think they’ll vote Republican this November because they now know that’s the only way to get the country back on the right track.

Wednesday night’s Fairfax County Republican Committee meeting was another exciting success. Despite the poor weather conditions, 275 loyal Republicans came out. The FCRC is as strong as ever. The General Election is about 60 days away and our strength as one unified party was certainly on display last night.

The night began with a wonderful social hour sponsored by our Hunter Mill friends. Special thanks to Ryan King, Dan Langer, and Julie Williams for all their hard work. The meeting followed and the floor was turned over right away to my man Steve Hunt, who gave a heartfelt tribute to party unity; classic Steve Hunt. The other speakers who stepped to the podium were Bill Cooper, Republican nominated candidate for Sheriff, John Barsa, Republican nominated candidate for Delegate in the 44th, and Jeff Fredrick, Jason Flanary, and Miller Baker, Republican nominated candidates for State Senate in the 36th, 37th and 39th, respectively. These fine candidates were followed by an address from Delegate Rob Bell. Other candidates in attendance, too many to name so I’m only throwing out two shout-outs, were Brain Schoeneman, running for Delegate in the 37th, and Elizabeth Schultz, our endorsed candidate for the Springfield seat on the Fairfax County School Board. As always, my Braddock peoples came out in great volume.

The surprise of the night came from the appearance of Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, who fired up the crowd with a great speech (his title may lose that first part next cycle). The candidates looked seasoned and ready to push hard to November, their staffs almost looked rested, and the voting membership looked eager to do their part by volunteering for their favorite candidates. The theme was unity and the mood captured it well. Onward to November where as one party we can sweep in our full slate of outstanding candidates. So please find a campaign or two and get involved. Resources are scarce so every little bit helps, even if it’s just one lazy Saturday. And if you are not a member of the FCRC then drop them a line. You can check them out at www.fairfaxgop.com

In these tough economic times when the federal government as well as states across the country are facing fiscal nightmares, the Commonwealth of Virginia is a shining example of success in the business world for a couple of reasons.

First, there’s leadership from a strict financial disciplinarian like Governor Bob McDonnell who has proven that raising taxes is not always the route to increased revenue.

Second, the working relationship between McDonnell and Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, with an emphasis on economic development and job growth, has created a win-win situation for the citizens of Virginia. The proof is in the latest kudos from Business Facilities magazine.

The faith of Virginia’s citizens that their hard-earned tax dollars are in the hands of good stewards is evident in the continued high approval rating for McDonnell. He has caught the attention of those at the national level who are watching the workings of his administration.

Will Bill Bolling benefit when the 2013 elections roll around?

Business Facilities magazine cited Virginia and Louisiana at the top of their 2011 list for Economic Growth Potential. Their words about Virginia were particularly encouraging:

Virginia has parlayed its close proximity to Washington, DC—a natural magnet for government contractors—into a powerhouse push to make the Commonwealth a prime location for corporate headquarters, including Northrop Grumman and ITT’s Defense & Information Solutions unit.

In one of his first acts after he became the state’s chief executive last year, Gov. Bob McDonnell issued an executive order creating a state Economic Development and Jobs Creation Commission as part of his mission to improve the state’s business climate.

Virginia also has launched the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM), a unique collaborative research facility in Prince George County, VA, that promises to accelerate the transfer of laboratory innovations to manufacturing production lines where they can improve efficiencies, products and profits.
…
“Virginia has staked a claim as a national center for advanced manufacturing,” said Business Facilities Editor-in-Chief Jack Rogers. “The CCAM will be a job-growth engine for years to come.”

McDonnell has his critics but it’s difficult to argue with success, and the fact that Virginia is being noticed at the national level is evident by the recent #1 ranking by CNBC as the best state in America for business.

By McDonnell’s side since the beginning of his administration has been the lieutenant governor which begs the question: would a continued leadership in Virginia by a Governor Bill Bolling make the Old Dominion as successful after McDonnell’s term? Would the national magnifying glass hover over a Bolling administration and see a continuation of the current progress of job growth and business success?

A candidate for governor in the upcoming 2013 election, Bolling has traveled the Commonwealth as McDonnell’s Chief Jobs Creation Officer since early in 2010, heightening his profile and strengthening ties with the business community, and working to encourage growth in the economy so that Virginia remains a top business-friendly state.

Bolling, 54, has another ace up his sleeve. His reputation for being an avid fly fisherman continues to grow, offering the possibility of a Governor Bolling promoting Virginia in yet another arena that could bring huge financial gains. The past year he has become more public about his favorite past-time, Facebooking about fishing trips in the Commonwealth and West Virginia.

Bolling, who has redefined and expanded the office of lieutenant governor in Virginia, most assuredly deserves more than the $36,000 salary he earns for the part-time position that has turned into a full-time job. If he is able to publicize his New Ideas for a Better Virginia while traveling the Commonwealth, stand on his solidly conservative voting record, and raise his profile with those Virginians who are unfamiliar with his name, could the Executive Mansion become home to Bill and Jean Ann Bolling in 2014?

Cross-posted at SWAC Girl

Nearly 2000 Virginia political activists gathered in the town of Wakefield this afternoon to drink beer, eat fish and listen to political speeches, not necessarily in that order.  The annual gathering is a must for anyone interested in Virginia politics.  A couple observations, the crowd was overwhelmingly Republican, which is usually the case, but more so this year.  The only two Democrats I saw were Senator Mark Warner, and Congressman Bobby Scott.  Usually former Governor Gerald Baliles is there to represent the Democrats, but I didn't see him today. My other observation is that without a doubt Bolling dominated, in terms of a presence.  He had loads of signs, stickers, tee shirts, volunteers, and free hotdogs!

I have been to about a dozen Shad Plankings.  Always a fun event, and this years was great.  Also, special thanks to David Johnson who convinced me to try the Shad Row.  Very good!

From the Lt.Governor's Office 

"The General Assembly will reconvene today to begin a Special Session on redistricting.  Over the next few days, the Senate and House of Delegates will adopt plans to redraw Virginia’s congressional and legislative district boundaries.

The redistricting process is never an easy one.  It is an “every man for himself” atmosphere as legislators seek to protect their districts and political careers.  The process almost always devolves into blatant political gerrymandering, as the majority party seeks to obtain an advantage in future elections.

The current process of drawing legislative and congressional district boundaries is broken and needs to be replaced.  That’s why I have supported a bipartisan redistricting process where legislative districts are based on a sincere effort to achieve objective criteria such as compactness, contiguousness and common interest.

In my role as Lieutenant Governor, I also serve as President of the Senate of Virginia.  Because of this, I am more directly involved in the activities of the Senate and I tend to more closely monitor issues pending before the Senate.   That has been the case with the pending issue of redistricting.

Last week, Senate Democrats, who currently hold a majority in the Senate, unveiled their plan for redrawing Virginia’s 40 State Senate districts.  While I expected the Democrats plan to be based on political self preservation, they exceeded my wildest expectations.  Their plan may be the most blatant example of political gerrymandering in recent Virginia political history.

The plan introduced by Senate Democrats is an illogical and indefensible proposal that is designed to protect incumbent Democrats, weaken marginal Republican districts, place incumbent Republican Senators in the same district whenever possible, and draw new Senate districts in Northern Virginia that give Democrats the best possible opportunity of winning these seats.

The Democrats plan violates every acceptable principle of redistricting.   Their plan unnecessarily and inappropriately divides political subdivisions and results in districts that are impossible to comprehend.   For example, the Democrats plan divides 34 counties, 10 cities and 18 towns, and it includes three districts that are contiguous only by water.

I realize that political gerrymandering has long been a part of the redistricting process, but that doesn’t make it right.   Even legally permissible gerrymandering can be carried to such an extreme that it offends the sensibilities and abuses the public trust. 

That is exactly what the plan proposed by Senate Democrats does.  They have completely discarded the best interests of citizens and replaced it with a blatant attempt to achieve the greatest possible partisan political advantage.

I have no doubt that the Democrat majority in the Senate of Virginia will pass their redistricting plan without regard to legitimate objections that will be raised by Republican Senators.  However, once this plan is approved by the General Assembly it must also be reviewed by the Governor and that’s where the real battle will begin.

Later this week, an Independent Bipartisan Redistricting Commission that was appointed by Governor McDonnell in January will issue its recommendations for redrawing Virginia’s congressional and legislative district boundaries.

Governor McDonnell appointed this Commission in the hope of producing redistricting alternatives that are based on objective criteria of compactness, contiguousness and common interest, rather than raw political advantage.

I look forward to receiving and reviewing the Commission’s recommendations.  It is hard to imagine a scenario in which the Commission’s recommendations would not be preferable to those advanced by Senate Democrats. Ultimately, Governor McDonnell will have an opportunity to offer amendments to the redistricting plans that are adopted by the General Assembly or veto these plans.  I look forward to working with the Governor to ensure that legislative districts are drawn with the best interests of citizens in mind."

As predicted by yours truly, the Virginia State Democrats are attempting to gerrymander their way to winning back the Virginia General Assembly.  Typical left wing tactics because Democrats are not capable of winning an argument or an election through honest debate of the facts.  Please read the article below from the desk of Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling and if the mood strikes you, give your representative a call and tell them what you think of the plan.

Senate Redistricting Plan Should Be Rejected
By Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling

The General Assembly will reconvene today to begin a Special Session on redistricting.  Over the next few days, the Senate and House of Delegates will adopt plans to redraw Virginia’s congressional and legislative district boundaries.

The redistricting process is never an easy one.  It is an “every man for himself” atmosphere as legislators seek to protect their districts and political careers.  The process almost always devolves into blatant political gerrymandering, as the majority party seeks to obtain an advantage in future elections.

The current process of drawing legislative and congressional district boundaries is broken and needs to be replaced.  That’s why I have supported a bipartisan redistricting process where legislative districts are based on a sincere effort to achieve objective criteria such as compactness, consciousness and common interest.

In my role as Lieutenant Governor, I also serve as President of the Senate of Virginia.  Because of this, I am more directly involved in the activities of the Senate and I tend to more closely monitor issues pending before the Senate.   That has been the case with the pending issue of redistricting.

Last week, Senate Democrats, who currently hold a majority in the Senate, unveiled their plan for redrawing Virginia’s 40 State Senate districts.  While I expected the Democrats plan to be based on political self preservation, they exceeded my wildest expectations.  Their plan may be the most blatant example of political gerrymandering in recent Virginia political history.

The plan introduced by Senate Democrats is an illogical and indefensible proposal that is designed to protect incumbent Democrats, weaken marginal Republican districts, place incumbent Republican Senators in the same district whenever possible, and draw new Senate districts in Northern Virginia that give Democrats the best possible opportunity of winning these seats.

The Democrats plan violates every acceptable principle of redistricting.   Their plan unnecessarily and inappropriately divides political subdivisions and results in districts that are impossible to comprehend.   For example, the Democrats plan divides 34 counties, 10 cities and 18 towns, and it includes three districts that are contiguous only by water.

I realize that political gerrymandering has long been a part of the redistricting process, but that doesn’t make it right.   Even legally permissible gerrymandering can be carried to such an extreme that it offends the sensibilities and abuses the public trust.

That is exactly what the plan proposed by Senate Democrats does.  They have completely discarded the best interests of citizens and replaced it with a blatant attempt to achieve the greatest possible partisan political advantage.

I have no doubt that the Democrat majority in the Senate of Virginia will pass their redistricting plan without regard to legitimate objections that will be raised by Republican Senators.  However, once this plan is approved by the General Assembly it must also be reviewed by the Governor and that’s where the real battle will begin.

Later this week, an Independent Bipartisan Redistricting Commission that was appointed by Governor McDonnell in January will issue its recommendations for redrawing Virginia’s congressional and legislative district boundaries.

Governor McDonnell appointed this Commission in the hope of producing redistricting alternatives that are based on objective criteria of compactness, contiguousness and common interest, rather than raw political advantage.

I look forward to receiving and reviewing the Commission’s recommendations.  It is hard to imagine a scenario in which the Commission’s recommendations would not be preferable to those advanced by Senate Democrats.

Ultimately, Governor McDonnell will have an opportunity to offer amendments to the redistricting plans that are adopted by the General Assembly or veto these plans.  I look forward to working with the Governor to ensure that legislative districts are drawn with the best interests of citizens in mind.

On Wednesday, I spent the day with fellow bloggers in Richmond, the Capital of Virginia. I had been looking forward to the day for weeks and thought it would be fun. SWACgirl (Lynn), The Journey (Bob), Augusta Water Cooler (Jason), and I (Augusta Conservative) were guests of the Lt. Governor for the day. While I had a good time with my friends, it was also an experience that I will never forget, it put to rest some of my anxiety that I had been feeling about the direction of the economy in the Commonwealth and I had a wonderful opportunity to really get to know our Lt. Governor Bill Bolling and his wife.

When we arrived in Richmond we were invited into a beautiful executive room, which we later found out was the Governor’s Cabinet Room, where about twenty other bloggers from the Commonwealth were getting acquainted. I quickly realized with my introductions that this group was unique. The bloggers assembled were experts on the budget, transportation, economics, politics, and the cases that had been and were going to the Virginia Supreme Court. Once the Lt. Governor arrived it became apparent that the question and answer session was going to be intense. I can only convey my amazement at how well the Lt. Governor and his aids were able to answer all of our questions on a broad range of subjects with a level of detail that proved their mastery of the subject. I came away from that meeting with a very secure feeling that Lt. Governor Bill Bolling and his team are some of the best and brightest that Virginia has to offer and that, if given the tools, will be successful in bringing jobs to the Commonwealth.

My second point is about Bill Bolling himself. Before going to Richmond, I knew little of Bill Bolling except to say that he was the Lt. Governor. I truly hadn't paid him much mind because Bill Bolling seemed like a behind the scene kind of guy. However, during the day, I had the opportunity to meet with him in the Cabinet Room, to watch him run the Senate during session, and had the opportunity to speak with him one-on-one three times over the course of the day. Bill Bolling is an extraordinary man; years ago he started in politics as a Board of Supervisor member in Hanover County. He worked his way up the chain in the Capital and has a great respect from all the members of the Senate. While I was watching him run the session for the day, I was able to see him quiet a senator who had spoken out of turn. The senator apologized to the President (Lt. Governor is President of the Senate), and waited patiently for his opportunity to speak. This along with many other small examples from the day truly highlighted how much he is respected by his colleagues.

I found Bill Bolling extremely easy to talk to and he showed an honest desire to listen and answer questions. His answers always had the degree of knowledge and understanding that I was looking for and he didn't ramble on as some representatives do in order to not answer another question. He is wise and humble, yet comfortable in his role and in himself, and extremely gracious.

I have been looking for a statesman among the politicians in our government and upon leaving the capital that day feel confident that we have that representative in Lt. Governor Bill Bolling. Meeting him and having the opportunity to get to know him has restored, to some degree, my belief that there are some in the political arena that are involved not for their personal gain, but for the betterment of the Commonwealth. I would encourage any person who reads this post and doubts my opinion to get to know the man, go online and look up his public schedule, see when he is going to be in your town and plan to meet him. Do not rely on my opinion or on the opinions of others, as they are just our impressions. You should meet this representative who has worked tirelessly in Richmond and throughout the Commonwealth for your interests and liberty.

On Wednesday, I joined with conservative bloggers from throughout the Commonwealth in Richmond for Bloggers Day, which was hosted by Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling and his staff. Upon arriving, we were briefed by Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, his Chief of Staff, Randy Marcus, and Tucker Martin, Director of Communications for Governor Bob McDonnell. Transportation and Economic Development legislation were the main topics discussed during the morning session.

We also heard from Bob Holsworth, Managing Partner of DecideSmart and Founder of VirginiaTomorrow.com, who talked about the 2012 U.S. Senate Race. Boyd Marcus, Partner of Marcus & Allen Consulting talked about the impact of redistricting in the 2011 elections. Del. Bill Janis (R-Goochland) and Sen. Ryan McDougle (R-Mechanicsville) talked about the issues being addressed during this General Assembly session.

The Bloggers Day festivities ended with a reception at the Governor’s Mansion. It was great talking with Governor McDonnell. The Governor’s Mansion was beautiful and well preserved.

Thanks again to the Lieutenant Governor and his staff for hosting us.

David Karaffa and Jason Bibeau at the Capitol.

Lynn captured it so well. Four Bloggers [click to read] from the Valley got to spend the day as guests of Lt. Governor Bill Bolling and his staff. Here We are [click to read] at the morning briefing. In an economic climate that is abysmal on a national level, the administration was able to list a balanced budget and real job creation among its accomplishments. Lively discussion and a straight-up approach to addressing real issues appeared to be a genuine priority.

Delegate Ben Cline [click to read] and Senator Mark Obenshain [click to read] took the time to visit with us. These fine Conservative leaders genuinely value input and discussion of the bills before them.

Several times during the day I heard the expression: "in a perfect world..." usually referring to the need to find compromise or develop attainable goals. There was some good discussion about economic incentives. "In a perfect world..." companies would need no additional incentive to locate in Virginia. In the world we live in, it is sometimes necessary to make concessions in order to secure the committment of a company like Northrup/Grumman. Economic development sometimes requires investment.

The Transportation Bill was often part of our discussion as well. The Administration pooled money found in the VDOT audit, bonding authority already in place and some new borrowing to put our infrastructure needs on the front burner. Exit 91 on Interstate 64 will receive a much needed upgrade to handle traffic near the hospital. This will allow development to happen in this growing area without restrictions caused by the present narrow bridge.

After making hard cuts in the overall budget, the infrastructure investment is an investment in Virginia's long term future that can be safely made.

Here are Pictures [click to read] of us observing the legislative sessions.

Lynn Writes [click to read] in the Washington Examiner about Bloggers' Day.