Making Virginia Taxpayers A Priority Speaker William J. Howell, continued Heavy taxes on healthcare (is the energy sector next?), unprecedented deficit spending that will balloon bureaucracy and one-sided dispensations to organized labor are among the initiatives pursued by the ruling party in Washington – ones that have alienated so many voters and set the stage for GOP electoral gains come November 2010. Virginians do not want their elected representatives to foist increased costs on our state budget with unfunded federal mandates and, in turn, overwhelm us with skyrocketing Medicaid costs. Doing so only crowds out any future spending for K-12 education, higher education, roads and bridges and other state priority needs. For these good reasons and more, I will continue to stand with Governor McDonnell, Lt. Governor Bolling, Attorney General Cuccinelli and other like-minded allies in support of speaking out against federal measures that curtail our God-given and constitutionally protected freedoms. Spreading more dependency on government may be the agenda of Democrats, but conservatives, Republicans and rightthinking Independents know that such a course is at odds with our country’s history and will limited our future potential. Advancing Choice in Education During the 2010 Session, I also was delighted to work with Governor McDonnell and legislative allies from both sides of the aisle and in both chambers where possible to help ensure Virginians have the education, skills and job training they need to succeed in our modern economy. Republicans have long led the way to standards-based education reform in Virginia and likewise have been hard-charging proponents of more choice and competition. That’s why I’m glad Republicans proactively seized a number of opportunities this year to keep Virginia on the leading edge of educational reform. For example, the House took aggressive action to improve Virginia’s education system by focusing funding on classroom learning and expanding choice Volume 1, Number 2 / May 2010
for parents in determining the best school for their children. Although the Senate killed a separate bill that would have required 65% of state education funding to be spent in the classroom where student learning occurs, structural reforms in the new state budget make significant progress in focusing education funds on the right priorities. Through long-term, structural changes in education funding formulas, the General Assembly passed biennial budget directs state revenues toward teachers and students in the classroom. However, a push to give more flexibility in the allocation of educational resources to local school boards and local governments did not survive the legislative process despite the House’s best efforts. We also passed legislation that expanded school choice and charter schools as well as college laboratory schools and virtual schools that promote innovative learning. All are part of Governor McDonnell’s “Opportunity to Learn” agenda. Although it was modified to garner passage in the State Senate, the new process for charter school applicants gives Virginia a better shot at expanding the number of charter schools to provide more educational alternatives. These reforms will benefit all schoolchildren, especially those who are at-risk and disadvantaged. Combined with legislation providing for “virtual schools” that use technology to reach students who struggle in a traditional classroom environment and “laboratory schools” that provide for cooperation between Virginia colleges and local schools to implement new programs, we have made great strides in the 2010 Session toward welcoming more innovation and choice in Virginia’s education system. Like so many, I agree with Governor McDonnell: “States that move proactively to bring innovation, competition and reform to their public schools not only are serving their young people well, they’re improving their prospects for future economic prosperity and job creation.”