Virginia Beach, VA-- November 16, 2009 -- The McWaters for Senate campaign was pleased to receive the endorsement of the Virginia Beach Taxpayer Alliance (VBTA) over the weekend. Jeff McWaters attended a forum Saturday morning, hosted by the VBTA. McWaters laid out his positions on the cost of government, his plan to restore fiscal accountability to Richmond and ways to cut costs in the state budget. He then took questions from the VBTA membership.

"Jeff McWaters is a Bob McDonnell and Bill Bolling Republican," says John D. Moss, Chairman of the VBTA. "Jeff is a fiscal conservative first and a Republican second. It is Jeff McWaters' commitment to growing jobs and letting families keep more of what they earn that has earned Jeff McWaters the endorsement of the Virginia Beach Taxpayer Alliance for the Republican nomination for the State Senate. The right choice, the smart choice for your family and your business is Jeff McWaters as the Republican nominee for the Virginia State Senate."

The VBTA states as their mission, "To mobilize voters to hold government accountable for its spending priorities, and to minimize the financial burden of government on workers and retirees through voter education."

"The endorsement of the VBTA is great," says McWaters. "We built our company, AMERIGROUP, around free market principles that I firmly believe in. Primarily that private enterprise works better and more efficiently than government.  AMERIGROUP not only found creative solutions to make healthcare affordable for low income families, it saved states and taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in the process."

Jeff McWaters is running in the Republican primary to replace Senator Ken Stolle in Virginia's 8th Senate District. Stolle was elected Sheriff of Virginia Beach. The date for the special election primary is expected to be on a Saturday in December, however it is not set yet.

For more information: www.jeffmcwaters.com or
Contact: travis@jeffmcwaters.com 
Phone: 757-965-3700

In 2000, Congress established the White House Commission on Remembrance. A non-partisan government agency that encourages Americans to honor the sacrifices of our fallen and their families. In addition to promoting acts of remembrance throughout the year, the commission is also tasked with sponsoring the National Moment of Remembrance. 

I invite you to join Cindy and me, and our fellow citizens on Monday at 3:00 PM, to pause in a moment of national unity remembering those who died in service to our country.

God Bless you, your family, and this great Nation.

Virginia Beach, VA-January 12, 2010 - Today, in a special election in Virginia Beach, the voters of the 8th senate district voted overwhelming to elect Jeff McWaters over democrat Bill Fleming by a margin of 57 points. The election was to fill the 8th senate district seat left open by new Beach Sheriff Ken Stolle. The voters of Virginia Beach voted in favor of McWaters 78 - 21%.

 "Thank you for your tremendous support over these last nine months. I am truly looking forward to serving the people of Virginia Beach and making good on the themes of my campaign: recruiting businesses to create jobs, cutting the size and cost of government, and prioritizing transportation projects while getting our fair share of transportation funding," says McWaters. "I thank all who voted today on this cold Tuesday in January. I am continually astounded by the commitment of over four hundred volunteers that has been the backbone of my campaign from the beginning.  A special thank you to my friends, family and supporters and know that I fully plan to deliver for Virginia Beach and this region while serving as your senator in Richmond. Now it's time to get to work for all of the citizens of the 8th senate district. Make no mistake, I am a conservative republican but my door will be open to all, republican, democrat or independent."

Their remarks are as follows:

Del. H. Morgan Griffith:

"Good Evening. I'm House of Delegates Majority Leader Morgan Griffith from Southwest, Virginia, and I'm accompanied tonight by Sen. Jeff McWaters of Virginia Beach...

..."Sen. Jeff McWaters has a record of achievement in creating jobs. He will discuss that challenge now."

Sen. Jeffrey L. McWaters:

"Thank you, Morgan, for clearly setting out the challenges we face with this year's budget.

"Today, Sen. Dave Marsden and I were sworn in as the newest members of the Virginia State Senate. Dave, congratulations to you. In fact, Del. Griffith has been in Richmond for 16 years and I've been here less than 16 hours.

"So rather than talk about accolades of the past, let's talk instead about where we are now. We need to cut billions from the state budget and meet enormous transportation and education challenges. We must control spiraling Medicaid costs. And above all, we need to free the private sector to do what only the private sector can do: create jobs and stimulate the economy.

"Last year, the outgoing administration relied on the stimulus package to bail-out and paper over our problems and delaying the inevitable by one more year.

"This year, we must truly stimulate the economy by returning to our founding economic principles: capitalism, less government, lower taxes and plain old hard work.

"We cannot bring about economic recovery without significant growth in employment. It's like saying we're going to attack illiteracy by putting books on tape. Our citizens need jobs.

"This session, my colleagues and I plan to focus on four specific strategies to increase business investment and create job growth in the Commonwealth:

"One, implement tax credits for companies that create at least 50 jobs in Virginia. This is one tax credit that will pay for itself many times over.

"Two, streamline government regulations and protect the Right to Work laws that help create a favorable business climate in the Commonwealth. These policies are already a strong draw for businesses looking to locate in the Commonwealth. With the assault on business from Washington in the form of Obamacare, card check and cap and trade, Virginia's business-friendly policies will be even more important as a last line of defense.

"Three, invest more in the Governor's Opportunity Fund and aggressively pursue global opportunities. When it comes to attracting new businesses, Virginia is facing stronger competition from other states and countries. The Governor's Opportunity Fund allows us to provide greater incentives for companies to locate and create jobs in Virginia.

"Four, prepare Virginia's future workforce to take on the jobs of the 21st century by recruiting the best teachers and rewarding them based on their success. Our schools must focus more on science, technology, engineering, health care and mathematics, subjects that will be the base of the jobs of the future.

"I've learned from my life experience that private enterprise is the key to job creation. Fifteen years ago, I started a company on my kitchen table in Virginia Beach that grew to a Fortune 600 company focused on improving health care access and quality for the poorest citizens while saving participating states hundreds of millions of tax dollars. Along the way, we created over 4,800 jobs.

"The way I see it, politicians can do one of two things. Force more bureaucracy onto the private sector or bring more private sector principles to Richmond. My constituents didn't send a politician to Richmond, they sent a businessman.

"And this is why I ran: we must ensure the legacy of our grandparents, the greatest generation, for our grandkids. People are hurting. It's our job to reignite the American dream for them.

"The engine for doing this is in the minds, hearts and spirits of entrepreneurs and small business owners throughout this Commonwealth. Our job is not to control them; our job is to encourage them. Right now, on their own kitchen tables, enterprising Virginians are using their God-given talents and taking personal risk to achieve their slice of the American dream and create jobs for others along the way. That's the entrepreneurial spirit of America. It's the fuel of capitalism and the reason that America is still the hope of the world. Just as Virginians are responding right now to the crisis in Haiti.

"May God empower them and bless you. And may God bless our Commonwealth.

"Good night."

As reported by whsv.com

Virginians in my district are willing to accept some degree of incremental market-based health care reform.  However, they reject a comprehensive government takeover of the system, that does not address the core changes required. 

As many of you know, the issue of health care is where I have spent the majority of my professional career, time and energy. I founded a company whose vision was to see every person in America have access to a physician through an organized system of care. And I can assure you that when you are involved in these problems from the ground up, not from a 30,000 foot level, you see things a little differently. From that view, party labels don't matter as much.   

What does matter, and what is desperately needed, is a health care system that encourages responsibility, is market-based, controls costs, and provides access for quality care so that Americans can live healthy and independent lives. 

Despite how deeply partisan this issue has become, I don't think Democrats and Republicans disagree on those goals. In America, we don't let people lie sick or die on the street for lack of insurance coverage. Our hospitals are required to treat those who walk into their emergency departments, regardless of their ability to pay.

Nobody is suggesting we change that. But emergency room treatment for routine sicknesses is far more expensive than a primary care doctor and therefore drives up the cost of health care and serves as a hidden tax of tens of billions of dollars on those who pay for health insurance.

My point is that both parties appear to agree on a couple of things. That Americans have access to treatment when they are sick or hurt. And that personal responsibility and cost control are needed.

But while the goals may be the same, there is a Grand Canyon of divide on how we get there. And the current Administration's proposals have helped to demonstrate just how wide and deep that fissure really is.

To support government mandates in this environment is to support an unwise and ultimate Federal takeover of a huge segment of our economy. That is something we must not support.

For these reasons, despite my ongoing commitment to cost-effective health care reform and the underlying principle that every person should have access to quality health care coverage, I voted in support of Senate Bill 417.

Virginians are sending a powerful message to Washington rejecting the approach of too much central government control of medical decision making. 

As Virginians, let's do what we have always done - let's help Washington craft a more market-based approach incentivizing all Americans to have access to a primary care physician through an organized system of care.

Thank you.

VDOT's traffic information: Call 511 or visit www.511virginia.org

Winter Travel Info: http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/snow.asp

Ready Virginia: http://www.readyvirginia.gov/

City of Virginia Beach: http://www.vbgov.com/winterstorm

I hope you have a safe, dry, and warm winter weekend.

Please don't forget to sign up for my rescheduled TeleTown Hall on February 16th at 6:40 pm by clicking here.

Legislation Status 

Below are status updates for my Legislation.

SB 693 - Major Business Facility Tax Credit

This bill was incorporated into SB 472 by the Senate Finance Committee. SB 472 was then unanimously reported from the Finance Committee on Wednesday and will be on Second Reading on the Senate Floor this coming Monday. Follow the bill's Status by clicking here. 

SB 694 - Additional Appropriations to Transportation 

SB 694 is before the Senate Finance Committee and will be heard in the next week. Follow the bill's status by clicking here.

SB 695 - Amending the Public Procurement Act

The House version of this bill, HB 426, was reported out of subcommittee yesterday. SB 695 will be heard before the General Laws and Technology Committee this week. Follow the bill's status by clicking here.

SB 696 - HOV Lanes; allows military personnel to use

This Bill was unanimously reported out of the Transportation Committee yesterday. It will be on First Reading on the Senate Floor on Monday. Follow the bill's status by clicking here.

SB 697 - Medicaid; urges expansion of managed care 

SB 697 is in the Health Care subcommittee of the Senate Education and Health Committee. It will be heard on Tuesday. Follow the bill's status by clicking here.

SB 733 - License tax credit; VSBIC

SB 733 is part of Governor McDonnell's legislative package and creates the Virginia Small Business Investment Credit. It will be heard next week before the Senate Finance Committee. Follow the bill's status by clicking here.

For information on how a bill becomes a law, visit the Citizen's Guide on the General Assembly website by clicking here.

Visitors

The Senator and his staff have met with numerous constituents this past week. Please let us know if you would like to schedule a visit and/or a tour of the Capitol. Additionally, if you will be in the gallery, let our office know so the Senator can recognize you during the day's session.

Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association
Virginia Beach City Council
Virginia Dental Association
Virginia Assembly of Independent Baptists
Equality for Virginia
March of Dimes
Virginia Nurses Association
Virginia Podiatric Medical Association
IFPTE Local #1
NASA
Virginia Tech Students

Jobs

I researched bills, which would help incentivize companies to grow and help people in Virginia. My first bill, SB 693, would have expanded the Major Business Facility Tax Credit to allow businesses to receive up to $10,000 for each new employee over a 25-employee threshold during a five-year period. This proposal was incorporated into SB 472 by the Democratically controlled Senate Finance Committee. It lowered the tax credit threshold to 25 employees in economically distressed areas and 50 employees everywhere else, while keeping the amount at $1,000 to be taken over 3 years. In my opinion, SB 472 is not enough to incentivize job growth.

I also offered Budget Amendment 96 to expand the Governor's Opportunity Fund to $25 million for fiscal year 2011; the final budget expanded it to $23.9 million. We were glad both the House and Senate recognized the importance of giving Governor McDonnell the tools to attract jobs to the Commonwealth.

Working with the Governor's Office, our most comprehensive bill, SB 733, would have created the Virginia Small Business Investment Credit (VSBIC), which would bring $100 million dollars in private funds to be invested in Virginia's small businesses, with less then 100 employees. To attact investors, the program would have created deferred tax credits starting five years after inception of the program. Similar plans have been created in 10 other states, raising $2.2 billion for small businesses and creating over 21,000 jobs. The bill passed the Senate by an amazing 38 to 2, after alot of bipartisan work. Unfortunately it was defeated in a House Appropriations subcommittee; but, I am optimistic that after a year of discussion we will be able to pass this program.

Transportation

The Governor's Office asked me to patron SB 694, which was similar to a bill I had been drafting. This bill would have authorized the Governor to include in his budget proposal additional funds for transportation in years when projected tax revenue growth is a minimum of 3%. Those funds would be at least 1% of the budget or about $140 million. This bill was defeated in the Democratically controlled Senate Finance Committee.

SB 696 allows uniformed active-duty military personnel in Hampton Roads to use the HOV lanes regardless of the number of passengers, subject to Federal approval. This measure will improve our current HOV lane utilization of 40% and helps both the military and the other drivers in Hampton Roads. It passed both the House and Senate with large bipartisan support, and help from Delegate Chris Stolle, M.D.

Lowering the Cost of Government

I introduced SB 697, which would have directed the Department of Medical Assistance Services to expand their managed-care programs throughout the Commonwealth by July 1, 2012. It was killed in the Democratically controlled Health Care subcommittee. Although the bill did not pass, during the interim I will be working with Secretary Hazel to find ways the State can manage its Medicaid programs with the goal of improving access to care and saving the Commonwealth millions of dollars over the long term. The passage of the federal health care reform bill will make this an even more urgent and important matter. My experience with Medicaid has been well received by my colleagues, and for that, I am thankful.

Budget

The cornerstone of this year's Session was the budget. Upon arrival in Richmond, the Senate Democrats proposed we raise taxes by $1.9 billion to balance the budget. Minority Leader Tommy Norment and the rest of the Senate Caucus asked me to make a floor speech, my first, on why we must not raise taxes. This speech kicked off a skirmish on taxes and responsive speeches for and against a tax increase for the next two weeks. It was clear to me that you sent me to Richmond to cut the cost of government, not increase it. Government needs to find ways to cut back and limit its spending to what it can afford and in responsible ways! Just like Virginia families and businesses.

The original Senate budget gave me a lot of concern, and therefore I voted against it. However, the final budget was a great improvement. It had the following modifications, which I supported: no tax increase, made borrowing from VRS a loan payable over 10 years including interest, restored $7.5 million for land acquisition costs at Oceana, reduced proposed fees from $300 million to $100 million, increased monies in the Governor's Opportunity Fund, and made the proposed State employee one-time salary increase conditional on a revenue surplus, to name a few.

All in all, we did what you asked by reducing the cost of government by $3.9 billion and borrowing $600 million with no tax increase.

What a wonderful and great learning process the Session was for me. We burned the midnight oil most nights, as we strategized and negotiated for the results you expected. Thanks for sending me on your behalf. I look forward to speaking to you in the TeleTown Hall this Thursday and seeing many of you around the community in the coming weeks and months.

If you support my stands in the Virginia Senate, would you please support my campaign financially? We need funds to pay off campaign loans and continue running an efficient district office. Click here to make an online donation, and thank you in advance for your generosity.

If there is anything my office can ever do for you, please do not hesitate to contact us by phone (757-965-3700) or by email (info@jeffmcwaters.com).

Around the District

Senator McWaters presented Cape Henry Collegiate sophomore Will Mason with a Senate Joint Resolution commending him on his National Championship in Wrestling. Will is joined onstage by his parents, Karen and Michael Mason. See pictures from the event by clicking here.

There were just under 100 amendments to the budget. I would like to highlight a few that will have a strong impact right here in Virginia Beach. First, we approved $1.8 million to restore funding to the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters. This hospital provides a critical service to our community. I have heard from many constituents on how this has personally affected their lives. Second, we approved $1.9 million for the Virginia National Guard Commonwealth ChalleNGe Program, which is based right here in Virginia Beach at Camp Pendleton. This program provides an invaluable service by intervening in the lives of at-risk youth by teaching the values, skills, education, and self-discipline needed to produce responsible and productive citizens. I worked hard, along with Delegate Knight, to advocate for the ChalleNGe Program and was very pleased to see the Governor agree with our recommendation. Third, we approved amendments to equalize the state's public employee retirement system to ensure local and state employees are treated the same regarding payment of retirement benefits. 

Additionally there were a few approved amendments that give the Governor more tools to help attract jobs and businesses to the Commonwealth. We approved an amendment to restore $6 million to the Governor's Opportunity Fund. The purpose of this fund is to provide grants or loans to localities to assist in the creation of new jobs and investment. Earlier this week, the Governor announced that Northrop Grumman chose Virginia as the home of its new corporate headquarters. The move will bring 300 new jobs to the Commonwealth and is a great example of how the Governor's Opportunity Fund is used. Finally, we reinstated a critical tax deduction for Virginia's manufacturers to help foster job growth across the state.

Not only did this past Sunday mark Governor McDonnell's 100th day in office, but it marked my 103rd day of legislative service. Although we are back from Session, things have not slowed down around the district. Our second TeleTown Hall was a huge success with over 2,000 people participating from the comfort of their own home. Once again, we asked a number of survey questions to gauge your position on various issues. 

From this survey, we learned that 80% of respondents were pleased in some way with our final budget, leaving only 20% not at all pleased. Fifty-four percent of respondents said they would oppose a tax increase to fund transportation, leaving 46% supportive of an increase. Once again an overwhelming majority (63%) of respondents felt that no one should be required to purchase health insurance. Lastly, 84% were pleased with my job performance during this year's session. If you did not participate in the survey, I hope that you were pleased as well.

Looking toward next year, my staff and I are beginning to research legislation for the 2011 Session. If you have an idea for a bill please email Ross Grogg (ross@jeffmcwaters.com) with your suggestion.

I look forward to seeing you and your family around the district. If there is anything my office can ever do for you, please do not hesitate to contact us by phone (757-965-3700) or by email (info@jeffmcwaters.com).

If you support my stance in the Virginia Senate, would you please consider supporting my campaign financially? We need funds to pay off campaign loans and continue running an efficient district office. Click here to make an online donation, and thank you in advance for your generosity.

Senator McWaters' Band, Guava Jam, has two upcoming performances.

Jobs and Economic Development

SB 475 - Strengthens the criteria used for awarding monies from the $25 million Governor's Opportunity Fund.

SB 472 - Lowers the threshold for the Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit to 50 full-time jobs from 100, and in economically distressed areas to 25 jobs from 50.

SB 623 - Creates a Green Jobs tax credit of up to $500 per position for up to 350 new green jobs with an annual salary in excess of $50,000.  

Public Safety

SB 486 - Requires the Department of Juvenile Justice to provide information to law-enforcement relating to involvement in or investigations of criminal street gangs.

SB 520 - Adds murder of auxiliary police officers or auxiliary deputy sheriffs to the capital murder statute.

SB 95 - Extends short-term disability benefits for state police officers injured in the line of duty from 125 work days to up to one calendar year. 

Health and Human Resources

SB 417 - A resident of the Commonwealth shall not be required to obtain or maintain a policy of individual insurance coverage except as required by a court or the Department of Social Services where the individual is named a party in a judicial or administrative proceeding.

SB 652 - Required the Board of Education to develop and distribute to local school divisions guidelines for dealing with concussions in student-athletes.

Budget Amendment 4-5.04 - Limits state funding of abortions to only cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is at risk.  

Transportation

SB 537 - Increases the speed limit to 70 mph on highways that currently have 65 mph speed limits.

HB 1159 - Requires drivers to move left on a four lane highway when approaching vehicles displaying flashing blue, red, or amber lights. This provision does not apply in highway work zones.

Military & Veterans' Affairs

SB 151 - Provides that a property owner's association shall not prohibit or otherwise adopt a policy restricting an owner from displaying the flag of the United States whenever such a display is in compliance with the Federal Flag Code.

HJ 127 - Designates the Honor and Remember Flag as the Commonwealth's emblem of service and sacrifice by the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces who have given their lives in the line of duty.

SB 31 - Provides for a referendum at the November 2, 2010, election to approve or reject an amendment requiring the General Assembly to provide a real property tax exemption for the principal residence of a veteran, or his or her surviving spouse, if the veteran has a 100 percent service-connected, permanent, and total disability.

Ethics Reform

SB 512 - Requires legislators to disclose on their Statement of Economic Interest any salary they or members of their immediate families earn from state or local governments or advisory agencies.

2nd Amendment

SB 334 - Allows persons with a concealed handgun permit to carry a handgun concealed onto the premises of a restaurant or club and prohibits them from consuming alcohol.

SB 408 - Allows persons who may lawfully possess a firearm to carry a handgun in a private motor vehicle or vessel if it is in a container or compartment.

Enjoy this beautiful holiday weekend!

If you support my stands in the Virginia Senate, would you please support my campaign financially? We need funds to pay off campaign loans and continue running an efficient district office. Click here to make an online donation, and thank you in advance for your generosity.

Are you ready for a hurricane or tropical storm? Visit www.ReadyVirginia.com for more information.

In order for Virginia to prosper economically, retain businesses, and attract new ones, steps must be taken. Government regulations must be kept to a minimum, taxes must remain low, and our transportation network must remain effective. I firmly believe that we must provide strong economic-development programs to assist businesses with attracting jobs, and I will continue to fight for these programs both in Richmond and here in Virginia Beach.

Virginia FREE was created in 1988 by a small group of business leaders who recognized the need for the business community to be more involved in state politics. These leaders believed that having non-partisan information was essential to making sound decisions. Today, Virginia FREE takes great pride in providing the most accurate non-partisan information available to businesses throughout the Commonwealth.

If you support my efforts in the Virginia Senate to help our commonwealth continue to be business-friendly, please consider supporting my campaign financially. Funds are needed to pay off campaign loans and continue to maintain an efficient district office that is available to assist you. For your convenience, you can  click here to make an online donation. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Also, to see the invitation for our fundraiser with Governor Bob McDonnell on July 29th, click here.

Although this is just the beginning of a battle which will ultimately be decided by the United States Supreme Court, a ruling in Virginia's favor shows that there are legal precedents to support our argument. I am a strong supporter of the Attorney General's work with this case on behalf of all the citizens of the Commonwealth.

During my career, I have urged state and federal leaders to take action and develop common sense health-care reform. These reforms should continue to ensure Americans have access to treatment when they are sick or hurt, and add personal responsibility and cost control measures to our current system. Unfortunately, the current administration's approach has highlighted the differences in attaining these goals. I continue to have an ongoing committment to cost effective care and reform of the underlying principles of the healthcare system such that everyone has access to quality healthcare.

A government mandate ultimately leads to a federal takeover of a huge segment of our economy and ignores the constitution. While private healthcare solutions are not perfect, they should be more efficient and cost effective than a government-run program. We must work together in the long term to find effective market-based solutions to our growing healthcare needs without the government mandating its involvement going forward.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas.

Senator McWaters is appointed to Governor McDonnell's Commission on Military and National Security Facilities

Governor Bob McDonnell announced today the members of his Commission on Military and National Security Facilities. This commission was formed in response to discussions in February by Virginia's Congressional Delegation and the recent proposal to close the U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM). Senator Jeff McWaters joins Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling and co-chairs Tom Davis and Owen Pickett, on this important commission. 

McWaters commented, "The proposed closing of JFCOM and the recent discussion of losing an aircraft carrier to Florida show that Virginia must do more to keep our military facilities here. All levels of government are doing more with less and lowering the cost of government is important. However, these decisions should be thoughtful and show a clear cost-benefit analysis. This commission's work will provide assistance to help our Commonwealth weather this storm and prepare for future BRAC Commission recommendations. The military is a top priority of mine. We must fight for these facilities to ensure our men and women in uniform have the best training and simulation tools available to them. Bipartisan cooperation will be essential to our success, and I look forward to working with the other members so that we are better prepared to deal with these challenges."

Governor McDonnell said, "Virginia has long played a leading role in the defense of the United States of America. The Pentagon, Naval Air Station Oceana, Fort Lee, Fort Belvoir, Naval Station Norfolk, the Joint Forces Command and many other installations in the Commonwealth are crucial to the security of our homeland as well as our ability to project force around the globe. As governor, I will work with leaders from both parties, the private sector, all levels of government and the military to ensure that these facilities remain in the Commonwealth for the sake of our national security. The members of the Commission will play key roles in this effort, and I thank them for agreeing to serve in this capacity. There is important work to be done."

Last week the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission issued a brief estimating that JFCOM contributes over $900 million to the region's gross regional product. Coupled with a lost carrier, the combined economic impact would be over $1.2 billion dollars to Hampton Roads alone.

The Commission on Military and National Security Facilities was created by Executive Order #22. The full text can be found by clicking here.

The recent concerns regarding JFCOM and potential job losses remind us of the importance of taking every step possible to encourage private-sector job creation in the years ahead. Companies like InMotion are important to the future of our local economy, and this news is exactly the kind of positive announcement we need to see more of in Virginia Beach. This is an investment in our region and our skilled workers. I congratulate InMotion for the innovation and vision that made their expansion possible.

I will continue to work with the governor, the mayor, and the rest of our delegation to ensure we maintain our current regulatory environment, which continues to attract and entice new and expanding businesses.

To see the press release from the Governor's Office, click here.

Next Tuesday, voters from across the country will head to the polls for what will be a monumental election. I encourage you to join me in supporting my friend, Scott Rigell, for Congress. He is a businessman, a patriot, a veteran, and a great American. He and his family are in this race, to make a difference in Washington and steer this country back in the right direction. I will be voting for Scott and I hope you will as well. 

If you'd like to learn more about Scott, please visit his website at www.scottrigell.com. In addition, if you are interested in volunteering these next few days, contact Luke at the Rigell Campaign office, 757-802-9936 or his cell phone, 757-353-7058.

In addition to electing a Congressional Representative, five City Council members, and six School Board Members, there are three Constitutional Amendments for your consideration.

For detailed information on each of these amendments, click here to visit the State Board of Elections website. 

If for some reason you will be unable to vote on November 2nd, be sure to vote absentee. Absentee ballot applications must be mailed by Tuesday, October 26th. Click here to download an absentee ballot application. In addition, in-person absentee voting is available now and will continue until this Saturday, October 30th at 5:00 p.m. Click here to download the full list of in-person absentee voting locations provided by the Virginia Beach Voter Registrar.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact my office by email at info@jeffmcwaters.com or by phone at 757-965-3700.

I look forward to seeing you at the Victory Party on November 2nd at the Westin Hotel in Town Center starting at 8:00 p.m.

These economic and politically unsettled times will be felt across many households. Cindy and I send our heartfelt thanks to all of our brave servicemen and women who are away fighting to preserve our freedom. We pray for their safe return and the return of a more stable economy for America.

Wishing you and your family a blessed Christmas and Holiday season!

Cindy and Jeff McWaters

Cindy and I hope you and your family had a safe and relaxing holiday season. It has been a tremendous honor serving as your Senator from Virginia Beach's eighth Senatorial District.  This year, unlike last Session, I have had time to prepare and hear from you.  

Last Session, we fought for a budget that would respect all Virginians. Families and small businesses, across the Commonwealth are living on less, and our government must do the same. As a result we reduced the cost of government by $3.9 billion and borrowed $600 million from the Virginia Retirement System. While I was never a proponent of a VRS loan, we are required to pay the money back over 10 years including interest. I will push this year to pay it back earlier.

The final 2010 budget contained two measures proposed to help incentivize job growth.  Greater access to the Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit was created and funding for the Governor's Opportunity Fund was increased. Both were put to good use, helping attract Capitol One, Hilton Hotel, InMotion, Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, and SAIC. However, we are not out of this recession yet, not by a long shot! We must continue to create an environment that attracts companies to invest capital and jobs in America and Virginia Beach.

During the 2011 Session, I will be fighting for more ways to lower the cost of government, improve transportation, provide incentives for a jobs growth environment, and protect our vital military assets:

Again this year, I will be sponsoring legislation to allocate a higher percentage of future budget surpluses towards the Transportation Trust Fund. In addition, I'm considering a bill that would designate all taxes paid by highway contractors to be deposited into the Transportation Trust Fund as well. 

I will be resubmitting our bill to create the Virginia Small Business Investment Credit, which would invest $100 million into Virginia's small businesses. This model has been very successful in other states, creating over 21,000 jobs and raising $2.2 billion for small businesses. I hope that Virginia will also be able to take advantage of this program. My bill (SB 733) passed the Senate 38-2 but fell short in the House of Delegates. Another job creation measure I am considering is a Container Tax Credit for the Port of Virginia. This incentive would help increase container traffic and associated revenues, making us more competitive with other states. 

We are planning to introduce legislation that would allow our state colleges and universities to waive the one-year residency requirement to receive in-state tuition for recently-discharged veterans who are in the process of becoming Virginia residents. 

I am considering a bill that would require all public contractors to register and participate in the Federal Electronic Work Verification Program (E-Verify) to ensure their employees are eligible to work in the United States. 

In addition, we are considering a bill that would require the state to spend $1 billion less than projected revenue estimates. This would give us some breathing room in the event of a revenue estimate decline. In business, we would never budget our expenses to within one or two percent of projected revenue.

I hope this letter has been helpful and informative. Please take a moment to complete the attached Legislative Survey and return it today. I appreciate hearing your thoughts as the 2011 General Assembly Session gets underway. If you would prefer completing the survey online, please visit my website at www.jeffmcwaters.com. Cheryl, Ross, and I will be in Richmond from January 10th until at least February 26th. If you are coming to Richmond, please let us know or stop in and say hello!

January 31, 2011

Contact: Ross Grogg
Phone: 804-698-7608

Senator McWaters discusses the importance of a dedicated revenue stream for Transportation

Richmond, VA - This morning, Senator Jeff McWaters held a press conference to discuss Senate Bill 1394, which designates 1/4% (0.25%) of the existing sales tax revenues in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia to transportation projects in those regions. The localities in these highly congested regions have requested a dedicated revenue stream for transportation, and this proposal would dedicate money towards badly needed transportation projects.

Currently, the sales tax is allocated with 1% returned to localities, 0.5% reserved for transportation, 1% returned to localities for education, and 0.125% dedicated to Local Real Estate Property Tax Relief. Of the 2.375% that remains, this bill would allocate 0.25% of it towards transportation.

Over the next seven years, the proposal would infuse over $390 million for Hampton Roads and close to $720 million for Northern Virginia. In 2004, when the sales tax was increased 0.5%, half was earmarked for education and the rest of the funds were sent to the general fund. This measure would simply designate the other half of the 2004 increase towards transportation.

Overall, the Commonwealth's most congested regions would retain $1 billion dollars in funding to help with projects already in the six-year Improvement Program. 

"My constituents sent me up here with a clear priority, to address Transportation for Virginia Beach and our region," said Senator McWaters. "This bill is an innovative approach, without raising taxes, to keep over $390 million in Hampton Roads, money that is desperately needed for road projects throughout the region. We must continue to strengthen our infrastructure so businesses and our military continue to operate and expand their assets in Hampton Roads. I believe we can find additional efficiencies in government to fund this essential service without raising taxes."

For the full video of today's News Conference, click here.

###

Tuesday marked the ceremonial half-way point of this year's session and included a number of rare occurrences. First, my colleagues and I made one final attempt to have bills that were killed in subcommittees, such as a property rights amendment and a secret ballot amendment, heard before the full Senate. We used a parliamentary remedy known as a discharge. When a bill has been assigned to a committee and that committee refuses to act on it, members can ask for a vote to bring the bill directly before the Senate, effectively discharging the committee of its responsibility. It was defeated on a party-line vote of 22 to 18.

In another rare incident, two Democrats broke with their caucus to support a Republican government efficiency initiative to change our budget cycle, making it more consistent with the four-year terms of our Governors. In the Senate, Lt. Governor Bolling has the ability to break ties, the vote was 20-20, he cast his tie-breaking vote in favor of the bill.

That same evening, three more important bills of mine passed the full Senate. First, SB1049, of which I am the Chief Co-Patron, passed unanimously. This is a good immigration bill that requires state contractors to use the Federal E-Verify program for all of their workers. We worked closely with the business community and gained the support of the National Federation of Independent Business before final passage. It is an important first step towards ensuring state funds are only used to employ American citizens or eligible immigrants. 

Second, SB1282 creates a $50 tax credit for every shipping container moved by barge or rail, rather than by truck. This measure is part of the Governor's $5 million investment in our ports and is a great bill for transportation and the environment in Hampton Roads. Not only did the bill pass the Senate, but the money for the program was kept in the budget we passed yesterday.

Third, SB1292 would allow restaurants the choice of whether they would permit patrons to bring their own wine and charge a corkage fee for the convenience. It's a great bill for the Virginia wine industry, which is already allowed in 26 other states, plus it will bring more people into our restaurants.

The biggest bill of the week was SB800, the Senate's adjustments to the 2010-2012 Biennial Budget. The Senate Finance Committee did a good job of putting together a budget consistent with our promise of not raising taxes. It also included an accelerated repayment of our deferred VRS contributions of $100 million. Although I am pleased that we are paying VRS back ahead of schedule, we could have been more aggressive with our repayment.

There were a lot of good things in the Governor's introduced budget; however, the Democrats still found a way to add some undesirable amendments. I voted against them; but they all still passed. I am hopeful that the budget conferees will make improvements before the amendments come back for a final vote.

Overall it is a very good budget that doesn't raise taxes, creates more government efficiencies, and makes a major investment in our transportation infrastructure. I am looking forward to these last two weeks, as nine of my bills will be heard before the House and we iron out the last few differences between our respective budgets.

I hope you enjoy the beautiful weekend!

Visitors
My staff and I have met with numerous constituents this past week. Please let us know if you would like to schedule a visit and/or a tour of the Capitol. Additionally, if you will be in the public gallery during the day's session, let our office know so the senator can recognize you during the proceedings. The following is a list of the constituents and groups we met with during this past week, as well as visitors to the Capitol and General Assembly.

Commonwealth ChalleNGe
Family Foundation
Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast
Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia
Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance
Hampton Roads REALTORS Association
Home Educators Association of Virginia
Kellam High School Students
Medical Society of Virginia
Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance
Virginia Beach 4-H
Virginia Cooperative Extension
Virginia Municipal League
Virginia Turfgrass Council

It has been a very productive week here in Richmond. With committees finishing up their work on bills by Monday, legislation has been moving to both the House and Senate floors at a rapid pace. 

One of those bills garnered a lot of attention the last few days. HB 1452, as introduced, would add Madison County to the list of counties allowed to increase their transient occupancy tax to above 2%. I, along with a number of other Republican legislators, will not vote for these tax increases. As a response, the Democrats added a floor amendment to remove the localities that we dissenters represent from the list of localities authorized to charge a transient occupancy tax above 2%. During the lively floor debate, I took a moment to emphasize some key points. Click here to see the video.

With the session only a week from finishing, I thought this was a good opportunity to update you on all of the legislation which I have proposed this year, what it does, and its current status.

SB 1292 would allow restaurants the option to allow patrons to bring their own bottle of wine. The restaurant could then charge a corkage fee for their service. This bill is a great example of how we can slowly reduce our government's involvement in small businesses, like the hundreds of restaurants across Virginia. This is a fun bill compared to the other legislation I've proposed, but I'm convinced Mr. Jefferson would have appreciated the idea. It has already passed the Senate and, after a lot of hard work, it passed the House Committee on General Laws Thursday evening. It should pass the full House on Tuesday and head to the Governor's desk for his signature.

SB 1049 would require state contractors to use the federal E-Verify program to verify information and work authorization of newly hired employees. It has passed the Senate and will be before the full House Courts of Justice Committee on Monday afternoon. 

SB 824 would authorize veterans who elect to establish Virginia as their permanent residence to become eligible for in-state tuition immediately, rather than wait the current required one-year period. This bill has passed both the House and Senate. It's currently awaiting the Governor's signature.

SB 1282 creates a barge and rail usage tax credit for the Port of Virginia. A $50 tax credit will be granted for every container moved by barge or rail, rather than by truck. It's a good bill for our economy, the environment, and for transportation by helping reduce truck traffic on our roads. It has passed both the House and Senate. It's now awaiting the Governor's signature. 

SB 1279 ensures that the established Virginia residency of a military spouse and his or her dependents is not affected by that spouse maintaining a residence in another jurisdiction for the purpose of maintaining a joint household with an active-duty military service member. The bill has passed both the House and Senate. It's awaiting the Governor's signature.

 SB 1055 is a great environmental measure. It prohibits the sale, distribution, and use of fertilizer that contains phosphorus. This is a good start towards limiting the phosphorus that we put into the Chesapeake Bay. It has passed both the House and Senate, and is awaiting the Governor's signature.

SB 1278 permits the Department of Aviation to remove trees that have penetrated the aerial approach zones of 23 airports in Virginia. These facilities had been grandfathered when these regulations were overhauled in 1995. It is a good safety bill that has passed both the House and Senate. It is awaiting the Governor's signature.

SB 1280 is a housekeeping bill for the Secretary of the Commonwealth. It makes a host of policy improvements and clarifications to numerous state boards, commissions, and councils. Among the changes are staggered terms for citizen members, clearly defined lists for nominating organizations, and standard terms for chairmen appointed by the Governor.

SB 1281 is a DMV omnibus motor carrier regulation bill. It updates Virginia law on commercial driver's licenses to comply with federal regulations and makes some clarifying changes to the permitting process. It has passed the House and Senate, and is awaiting the Governor's signature.

SB 1283 would have re-prioritized any budget surplus to be split evenly between the transportation trust fund and VRS repayment. Unfortunately, it did not make it out of the Senate Finance Committee, however, I am still committed to finding more money for transportation and accelerating our repayment of VRS.

SB 1284 was a bill I carried on behalf of numerous constituents who are dealing with Chinese drywall. It would have simply required lenders to ignore the negative impacts of a short sale or foreclosure of a home certified to have Chinese drywall. Although it did not pass, I am hopeful that we can find some relief for these home owners soon.

SB 1285 would have taken all state taxes paid by highway contractors and returned them to the transportation trust fund. It was a new idea to help add money for transportation and may be revisited again next year.

SB 1286 added language to instruct the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to expand Virginia's managed care program statewide. Shortly after the bill's introduction, I learned that the administration had included more aggressive language in its budget which has the same goal in mind, to better manage our Medicaid costs to free up money for other core services.

SB 1287 makes a small clarification to ensure that in the local jail section of the code, it is clear that the locality is responsible for jail expenses, just like it is in the regional jail section. It has passed the Senate and the House Committee on Militia, Police and Public Safety. It should hopefully pass the House on Wednesday and then head to the Governor's desk.

SB 1290 names Interstate 264 and Interstate 664 in Hampton Roads the "Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway." It has passed the Senate and the House Committees on Transportation. It should pass the House on Tuesday and then head to the Governor's desk.

SB 1291 was brought to me by residents of Westminster Canterbury. They were fighting for resident representation on their Board of Trustees and this was their final option. Although I was worried about the state getting involved, I hoped to use the bill as a tool for negotiations. Rather than move the bill forward, both parties have gotten together and come up with a solution that meets everyone's needs.

SB 1365 would have created the Virginia Small Business Investment Credit. A $100 million program to inject money into qualified Virginia small businesses. Unfortunately, we were unable to reach a compromise with members of the House Appropriations Committee. I have asked that in the interim, both the Senate Finance Committee staff and the House Appropriations staff carefully look at this issue to see what would work best for Virginia.

SB 1394 we have discussed at length. It would have taken .25 % of the sales tax revenue generated in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia, and kept it in those regions for designated transportation projects. If you missed them, be sure to read my both my press release and op-ed discussing the bill.

Heading into this last week, I am still fighting for numerous budget items, including Sheriff funding, the State's portion of the BRAC land acquisition fund, and Medicaid provider rates. I encourage you to continue reaching out to my office about the numerous bills we are considering. Your input matters and is greatly appreciated. 

I hope you enjoy the beautiful weekend!

Visitors
My staff and I have met with numerous constituents this past week. Please let us know if you would like to schedule a visit and/or a tour of the Capitol. Additionally, if you will be in the public gallery during the day's session, let our office know so the senator can recognize you during the proceedings. The following is a list of the constituents and groups we met with during this past week, as well as visitors to the Capitol and General Assembly.

912 First Landing Patriots
Dominion Virginia Power
Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia
Hampton Roads Tea Party
People of Faith for Equality in Virginia
Retail Alliance
Soar Virginia Launch
The McShin Foundation
Virginia Association for the Gifted
Virginia Coalition for Fine Arts in Education
Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Port Authority and Maritime Association

After days of negotiating, the House of Delegates and State Senate unanimously approved the compromised budget. For the second year in a row, the General Assembly went into overtime, extending the Saturday completion deadline by 24 hours. However, the extra time was needed to produce a quality budget Virginians can live with.

To address your concerns, my colleagues and I worked hard and focused on four key points in this budget: stop higher taxes, put Virginia's fiscal house in order, create jobs by strengthening Virginia's businesses, and address transportation. All key areas for us!

The most significant part of this year's budget negotiations was the proposed funding mechanisms for transportation. The General Assembly approved the issuance of over $4 billion in bonds, which allow more than 900 shovel-ready projects to begin construction within the next three years. These monies are the first significant investment towards transportation in over a decade. Thirteen of them are in Virginia Beach totaling over $360 million, which is finally more than our fair share. I welcome complaints that we we are doing too much road construction in the upcoming years!

In addition to our caucus and your priorities, I'm pleased to report that the budget compromise made some needed additions to public education, health and human resources, public safety, economic development, and judicial vacancies, including two for Virginia Beach.

No new taxes:

As each of us must live within our means, we approved a state budget that does just that. This was accomplished by taking advantage of existing revenues and applying revenue growth from 2011 to enhance certain programs. I'm pleased to report that this budget contains no tax increase!

Economic Development:

Ten million dollars was provided for various tax-credit incentive programs. I carried the legislation (SB 1282, McWaters) creating a barge-and-rail-usage tax credit for the Port of Virginia. A $50 tax credit will be granted for every container moved by barge or rail, rather than by truck. Capped at $1.5 million, it's a good bill for our economy, the environment, and for transportation.

Virginia Retirement System:

An accelerated payment of $42 million dollars is included towards paying off our VRS loan from 2010 early. In addition, a compromise was struck to have state employees contribute 5% towards their retirement, while off-setting their take-home pay by giving them a 5% raise. These two measures are essential steps towards keeping our retirement system financially secure.  

Education:

The budget includes an additional $100 million for public colleges and universities, increasing financial aid and stabilizing tuition. It also adds an additional $75 million for K-12 public education. 

Health Care:

Thirty million dollars was placed in a trust fund to address the Department of Justice's concerns about our mental-health system. An additional $47 million was spent to restore waiver slots, respite-care hours, and other community-based services.

In addition, $64.5 million was added to restore reimbursements for Medicaid providers. Locally, Eastern Virginia Medical School will receive another $3.0 million, $1.0 million is provided to the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, and $1.0 million will go to the Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital.

Public Safety:

The budget added back $6.0 million of a $12.0 million cut to sheriffs across Virginia and $12.4 million for local police departments. There was also a $3 million increase so state troopers can receive overtime pay rather than take compensatory leave. 

Judicial Vacancies:

The compromise included funding to fill 21 vacant judge's seats, including two in the Second Judicial Circuit. One seat will be filled on the Eastern Shore, as well as one here in Virginia Beach.

NAS Oceana:

One item clearly missing from the budget was the state's half of the $15 million Oceana BRAC encroachment fund. I have asked the governor to restore at least a portion of that funding, to ensure we continue our important commitment to the Navy.

In addition to the budget, a number of important pieces of legislation were passed last week. I personally proposed 17 bills of which, ten are awaiting the governor's signature, one failed, and six were withdrawn. Be sure to check out the list at the end of this email. 

Illegal Immigration:

SB 1288 (McWaters), incorporated into SB 1049 (Barker), requires state contractors with over 50 employees, or $50,000 and above in contracts, to use the Federal E-Verify program to verify the work authorization of newly-hired employees. After passing both the House and Senate in different versions, Senators Barker and Petersen joined me in conference and supported the Senate version of the bill. This change is a great protector of jobs and your tax dollars, as well as the small businesses who have been following the rules and employing United States citizens.

Patient Safety:

SB 924 (McDougle) was amended in the House of Delegates, adding a patient-safety measure to the bill. It requires the Board of Health to propagate regulations for clinics that perform abortions. These regulations will be similar to those required for facilities that perform outpatient procedures and surgeries. Democrats turned the debate towards abortion access rather than patient safety. This change is simply there to protect the women of our Commonwealth. I argued for these protections during both days of discussion. You can watch my comments on Day 1 by clicking here and my comments on Day 2 by clicking here. With the help of two Democrats and the Lieutenant Governor, the amendment passed the Senate 20-20 with the president of the senate voting yes, breaking the tie. To read the Richmond Times-Dispatch article covering the story, click here.

Property Rights:

Also passed was HJ 693 (Joannou), which clarifies that if a Virginian owns property, that property should not be taken away, unless there is an explicit public need, such as roads and utilities. Working closely with our Subcommittee Chairman Senator Deeds, I helped usher the bill through the subcommittee and then the full committee. Together we ensured that this important bill would get a floor vote. It passed 35-5 and is headed to the governor for his signature. As I mentioned last week, this victory is only the first step towards passing this constitutional amendment. Hopefully you will see it on the ballot during the 2012 general election, so the citizens can have a say in the very important process of changing the Constitution.

Thanks for staying current and reading these updates; I hope they have been helpful to you. Now that the session has adjourned, my updates will become less frequent. However, with redistricting and the reconvened session just around the corner, I will keep you updated on what is happening.

In case you missed the status of my legislation, I've included updates on their final disposition below. Please take a look at the important work we have been doing in all 10 bills that passed.

Passed

SB 1288 (McWaters), incorporated into SB 1049 (Barker), would require state contractors to use the federal E-Verify program to verify information and work authorization of newly hired employees. It passed the Senate 40-0 and passed the House 79-20. 

SB 1282 (McWaters) creates a barge-and-rail-usage tax credit for the Port of Virginia. A $50 tax credit will be granted for every container moved by barge or rail, rather than by truck. It's a good bill for our economy, the environment, and for transportation by helping reduce truck traffic on our roads. It has passed the Senate 34-6 and passed the House 84-13.

HJ 693 (Joannou) clarifies that if a Virginian owns property, that property should not be taken away from them for the use of individuals who don't have a true public need for that property. I worked closely with our Subcommittee Chairman Senator Deeds in full committee to ensure that this important bill would get a floor vote. It passed the Senate 35-5, after passing the House 81-18. This victory is only the first step towards passing this constitutional amendment. After the General Assembly approves it again next year, you will see it on the ballot during the 2012 general election. 

SB 1289 (McWaters), incorporated into SB 824 (Edwards), would authorize veterans who elect to establish Virginia as their permanent residence, to become eligible for in-state tuition immediately, rather than wait the current required one-year period. This bill passed the Senate 39-0 and passed the House 96-0.

SB 1279 (McWaters) ensures that the established Virginia residency of a military spouse and his or her dependents is not affected by that spouse maintaining a residence in another jurisdiction for the purpose of maintaining a joint household with an active-duty military service member. The bill passed the Senate 40-0 and passed the House 96-0.

SB 1055 (Stuart, McWaters - Co-Patron) is a great environmental measure. It prohibits the sale, distribution, and use of fertilizer that contains phosphorus. This is a good start towards limiting the phosphorus that we put into the Chesapeake Bay. It passed the Senate 39-1 and passed the House 95-0.

SB 1292 (McWaters) gives restaurants the option to allow patrons to bring their own bottle of wine. The restaurant could then charge a corkage fee for the service. This bill is a great example of how we can slowly reduce our government's involvement in small businesses, like the hundreds of restaurants across Virginia. This is a fun bill compared to the other legislation I've proposed, but I'm convinced Mr. Jefferson would have appreciated the idea. It passed the Senate 27-13 and passed the House 78-18.

SB 1278 (McWaters) permits the Department of Aviation to remove trees that have penetrated the aerial approach zones of 23 airports in Virginia. These facilities had been grandfathered when these regulations were overhauled in 1995. It is a good flight safety bill that passed the Senate 39-0 and passed the House 98-0.

SB 1280 (McWaters) is a complex good government bill assisting Janet Polarek, the Secretary of the Commonwealth. It makes a host of policy improvements and clarifications to numerous state boards, commissions, and councils. Among the changes are staggered terms for citizen members, clearly defined lists for nominating organizations, and standard terms for chairmen appointed by the governor. It was a long, complex bill that passed the Senate 40-0 and passed the House 97-0. I enjoyed working with Secretary Polarek on this legislation.

SB 1281 (McWaters) is a DMV omnibus motor-carrier regulation bill, including regulations prohibiting texting by a driver of a commercial motor vehicle operating in interstate commerce. It updates Virginia's law on commercial drivers' licenses to comply with federal regulations and makes some clarifying changes to the permitting process. It passed the Senate 40-0 and passed the House 97-0. It was a pleasure working with DMV Commissioner Rick Holcomb on this important bill.

SB 1287 (McWaters), was brought to me by the Sheriffs' Association, and makes a small clarification to ensure that, in the local jail section of the code, it is clear that the locality is responsible for jail expenses, just like it is in the regional jail section. It passed the Senate 40-0 and passed the House 97-0.

SB 1290 (McWaters) names Interstate 264 and Interstate 664 in Hampton Roads, the "Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway." This bill was brought to me by Bill Muehleib, the President of the National Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, as part of their plan for a coast to coast highway recognizing this important day in our Nation's history. It passed the Senate 39-0 and passed the House 93-4.

Failed

SB 1394 (McWaters) is one we have discussed at length. It would have taken .25 % of the sales-tax revenue generated in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia, and kept it in those regions for designated transportation projects. Unfortunately Democrats in the General Assembly fail to acknowledge that transportation is a core service of government, and they won't allow money generated in our region to stay here to address our numerous transportation needs. In case you missed them, be sure to read both my press release and op-ed discussing the bill or watch the video of me fighting for Hampton Roads during the Senate Finance Committee meeting by clicking here.

Withdrawn to work on next year

SB 1283 (McWaters) would have re-prioritized any budget surplus to be split evenly between the transportation trust fund and VRS repayment. Unfortunately, it did not make it out of the Senate Finance Committee; however, I am still committed to finding more money for transportation and accelerating our repayment of VRS.

SB 1284 (McWaters) was a bill I carried on behalf of numerous constituents who are dealing with Chinese drywall. It would have simply required lenders to ignore the negative impacts of a short sale or foreclosure of a home certified to have Chinese drywall. Although it did not pass, I am hopeful that we can find some relief for these home owners soon. 

SB 1285 (McWaters) would have taken all state taxes paid by highway contractors and returned them to the transportation trust fund. It was a new idea to help add money for transportation and may be revisited again next year.

SB 1286 (McWaters) added language to instruct the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to expand Virginia's managed-care program statewide. Shortly after the bill's introduction, I learned that the administration had included more aggressive language in its budget, which has the same goal in mind, to better manage our Medicaid costs to free up money for other core services.

SB 1291 (McWaters) was brought to me by residents of Westminster Canterbury. They were fighting for resident representation on their Board of Trustees and this was their final option. Although I was worried about the state getting involved with private corporations, I hoped to use the bill as a tool for negotiations. Rather than move the bill forward, I met often with both parties and together came up with a solution that meets everyone's needs. This is how good government should work, with less laws!

SB 1365 (McWaters) would have created the Virginia Small Business Investment Credit. A $100-million program to inject money into qualified Virginia small businesses. Unfortunately, we were unable to reach a compromise with members of the House Appropriations Committee. I have asked that, in the interim, both the Senate Finance Committee staff and the House Appropriations staff carefully look at this issue to see what would work best for Virginia.

Visitors
My staff and I have met with hundreds of constituents during this session. The following is a list of the constituents and groups that stopped in my Richmond Office during the 2011 Session, as well as visitors to the Capitol and General Assembly. My office is always open to constituents, and I am interested in learning about matters that are important to you. We are back in our district office at the adjournment of reconvened session, April 11.

District Office
Senator Jeffrey L. McWaters
757-965-3700
info@jeffmcwaters.com

Mailing Address:
1207 Laskin Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23451

912 First Landing Patriots
American Dental Hygienists' Association 
Beach House 
Coalition for People with Mental Disabilities 
College of William and Mary Students 
Commissioners of Revenue 
Commonwealth ChalleNGe 
Court Appointed Special Advocates 
Dominion Virginia Power 
Equality Virginia 
Family Foundation 
Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia 
Fraternal Order of Police 
Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast 
Governor's School for the Arts 
Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce 
Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance 
Hampton Roads REALTORS Association 
Hampton Roads Tea Party 
Home Educators Association of Virginia 
Jewish Federation of Tidewater 
Just for Children 
Kellam High School Students 
Leadership Hampton Roads 
Lynnhaven River NOW 
March of Dimes 
Massey Cancer Center 
Medical Society of Virginia 
Military Aviation Museum 
NASA 
National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors
National Multiple Sclerosis Society 
National Notary Association
Nimmo and Beach Suburban Republican Women Clubs
Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance 
Pearl Harbor Survivors Association 
People of Faith for Equality in Virginia 
Representative Bob Goodlatte 
Representative Scott Rigell
Republican Professionals Network 
Retail Alliance 
Sierra Club 
Soar Virginia Launch 
The Arc of South Hampton Roads 
The McShin Foundation 
Tidewater Builders Association 
Tidewater Community College 
Va CURE 
Veterans of Foreign Wars 
Virginia Association for the Gifted 
Virginia Association of Free Clinics 
Virginia Association of Nurse Anesthetists 
Virginia Autism Project 
Virginia Auto Dealers Association 
Virginia Bankers Association 
Virginia Beach 4-H 
Virginia Beach Hotel-Motel Association 
Virginia Beach Members of the Virginia Federation of Republican Women 
Virginia Beach School Board 
Virginia Beach SPCA 
Virginia Campaign for Liberty 
Virginia Career and Technical Education Centers 
Virginia Catholic Conference 
Virginia Center for Public Safety 
Virginia Citizens Defense League 
Virginia Coalition for Fine Arts in Education 
Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority 
Virginia Commission for Arts 
Virginia Cooperative Extension 
Virginia Counselors Association 
Virginia Education Reform Initiative 
Virginia Electric Cooperative 
Virginia Farm Bureau 
Virginia Health Care Foundation 
Virginia Hemophilia Association 
Virginia Interfaith Center 
Virginia Maritime Association 
Virginia Military Institute 
Virginia Municipal League 
Virginia Pharmaceutical Association 
Virginia Podiatric Medical Association 
Virginia Port Authority and Maritime Association 
Virginia Poverty Law Center 
Virginia Sheriff's Association 
Virginia Society of CPAs 
Virginia Tourism Corporation 
Virginia Trial Lawyers Association 
Virginia Turfgrass Council
Virginia21
Virginians with Disabilities Voices for Virginia's Children

"Two years ago I ran on a commitment to reduce the cost and size of government, protect military families and assets, create an environment to attract and retain jobs, and address our transportation needs. We have made real progress across the Commonwealth and in Virginia Beach," declared McWaters. "In two short years, we've gone from 35th to 4th place nationally in job creation, and we've done it by reducing government spending, encouraging private sector growth, and beginning to address transportation. But we still have much more work to do, especially for those who are unemployed."

"Below is legislation that I introduced or worked on this session.  As you can see, the promises I made during my campaign have been my top legislative priority, and they will continue to be.  Unfortunately, my priorities are not shared by all in the Virginia Senate. Several good proposals, some sponsored by me, some by colleagues, were defeated by the Democrats, who control the Senate with a four-seat majority."

In addition to his legislative work, Senator McWaters was appointed to the Governor's Commission on Military and National Security Facilities, working directly with members of Congress to combat the Department of Defense's announced closure of JFCOM and ensure the long-term support of military families and assets. 

Senator McWaters also served on the Governor McDonnell's transportation work group. The ten legislative members spent hours discussing various proposals and funding plans. The product of their work was SB 1446 (Wampler), which authorizes over $4 billion in bonds to start construction on more than 900 shovel-ready projects across the Commonwealth. Virginia Beach alone is receiving over $360 million. "I welcome 'complaints' that we are doing too much road construction in the upcoming years," laughed McWaters.

"While we've made good progress in a very short period of time, there is still much to be done. I will continue to fight for regional transportation issues, because I believe it is an important function of our state government that results in jobs and economic development. I will continue to ensure Virginia is a leader in job creation as we move out of this recession, and I will block any attempts to roll back our right-to-work laws. I will continue to reject tax increases, instead working to reduce the size and cost of government. I will work closely with our governor and our congressional representatives to ensure we continue protecting our military families and facilities," said McWaters. "This will be a quick campaign season, with new legislative districts likely to be approved early this summer, as a result of the census. With your help, we will take advantage of the short time frame to encourage residents of the 8th Senate District to join us at the polls on November 8th to ensure we keep common sense, business experience in the Virginia Senate."

"I ask, once again, for your vote and support. We have volunteers and friends all over Virginia Beach supporting us through this election. Please visit my website, www.jeffmcwaters.com, join my Facebook page, www.facebook.com/jeffreylmcwaters, and follow me on twitter,www.twitter.com/jeffmcwaters, to stay updated on the campaign. Don't forget to sign up for email updates, volunteer, or contribute, all on my website. Also, numerous bills I carried were brought to me from constituents, so please continue to share your ideas for future legislation."

If you support his positions and hard work, please volunteer via email to info@jeffmcwaters.com and vote for McWaters on November 8, 2011. Thank You! 

Attracting Jobs

·        SB 693 (McWaters), incorporated into SB 472 (Watkins) - Lowers the threshold for the Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit to 25 employees in economically-distressed areas and to 50 employees everywhere else. - PASSED

·        SB 733 (McWaters) & SB 1365 (McWaters) - Would have created the Virginia Small Business investment Credit, which would bring $100 million in private funds to be invested in Virginia's small businesses. Similar plans have been created in 10 other states, raising $2.2 billion for small businesses and creating over 21,000 jobs. - DEFEATED

·        SB 1282 (McWaters) - Creates a barge and rail usage tax credit for the Port of Virginia. A $50 tax credit will be granted for every container moved by barge or rail, rather than by truck. It's a good bill for our economy, the environment, and for transportation. - PASSED

Reducing the Size and Cost of Government

·        SB 697 (McWaters) & SB 1286 (McWaters) - Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to expand their managed-care programs statewide by July 1, 2012. Although it was defeated in 2010, Senator McWaters worked with Secretary Hazel to ensure it was included in the 2011 budget.

·        SB 1280 (McWaters) - Makes policy improvements and clarifications to several state boards, plus streamlines the appointment process and clarifies the governor's authority to appoint chairmen. - PASSED

·        Voted for a biennial budget with no new taxes.

Protecting Military Families and Assets

·        SB 696 (McWaters) - Allows active-duty military personnel in Hampton Roads to use the HOV lanes, regardless of the number of passengers. - PASSED

·        SB 1279 (McWaters) - Ensures that the established Virginia residency of a military spouse and his or her dependents is not affected by that spouse maintaining a residence in another jurisdiction for the purpose of maintaining a joint household with an active-duty service member. - PASSED

·        SB 1289 (McWaters), incorporated into SB 874 (Edwards) - Authorizes veterans who elect to establish Virginia as their permanent residence to become eligible for in-state tuition immediately, rather than wait the current required one-year period. - PASSED

·        Preserved the state's half of the $15 million Oceana BRAC encroachment fund for the 2011 Fiscal Year.

Addressing Transportation

·        SB 694 (McWaters) - Would have authorized the governor to include in his budget proposal additional funds for transportation in years when projected tax revenue growth is a minimum of 3%. - DEFEATED

·        SB 1283 (McWaters) - Would have changed the priority of any year-end surplus of the General Fund to 50% towards transportation and 50% towards deferred VRS payments from the 2010 session. - DEFEATED

·        SB 1285 (McWaters) - Proposed a change to take all state taxes paid by highway contractors and return them to the Transportation Trust Fund. - DEFEATED

·        SB 1394 (McWaters) - Would have taken .25% of the sales tax revenue generated in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia, and kept it in those regions for designated transportation projects. Unfortunately Democrats in Richmond fail to acknowledge that transportation is a core service of government and they won't allow money generated in our region to remain here to address our numerous transportation needs. - DEFEATED

Other Important Legislation

·        HJ 693 (2011, Joannou) - Clarifies that if a Virginian owns property, that property should not be taken away, unless there is an explicit need, such as roads and utilities. Garnered a lot of bi-partisan support, PASSED 35-5 and 81-18.

·        SB 1055 (2011, Stuart and McWaters) - Prohibits the sale, distribution, and use of fertilizer that contains phosphorus. It's a good start towards limiting the phosphorus that we put into the Chesapeake Bay. With almost unanimous bi-partisan support, it PASSED 39-1 and 95-0.

·        SB 1049 (2011, Barker and McWaters) - Requires state contractors with over 50 employees, or $50,000 and above in contracts, to use the Federal E-Verify program to verify the work authorization of newly-hired employees. It's a great protector of jobs and tax dollars, as well as the small businesses who have been following the rules and employing United States citizens. Working with a bi-partisan coalition, Senator Barker and I guided it through the General Assembly. It PASSED 40-0 and 79-20.

For a full synopsis of both last year and this year's legislation, be sure to read the Senator's 2011 Session Wrap-Up.

Senator Jeffrey L. "Jeff" McWaters was elected to the Senate of Virginia in a special election held in January 2010.  Senator McWaters represents Virginia's Eighth Senatorial District, which currently encompasses the eastern half of the City of Virginia Beach.  In 2007, McWaters retired as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AMERIGROUP, the company he founded in 1994.  Jeff McWaters and his wife, Cindy, have lived in Virginia Beach for over 20 years. 

The principle of "one person, one vote" requires that new districts be drawn based on the updated census numbers each decade. Virginia now has over 8 million residents, so an ideal Senate district, according to the census, would have 200,026 people. It seems to make sense then that Virginia Beach, the commonwealth's largest city with 438,000 people, would have two Senate seats. This would also keep Virginia Beach in line with the key redistricting principles of having contiguous districts and keeping communities of interest intact.

Northern Virginia Senate Democrats, however, have concocted a plan that goes far beyond shifting or adjusting district lines to coincide with census changes in different parts of the commonwealth. Their plan shows complete disrespect to the state's second-largest region and strips Virginia Beach of one of its two representatives in the Virginia Senate. It fails to maintain contiguous and compact districts, and splits up Virginia Beach as a community of interest, both possible violations of federal law. These principles are the main goals of the governor's bi-partisan redistricting commission and are completely disregarded in the Democrats' proposal.

Hampton Roads is home to the largest East Coast port, numerous military installations, and three of the top ten tourism localities in the commonwealth. The region's GDP is over $80 billion each year, ranking 35th nationally. Over the last decade, the region has grown to over 1.5 million residents, strengthening our economic engine and continuing to be the home to hundreds of thousands of military service members and their families. Now more than ever, we need strong representation in the Virginia General Assembly to fight for our share of transportation funds, protect military families and assets, economic-development incentives, and keep taxes low!

Removing an entire Senate district from the region dismantles the legislative power of Hampton Roads, particularly Virginia Beach, the commonwealth's largest city. Democrat Senate leadership from Northern Virginia obviously wants to consolidate their power.

Removing one of Virginia Beach's wholly contained senate seats is an easy way to unnecessarily shift legislative power to Northern Virginia. This proposal is obviously driven by the Democrats' desire to maintain their slim majority in the Virginia Senate. Republicans, Democrats and Independents should all be outraged that a few Northern Virginia legislators could concoct such a brazen plan to maintain political power and strip a region of its representation.

The people of Virginia Beach deserve better. Currently the city is collectively represented by five state senators, two of whom - myself and Senator Frank Wagner - represent only residents of Virginia Beach. Under the new plan, there would be not even be one senator who represents only Virginia Beach residents, while the other Virginia Beach residents would be parceled out to districts served by senators who are elected primarily by Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Suffolk voters.

My new district, the proposed 7th Senate District, excludes much of my current district. All of my strong supporters, who worked tirelessly to get me elected, from Little Neck, Great Neck, Shore Drive, Bay Colony, the Oceanfront, Croatan, Strawbridge, and Pungo will no longer be part of my district. My colleagues and I in the Senate Republican Caucus have put together our own proposal, which we think is a fair and responsible choice for the new districts. I urge you to view both proposals on the Department of Legislative Services website by clicking here.

What can you do? Come voice your opinion at the public hearing this Thursday, 7:00 pm, in the Hampton University Student Center Ballroom, 135 Marshall Ave. We must make it clear that the citizens of Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads think this plan is unacceptable. If you are unable to make it on Thursday, the final public hearing will be held next Monday, 10:00 am, in House Room D of the General Assembly Building, 910 Capitol St., in Richmond. In addition, contact Privileges and Elections Chairman Janet Howell, district32@senate.virginia.gov or 703-709-8283, and share your displeasure with the disregard for our great city.

We must live with these districts for the next 10 years. Therefore, we must ensure they are drawn in a fair and responsible manner, so each area of the state has the legislative representation they deserve, no matter the party!

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The House of Delegates put together a plan which garnered bipartisan support, passing 86-8. The bill was then sent over to the Senate and Senate lines proposed by the Democratic leadership were added. Unlike the broad bipartisan support received by the House plan, Senate Democrats were unable to earn a single Republican vote after proposing lines which fail to maintain the constitutional requirements that districts remain contiguous and compact while keeping communities of interest intact. 

Just in Hampton Roads alone, the proposed Senate lines split Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, stripping the region of a Senate district by moving the 8th senate district to western Richmond. Our region is home to the largest East Coast port, numerous military installations, and three of the top 10 tourism localities in the commonwealth. The region's GDP is over $80 billion each year, ranking 35th nationally. Over the last decade, the region has grown to over 1.5 million residents, strengthening our economic engine and continuing to be the home to hundreds of thousands of military service members and their families. Now more than ever, we need strong representation in the Virginia General Assembly to fight for our share of transportation funds and economic-development incentives, protect military families, and assets, and keep taxes low!

Last Friday Governor McDonnell vetoed the bill, citing the lack of contiguous and compact Senate districts to keep communities of interest intact. He urged both the House and Senate to come up with districts that addressed his concerns. Monday morning the House of Delegates did just that. Their Privileges and Elections Committee unanimously passed a new redistricting proposal, having made improvements to their previous plan. It is now time for the Senate Democrats to propose a fair and legal plan, just like our colleagues in the House.

Now I'll move on to a few important bills that were successfully amended by Gov. McDonnell.

NAS Oceana

Despite little support from the Democratic Caucus, we were able to secure enough votes to protect the governor's amendment restoring the state's half of the $15 million BRAC Encroachment Fund. After a hard fight, we were able to continue our commitment to the Navy and protect our military assets.

Physical Education Mandate

The governor vetoed the state mandate of 150 hours of physical education. Although I supported the bill's original passage, the unfunded mandate that this requirement would have passed down to the state's schools was unacceptable. I hope to develop a better solution on this important issue next year.

Health-Care Exchanges

Under the new federal health-care law, states are required to set up health-care exchanges. Since these programs will be funded by state and federal dollars, we approved the governor's amendment which states that no insurance plan sold on the exchange can cover abortion except in cases of rape, incest, and health of the mother.

Autism Coverage

The General Assembly approved important and needed amendments to the autism-treatment coverage bill, which will ensure patients are receiving treatment from board-certified therapists in applied behavior analysis.

Public Safety

In the governor's budget amendments, he included an additional $7.4 million for our state's sheriffs and $3 million for overtime pay for state police. Both changes were approved, allowing for better public safety statewide. 

Ports

The governor requested that my bill, SB 1282, be amended so more companies could take advantage of our new container tax credit. We approved reducing the per container credit from $50 to $25 to facilitate larger participation.

As we continue through the redistricting process I will be sure to keep you apprised of any new and important developments for our city and our region.

"The public outcry from the dissatisfaction with the original plan was finally heard by the Democratic leadership allowing a new bi-partisan plan to be created," said Senator McWaters (R-8th). "I'm glad Virginia Beach and Chesapeake have the dedicated Senate seats they are entitled to in this new proposal."

"I'm pleased to be in a district that closely resembles the one I was elected to represent, by the citizens of Virginia Beach, just 16 months ago. I am looking forward to the upcoming campaign and continuing my candid discussions with voters across our great city."

HB5005, which contains both the House and Senate lines, will now go to Governor McDonnell who is expected to sign the legislation within a week.

America!

All of us can remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we heard the terrible news of the terrorist attacks on our soil on September 11th, 2001. Personally, I was supposed to be in New York City, at the World Financial Center, for the Initial Public Offering of AMERIGROUP. However, my colleagues and I were thankfully sent to San Francisco first, adding our story to the countless people who should have or would have been in downtown New York City on that beautiful September morning.

In the days and weeks that followed that attack, it became clear that finding the man who perpetrated these attacks and the extensive network of terrorists he had developed, would be a different kind of war. Today we salute the thousands of men and women of our armed forces and intelligence services who, for the last 10 years, have led the Global War on Terror and the hunt for Osama bin Laden. A special thanks is warranted for the members of the elite SEAL Team, who carried out the attack, and are stationed right here in the heart of Virginia Beach. 

Few of us realize that the heroes, who were raiding a compound in Abbottābad Pakistan early Sunday morning, could have passed you in the grocery store just a few weeks ago. It gives me great pride to know that these highly skilled warriors, patriots, Americans, and their families risk it all for our freedom and security. I hope that all of us will take the opportunity to do something special for those who serve in our armed forces, whether it is a friend, a neighbor, or a stranger.

Today is a new day and a new opportunity for our leaders in Washington to renew their sense of patriotism and find some common ground as they continue to tackle the tough financial decisions facing our country. Overseas, this milestone is an opportunity for America, and our democratic ideals, to find some commonality with the Muslim world. Redefining our relationship with each country as they face the change brought about by democratic revolution.

Please continue to pray for the members of our military and their families. God bless America! 

Freedom is the right worth fighting for.

"I applaud Rep. Scott Rigell's (VA-2) aggressive leadership to ensure these carriers stay in Norfolk. This vote is a direct reflection of his hard work in addition to the efforts made by Rep. Forbes (VA-4) and Wittman (VA-1)," said McWaters. "Spending over a billion dollars to move a nuclear aircraft carrier to Mayport, while the Department of Defense faces tens of billions of dollars in cuts, is a fiscally irresponsible move."

"In the Commonwealth, we don't have the luxury of spending money we don't have. Washington needs to understand that same principle. That's why I'm glad we have leaders like Rep. Rigell to ensure we are making strong fiscal decisions with our money. Not only would a carrier move require an unneeded expense, but it would have a negative economic impact of over $400 million a year in Hampton Roads. The Navy will continue to ensure our safety, and the safety of its fleet no matter where their ships are located, home or abroad. Plus, keeping military families living in Virginia together fosters healthy and happy living environments."

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Additionally, the Oceanfront is host to the annual "Salute to Summer" concert series - three days of music featuring more than 15 bands on 3 stages starting Friday at 7:30 pm. For a full entertainment line-up, click here.

On Memorial Day, I will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony with the City of Virginia Beach and the Mayor's Veterans Committee. This event begins at 12:00 pm and will be followed by a flyover at the Tidewater Veteran's Memorial.

Whatever you chose to do this Memorial Day Weekend, please take a few minutes to honor all of the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice fighting for our freedom. Without these brave individuals, we would not be able to enjoy the picnics, parades, and music.

In case you missed it, be sure to watch my remarks during the Virginia Beach Law Enforcement Memorial Service by clicking here.

During the very beginning of World War II, Winston Churchill visited the British Royal Air Force group #11 operations room. He was so impacted by the professionalism, bravery, and dedication of Britain's fighter pilots, who were Britain's only line of defense against the German Luftwaffe, that when he came out of the bunker, he turned to the Major General who accompanied him and said, "Don't speak to me. I have never been so moved."

After several minutes of silence, he uttered one sentence. "Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few."

Today, as Americans, we must remember those same words, "Never has so much been owed by so many to so few."

Join Cindy, our fellow citizens, and me, this afternoon at 3:00 PM, to pause in a moment of national remembrance in honor of those who have died in service to our country. Freedom is the right worth fighting for.

God bless you, your family, and this great nation.

White, one of 38 individual recipients nationwide

Virginia Beach, VA -The President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN) has selected Jim White to receive a 2011 PCFSN Community Leadership Award.  The award is given annually to individuals who improve the lives of individuals within their community by providing or enhancing opportunities to engage in sports, physical activities, fitness or nutrition-related programs.

This year, the President's Council presented the Community Leadership Award to 38 individuals across the country for making sports, physical activity, fitness, and nutrition-related programs available in their communities.

"It is our pleasure to present this award to Jim White," says Shellie Pfohl, Executive Director of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition.  "Physical activity and good nutrition are important components of living a healthy lifestyle, and we are pleased to recognize individuals like Jim White who are committed to making a difference and positively influencing the health of their communities."

"Jim's impact in Virginia Beach goes beyond just helping people lose weight. He provides nutritional education that changes lifestyles. This helps not only his clients but their families and friends learn to live healthier lives," says Jeff McWaters, Virginia State Senate, 8th District.

About the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition (PCFSN)

PCFSN promotes healthy lifestyles through fitness, sports and nutrition programs and initiatives that educate, engage and empower all Americans. PCFSN is a committee of volunteer citizens appointed by the President who serve in an advisory capacity through the Secretary of Health and Human Services. For more information about PCFSN, visit www.fitness.gov. For more information about the President's Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness Awards Program or the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award, visit www.presidentschallenge.org.

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by  the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism."

At your pool parties, picnics and backyard cookouts, I hope you join me in taking a moment to thank all members of the armed forces for their service to this great Nation. Have a happy, healthy and safe holiday. God Bless you, your family and the United States of America.

Earlier today, the Commonwealth released the final revenue report for the 2011 fiscal year. Just as we showed last year, our revenues outpaced our forecast, giving us a $311 million surplus. Combined with the 2010 fiscal year, the Commonwealth received over $530 million in additional funds during the current biennium and this number will likely increase.

In 2010, the revenue surplus was $228 million and the final surplus was $402 million, a huge increase thanks to operational efficiencies and spending controls. 2011 will likely be the same. Additional money is always better than less, however, much of the spending is already dictated by the Virginia Constitution and the appropriations act. Below are a few highlights:

$146.6 million - Rainy Day Fund
$32.2 million - Water Quality Fund
$23 million - Transportation's share of the Accelerated Sales Tax
$8.9 million - Interest on Unemployment Compensation Trust Due to Federal Government
$7.5 million - Oceana BRAC obligations
$7.4 million - Supplemental Public Safety Funding for Sheriff's Offices

The most significant allocation locally is the confirmation that the state will appropriate its half of the $15 BRAC Encroachment Fund. The hard work of educating our colleagues on the importance of our commitment to the Navy is no longer just an assurance; it has come to fruition.

We must continue this program, as promised, so the Navy knows Virginia has a serious commitment to protecting our military assets.

Although we are not out of this recession yet, Washington should sit-up, and take notice of states, like ours, that are finding responsible ways to manage our finances.

The city is opening four shelters to accommodate displaced residents. Two will open today at 4:30 pm:

Landstown High School: 2001 Concert Drive
Salem High School: 1993 SunDevil Drive 

Two more will open Saturday morning at 8 am:

Birdneck Elementary School: 957 S. Birdneck Road
Cox High School: 2425 Shorehaven Drive

None of these shelters provide accommodations for pets; however, the Virginia Beach SPCA will be accepting pets for those being evacuated and those in shelters. For more information visit their website by clicking here or call 757-427-0070.

Ready Virginia

The Commonwealth has setup ReadyVirginia.gov to help citizens prepare for hurricane season. Visit the site by clicking on this link for valuable information and preparedness resources.

In addition the city also has a site with preparedness tips,  www.vbgov.com/beprepared

Evacuations 

As of 11 am Friday morning, the only mandatory evacuation in the city of Virginia Beach is Sandbridge. However, that may change as the storm gets closer. Stay tuned to local news and the city's hurricane website, found here, for the most up to date information.

If you do stay in town, click here for some tips to keep you and your family safe.

God bless and have a safe weekend.

Visitors
My staff and I have met with numerous constituents this past week. Please let us know if you would like to schedule a visit and/or a tour of the Capitol. Additionally, if you will be in the public gallery during the day's session, let our office know so the Senator can recognize you during the proceedings. 

Beach House
CASA
RSOL of Virginia
The Arc of South Hampton Roads
Virginia Academy of Physician Assistants
Virginia Association of Free Clinics
Virginia Citizens Defense League
Virginia CURE
Virginia Electoral Board Association
Virginia Hemophilia Association
Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy 
Virginia School Nutrition Association
Westminster Canterbury