This is an opinion column by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
A little over a week ago, there was a memorial service for Reston’s founder and namesake, Robert E. Simon, Jr., who passed away in September.
Several hundred people gathered at the Hyatt Regency Reston to hear the stories and to celebrate the life of a truly remarkable man. He became head of Carnegie Hall in New York at age 23 when his father passed away. The sale of the hall later would give him the money to buy the more than 6,000 acres in Northern Virginia that would become Reston.
Drawing upon his experiences of living in Europe for extended periods of time, he would build a community that through its mixed-use design with village centers would foster the development of community.
Most remarkable for its time in the mid-1960s was his insistence that the community be open to all persons including black people. Virginia at the time was a very segregated society. Massive Resistance was being used by political leaders to keep from integrating the schools as the Supreme Court had ruled nearly a decade before. Housing patterns and communities were strictly segregated.
Some suggest that Bob Simon’s adamance that his new community be open to all people was a response to the discrimination he felt as a Jew particularly when he was at Harvard. He was not casual in his beliefs that his new town should be inclusive; that policy made financing very difficult and for a while seemingly almost impossible. With all the other many good things that can be said about Robert E. Simon, Jr., I consider him a real civil rights hero.
Last week gave me an opportunity to see another of my civil rights heroes, former governor Linwood Holton, who came to George Mason University to participate in a ceremony naming one of the plazas at the University in his honor.
Governor Holton served as governor of Virginia from 1970 to 1974 — the first Republican to be elected governor since Reconstruction. George Mason University was interested in honoring him because he was the governor that signed the bill that converted the former University of Virginia extension to the new George Mason College. It is now the largest university in Virginia and is in the top tier of research universities in the country.
I consider Linwood Holton a civil rights hero because one of his first actions as governor after he had moved his family into the Executive Mansion was to enroll his children in the local public schools that were the segregated black schools. A picture of him walking one of his daughters into an all-black school to enroll her was on the front page of the New York Times. It was a signal to the world of the emergence of the New South where racial segregation was slowly but surely being cast aside.
I am honored to have known both men and to have them as friends. As courageous as they were, I do not think that either thought of himself as courageous. Each simply believed in doing the right thing. They are examples for all of us to follow.
This is a commentary from Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
Almost a year ago the Washington Business Journal carried a headline, “George Mason University sells Patriot Center naming rights.”
For nearly $7 million over the next decade GMU agreed to change the name of the Patriot Center to the Eagle Bank Arena with the new name prominently displayed on the sides of the sports and events complex. If the deal is renewed for another decade, the deal would grow to $13.7 million.
Selling rights to sports venues is of course not new. Most arenas, stadiums and fields are named for the highest bidder in the competition to get the recognition that comes with such naming rights. For the college or municipality the deal brings revenue to support the sports program and the facility. Some states are selling naming rights of bridges and highways as a way to raise revenue.
Just last week, George Mason University announced pledges totaling $30 million to the George Mason University Foundation to support the School of Law. “The gifts, combined, are the largest in university history,” the GMU press release noted.
The press release went on to say, “in recognition of this historic gift, the Board of Visitors has approved the renaming of the school to The Antonin Scalia School of Law at George Mason University.” Read More
This is a commentary by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
A concern in Virginia over who was financing campaigns in the Commonwealth led the state’s largest newspapers in 1997 to create the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP).
The idea was simply to make public information on campaign finance documents as to who was funding political campaigns. Virginia does not limit contributions to campaigns, but requires that the names and addresses of contributors and the amount of contributions be filed periodically with the state on designated forms.
The advent of VPAP as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization put that information on the Internet for the public to see. Visit vpap.org to see who contributes to me and to all the other elected officials in the state.
The original purpose of VPAP is a very important one, but its board and staff have creatively turned its website into a very important place to visit if you want to know more about Virginia and its governance. Read More
This is an opinion column by De. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s General Assembly. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
Folks back home where I grew up in Page County, Virginia, were not known to have a lot to say about events. In fact, they were suspicious of people who talked too much. Someone who talked a lot about themselves was considered a braggart, and there was little need to talk about circumstances beyond ones’ control.
As often is the case, people of few words can pack a lot of meaning into the words they do say. Some of the wisdom conveyed to me in simple words and phrases of the folksy sayings of my childhood came to mind during the recent legislative session.
I was always advised by my parents and others to “Never cut off your nose to spite your face.” That, however, is exactly what the General Assembly did this session. Over the last couple of years various reasons have been given for not expanding Medicaid to provide health care to the working poor.
Some argued that expansion would add to the national debt, but as a self-funded program it does not. It was called too expensive even though Virginia taxpayer dollars that go to the federal government would have covered 100 percent of the cost in the first three years. It was called “Obamacare” as though the President having something to do with it somehow made it bad.
The state Medicaid program was audited more than 60 times, and proposed reforms were adopted. The federal expansion would have freed up more than 150 million in state dollars that could have been used for other programs like the schools. The inaction of the General Assembly to close the coverage gap in health insurance has left more than $3 billion on the table that could have come to Virginia and as many as 400,000 Virginians without health care.
I believe that the old saying, “penny wise and pound foolish” might apply to the General Assembly in the future if it continues to refuse federal dollars for Medicaid when the 100 percent reimbursement becomes a 90-10 match.
Likewise, the failure to invest regularly in infrastructure improvements will cost the state in the future. A greater investment in bridges is especially important. The Metro system that is critically important to Virginia commuters is another example of penny wise, pound foolish policies of the past. The recent unprecedented closing of Metro in order to identify safety concerns and the finding of a significant number of critical repairs that are needed show how far behind we are in investing in its maintenance.
“A stitch in time saves nine” is always good advice. I am pleased with the additional funding that the state is providing in early childhood education. Many studies prove the point that investing in children’s education early saves money in the future.
Society is more complex than it was in the years of my youth, but the wisdom of that time can still apply to understanding the challenges of today.
This is an opinion piece by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
My first experience in Fairfax County came as a result of being placed as an intern teacher by the University of Virginia in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS).
My history/political science undergraduate degree from Old Dominion University did not provide me the necessary credentials to teach; the M. Ed. program allowed me to continue my studies in history while completing a year-long supervised internship. The school in which I was placed scheduled me for three periods of the most challenging students in the school from whom I could learn to teach.
That year and the additional two years I was in the classroom before moving into administration continue to be the hardest work I ever have had to do. And I learned a lot from the students. I prided myself on being able to work with the most difficult students, but even I faced challenges I could not meet.
One student in particular who had been removed from every class in which he was enrolled was finally removed from my class as well. Years later, after I had become director of adult education for FCPS and responsible for the night high school, I saw that same student graduate from high school. He had settled down, gotten a job, and many of the complexities of his personal life had been resolved. He was married and seemed very happy. Read More
Ironically, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus moved into the Richmond Coliseum for its annual stand at the same time last week that a few blocks away the General Assembly concluded its annual meeting and members packed up and went home.
Circus promoters need to come up with a new theme each year to keep its patrons returning; this year’s theme was “Extreme.” Reviewers are likely to come up with very different assessments of the General Assembly session. It was not as extreme as some sessions, but as always there were some really good things that happened and some not so good.
Legislative sessions tend to be ponderous — nothing as exciting as a flying trapeze or person being shot out of a cannon. Progress in changing laws is made mostly in small, incremental steps.
This session, I am pleased that small steps were taken to reduce the flow of students going from the classroom to the courtroom. More emphasis will start to be given to providing alternatives for youth who misbehave but who should not be treated like criminals.
Very small steps were made in gun safety by facilitating background checks for those not required to have one to purchase a gun but who volunteer to do so. My bill to require background checks for all purchases at gun shows was defeated. A new law will deny gun ownership for those against whom a permanent protective order has been issued. Persons who receive protection from the court through such an order will find an easier path to getting a concealed weapon permit, an idea I did not support.
School reform continues at a slow pace, but there seems to be a clear recognition that there is too much standardized testing. School systems struggling with their budgets will receive more state aid but still at a level below 2006. Economic development funds are increased which should help the super salesman Governor McAuliffe attract more businesses to the Commonwealth.
For the first time in history the legislature removed a Supreme Court Justice from office. The refusal to confirm Gov. McAuliffe’s appointee had nothing to do with the credentials of the justice who was acknowledged by all to be eminently qualified but had to do with personalities and struggles between the legislative and executive branches.
A one-day discussion of the possible nomination of former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli brought a public outcry. The legislature in the end confirmed a new justice (without my vote) who is as ideologically conservative as Cuccinelli but not a political activist.
The biennial budget brought good news to many programs as the economic recovery has produced more revenue than in the past. Unfortunately, my bill to expand Medicaid coverage was not approved.
The purpose of the legislative session is serious business and not entertainment like the circus. There are times, however, that it may be difficult to tell the difference.
Information about legislative results from this session is at lis.virginia.gov/lis.
This is a column by Del. Ken Plum, who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
One of the responsibilities of the Governor of Virginia as dictated by the State Constitution is to propose a budget for a biennium.
With the governor being limited to one four-year term, the current scheduling of the two-year plan for state revenues and expenditures is awkward. A newly elected governor takes office inheriting a budget left by the preceding governor; likewise the final budget proposed by a governor is implemented by his or her successor.
The mid-term budget takes on special significance as it is the only one proposed and implemented by a governor. The significance of this budget was clearly not lost on Gov. Terry McAuliffe. Of course, in all instances the budget must be approved by the General Assembly.
Both the House of Delegates and the Senate made amendments to Gov. McAuliffe’s budget. In a ritual that happens each even-numbered year when the General Assembly meets in a “long” or 60-day session to consider the biennial budget, both houses have appointed conferees to work out the differences among the two houses and the governor.
The conference report, once approved by both houses and signed by the governor, becomes the state’s budget for the next two years beginning on July 1, 2016. For a comparison of the governor’s, House and Senate budgets, go to Budget Policy Choices.
With growth in the economy the budget proposed by Gov. McAuliffe and approved by the General Assembly will for the first time in history exceed $100 billion. While that number is huge in absolute terms, it is modest when Virginia as the 10th-wealthiest state in per capita income is compared to other states. Virginia’s state and local revenue as a percentage of personal income is 49th lowest among the states. The Commonwealth’s per capita state general fund expenditures are in the middle of the other states at number 25 with $2,168. The national average is $2,496. Read More
This is an opinion column by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
If past history provides any indication, the 2016 session of the General Assembly will have considered nearly 3,000 bills and resolutions before its 60-day session adjourns in early March.
While the figure is impressive, it can be deceiving without a breakdown of the total number.
For example, in 2014 which was also a 60-day “long” session, the 100 members of the House of Delegates introduced 1,950 bills and resolutions, and the 40 members of the Senate introduced 938 bills and resolutions. Of the 2,888 total bills and resolutions, resolutions accounted for 942.
Most resolutions are memorial in that they recognize someone noteworthy in a delegate’s district who had died the previous year, or they commend in offering praise to a person, sports team, organization, or entity for a noteworthy accomplishment or event. It is seldom that memorial or commending resolutions do not pass.
This is an opinion post by Del, Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
All the important bills the General Assembly considered in the first half of its annual session pale in comparison to the most significant action it will take this week in adopting a $100 billion budget for the biennium.
Passing laws is very important, but decisions on how to spend the taxpayers’ dollars may have the greatest impact on the largest number of people.
My constituents have made clear to me that their top priority for the budget is education funding; the Governor had the same priority in preparing his budget. The House Appropriations and Senate Finance committees will be making their decisions on spending very soon. Last week I spoke on the floor of the House of Delegates encouraging the Appropriations Committee to give priority to education funding.
This is an opinion piece by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
A report of the Center for Public Integrity (CPI) released last year included some eye-opening findings for Virginia. The Commonwealth leads the nation in student referrals to law enforcement, and minority students and students with disabilities are more likely to be suspended, expelled, or referred to law enforcement.
The CPI analyzed U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) data to find that in 2011-12 (the most recent data available), the average rate of referrals is 6 for every 1,000 students nationwide. Virginia’s rate is 16 referrals per 1,000 students, or 17,863 students referred to law enforcement during that time period.
In the nationwide totals, African American students were 16 percent of U.S. enrollment but represent 27 percent of students referred to law enforcement. Special needs students were 14 percent of enrollment but are 26 percent of students referred to law enforcement.
As more public officers are assigned to schools, more behavior that in the past would have been handled as school discipline issues are turned into law enforcement matters. Resource officers assigned to schools for public safety and education purposes are being utilized as school police.
Appropriate programs to deal with children with minor offenses are limited in the criminal justice system. As the Just Children Program of the Legal Aid Justice Center of Virginia described “Virginia’s school-to-prison pipeline: Resource starvation, unaddressed academic failure, suspension and expulsion, and school policy are pushing students out of school and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems.”
The result, the Center says, is that “students are also being funneled from the school system to the already over-burdened justice system, often for typical adolescent misbehavior, such as disorderly conduct and truancy which should be handled by school officials…Ultimately, criminalizing student behavior makes schools less safe and damages communities.”
While a few of the more dramatic instances of school resource or security officers being heavy handed have gained attention in the media, what isn’t seen is the steady flow of students entering the legal system for what in the past would have been considered discipline problems and handled within the school. Escalation of response, particularly for younger children, can be counterproductive and set them on a path that increases their chances of further misconduct.
In the billion-dollar increase in education funding proposed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe is a million dollars to support Positive Behavior Interventions (PBI) programs that are designed to transform school climate by shifting attention to positive behavior and providing students with a tiered system of supports and resources.
In addition, Virginia has a $3.5 million federal grant for “School Climate Transformation” to reduce referrals to law enforcement. A “Classrooms not Courtrooms” initiative is also underway in Virginia to coordinate among agencies to do a better job of keeping youth out of the juvenile justice system unless absolutely necessary.
I will be working to ensure that the legislature supports these initiatives that are investments in our future. Classrooms are much less expensive than courtrooms and far more helpful.
This is an opinion column from Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
Opponents of legislation to prevent gun violence have said for years that current laws on the books should be enforced before new laws were passed, but they quickly changed their minds when Attorney General Mark Herring moved to enforce Virginia’s law on recognizing concealed weapon permits from other states.
At least 25 states have standards for allowing concealed weapons that are less stringent than Virginia, and his ruling would have ended reciprocity with these states.
Representatives of the National Rifle Association (NRA) came to the McAuliffe administration to offer concessions on other gun safety proposals if reciprocity with other states could be reestablished. The gun advocates agreed that they would drop their opposition to voluntary background checks and to taking guns from those for whom a permanent protective order had been issued if reciprocity was restored.
This so-called “deal” between the McAuliffe administration and the NRA will continue to be argued as to who was the winner. The legislation to effect the compromise will be debated by the legislature in the coming weeks. I expect to vote for the voluntary background check bill; even though it is limited, it is at least a small step forward.
A subcommittee of the Militia, Police, and Public Safety Committee defeated my bill that would have closed the gun show loophole by requiring a background check for all gun sales at gun shows. Under the compromise bill, a state police officer will be at all gun shows to do a voluntary background check on sales that do not include a licensed gun show dealer.
I will also vote for the bill that will take guns from those against whom a permanent protective order has been issued. While this bill is part of the deal, it needs to be expanded to include temporary and emergency protective orders.
I will not vote for a bill that surrenders Virginia’s right to set its own standards for issuing concealed weapon permits. While the NRA clearly favors expanded concealed weapon laws across the states, I do not think it is in the best public safety interest to recognize concealed weapon permits from states with limited standards including those that will issue such permits to convicted felons. I commend Attorney General Mark Herring for the courageous position he has taken on this issue, and I will continue to support him.
Working together across party lines is important to the legislative process. The deal before the General Assembly on preventing gun violence has been described as a small, modest improvement.
As I made clear in a speech on the floor of the House of Delegates, I view this as just a beginning. As the advocates with whom I participate in a vigil at NRA headquarters on the 14th of every month — the anniversary of the Sandy Hook shootings — make clear, we will not forget, and we will continue to work for more common sense gun safety measures.
Photo from General Assembly floor by Ken Plum
This is an opinion column by Del. Ken Plum, who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
Northern Virginia jurisdictions are among the wealthiest in the country. Yet we have in the schools in the region significant percentages of children on free and reduced-price lunches because of the low income of the households in which the children live.
In Fairfax County, 29 percent — more than 50,000 children — are on the free- and-reduced-price lunch plan. Some schools have breakfast programs for children who come to school hungry. Churches and nonprofits have started programs to send food home with children to ensure that they have something to eat on the weekend.
The disparity in income seen in our region exists throughout the country. There is no one solution to the problem, but 29 states and the District of Columbia and 23 U.S. cities have raised the minimum wage as a way to reduce income inequality.
My bill to raise the minimum wage in Virginia was defeated on a party-line vote of 6-4 in a subcommittee last week. This is the second year the bill has been defeated. Virginia’s minimum wage is the same as the federal $7.25 per hour, which the Congress has also refused to raise.
Since the minimum wage of 25 cents per hour was first adopted in 1938, national and state governments have periodically raised it to keep up with inflation and changes in the economy. The current rate of $7.25 was set by Congress in 2009. Most economists agree that the minimum wage had its greatest purchasing power in 1968, when it was $1.60.
My bill called for a “truing up” to the 1968 level of purchasing power — that would be $9.54 per hour that I round up to $10 in the first year and increasing over time $15 in 2018. My bill was intended to restore purchasing power to consumers and to move them towards a living wage.
Working a 40-hour week at the current minimum wage of $7.25 per hour for 50 weeks produces an income of $14,500, which is below the federal poverty level. In Fairfax County, the median household income is $110,674 and in Loudoun County, $122,294. Representatives of the Reston, Loudoun and Fairfax County Chambers of Commerce, as well as the state chamber, spoke in opposition to my bill.
Raising the minimum wage could directly affect 725,000 Virginians. Of these people, 90 percent are over age 20, 57 percent work full time, and 31 percent work more than 20 hours per week. Of these persons 82.4 percent have at least a high school diploma and 48 percent have some college education.
I fully support programs that feed and house the hungry, but at the same time I vigorously support programs that compensate workers more adequately for their work. I hope that community and business leaders can get behind future efforts to raise the minimum wage as a way to reduce income inequality in our community.
This is an opinion column from Del. Ken Plum, who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
In the early years of the 20th century, travelers were advised not to come to Virginia because of the poor condition of the roads. Deep ruts, mud holes, and lack of maintenance made travel precarious in the Old Dominion.
In 1925, State Sen. Harry F. Byrd, who as a young man had worked part-time on a private toll road (the Valley Pike in the Shenandoah Valley), ran for governor on the campaign slogan “Get Virginia out of the mud.”
Byrd’s campaign was successful, and in his single term as governor he established the Virginia Department of Highways. His centralized highway system led to the present-day highway system that is one of the largest in the country with 57,867 miles of highways and 20,991 bridges.
Byrd also implemented a “pay as you go” financing system that keeps the pace of highway construction and improvement at the rate of current revenue without borrowing. Old timers in the state remember traveling on roads that went from two to four lanes and back to two every few miles as money was available in the highway construction fund to complete the widening. Read More
This is an opinion column by Del. Ken Plum, who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the views of Reston Now.
After the usual business of organizing for a new legislative session, the Virginia General Assembly got underway last week without major incident.
The House of Delegates has 11 new members, with Republicans clearly in power with 66 members and Democrats 34. The House leadership remains the same with Speaker William Howell in charge. The Senate moved to Republican control 21-19. As is the custom, the Governor spoke to a joint session of the House and Senate in the evening of the opening day.
Among the very likeable traits of Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) are his enthusiasm and positive outlook, and these were never more evident than in his speech to the General Assembly. A recovering economy that is providing more money for programs and services helps fuel the Governor’s optimism. Read More
This is an opinion column by Del. Ken Plum, who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not represent the opinion of Reston Now.
Resolutions for the new year are easy to make; I have made dozens in my lifetime. The challenge is to keep resolutions and to bring about the changes they imply. Resolutions in a political context are even more difficult as agreement on the part of many is necessary to cause action to take place. A couple of examples will make my point.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe presented a budget last month. It is the strongest statement that can be made about the future course of government under his administration. For the first two years of the term, a governor of Virginia works under a budget that had been presented by his predecessor. The budget just presented mid-term sets priorities for the final two years of his term. The final budget a governor presents is implemented by the successor. Read More
