Washington County supervisors optimistic about The Falls legislation

Washington County:

“As the Virginia House of Delegates version of the bill that modifies funding language for The Falls retail development — and includes land in Washington County — crosses over into the Senate, county leaders appear cautiously optimistic about its chances. ‘The glass is half-full,’ said Jason Berry, county administrator.

Although the Senate’s version of the bill was defeated — including a substitute motion that would have pulled the 200 acres of county land out — there is hope that House bill 593 will make it out of the Senate Finance Committee during crossover. The bill would change 2012 legislation to provide sales tax revenues to help fund construction of the city’s retail development project off of Interstate 81’s Exit 5. City leaders want to specify how and when the city would get sales tax payments, as each business is completed rather than at completion of the project as originally worded, and county leaders want to be added to the mix. Last fall, the city and county signed an agreement to work together on the legislation.”

~Writes Allie Robinson Gibson of the Bristol Herald Courier

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Should a Governor be prevented from firing a political appointee over policy disagreements?

General Assembly

“Delegate Tim Hugo (R-Centreville) has filed a bill for the upcoming session of the General Assembly that would prevent future governors from firing members of the Commonwealth Transportation Board for opposing their priorities. Current law allows the governor to remove a member of the board ‘at his pleasure.’”

~Writes Charlottesville Tomorrow

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County Asks Legislators for Ability to Compel Residents to Tie into Utilities

Gloucester County

“Gloucester County is once again asking the Virginia General Assembly to allow it to have the ability to require its residents to connect to county water and sewer if hookups are available. The request was listed as the top priority to be sent to Del. Keith Hodges (R-Middlesex) and State Sen. Tommy Norment (R-Williamsburg) to be considered for legislation in the coming session. The Gloucester County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution in March 2012, requesting consideration of the matter by the General Assembly.

This year, Gloucester went a step further. The board took a different approach, asking the General Assembly to allow all localities in the commonwealth which own and maintain their own water and sewer systems to have the ability to require residents to connect to the system where it is available and where the elected governing body is in control of the utilities system.”

~Writes Quinton Sheppard of the Gazette-Journal

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