GOVERNOR MCAULIFFE ANNOUNCES $13.1 BILLION IN TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS

English: Virginia Megaprojects Transportation Improvements, Northern Virginia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

GOVERNOR MCAULIFFE ANNOUNCES $13.1 BILLION IN TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS THE STATE WILL IMPROVE MOBILITY AND DRIVE THE ECONOMY

Transportation program reflects input from residents and the traveling public following a series of public hearings

Governor Terry McAuliffe announced today that the public was heard and their transportation priorities were carefully considered, resulting in adjustments to the final Six-Year Improvement Program.  The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) approved the program, which allocates $13.1 billion to highway, road, bridge, rail, transit, bicycle/pedestrian paths and other transportation improvements throughout Virginia over a six year period beginning July 1, 2014.

“When the draft program was made available to the public in April, I directed Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne and the Commonwealth Transportation Board to ramp up public involvement by getting out into the communities and holding hearings in nine regions across the state to solicit public input,” said McAuliffe.  “Nearly 400 people attended and 1,620 oral and written comments were collected.  From that information, the CTB adjusted the program to reflect the needs and priorities of local officials, residents and the traveling public who use and know their transportation system better than anyone else.”

Project highlights include:

·       Widening eight miles of the most congested stretches of  I-64 on the Peninsula

·       Extending the Tide light rail system into Virginia Beach

·       Providing  two new passenger trains from Richmond to Norfolk

·       Making safety improvements and repairs along I-81, including Exit 14 in Abingdon and Exit 150 in Roanoke

·       Improving Route 220 in Botetourt County

·       Developing I-66 improvements, extending the use of shoulders on I-495 and tie-in to the Express Lanes, and improving the Route 28 interchange in Northern Virginia

·       Widening Route 7 over the Dulles Toll Road

·       Funding improvements in the Metro 2025 program, including upgrades for 8-car trains along the Metrorail Orange line

·       Expanding VRE platforms and adding the VRE Potomac Shores station in Prince William County

·       Providing a package of improvements to Route 29 through Charlottesville, which replaces the bypass

·       Funding a second passenger train to Lynchburg

The six-year program will be updated later this year to comply with the new prioritization process, which was signed into law under House Bill 2 by McAuliffe earlier this year.  Under the process, projects will be objectively selected based on regional needs.

Layne added, “There will be no special governor’s list of projects, but rather a strategic transportation program based on selecting the right projects that provide the maximum benefit for limited tax dollars.”

The CTB will work in collaboration with localities to set weights for key factors like congestion mitigation, economic development, accessibility, safety and environmental quality. Specific projects will then be screened and selected for funding beginning in July 2016.

“Key priorities in the program approved today and future updates will continue to be improving the existing infrastructure, including rebuilding aging bridges and roads across the state,” said Charlie Kilpatrick, commissioner of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). 

Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation Director, Jennifer Mitchell said, “The final program also reflects added funds for rail and transit projects to enhance regional mobility and provide more transportation choices.”

FY 2015-2020 Six-Year Improvement Program breakdown of Allocations:

$9.9 billion – Highway construction

$3.2 billion – Rail and public transportation

$13.1 billion – Total six-year program

Online resources:

CTB presentation of Final Six-Year Improvement Program 

Link

SYIP database

http://syip.virginiadot.org/Pages/allProjects.aspx

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Governor McAuliffe & Board of Education Announce 2014 Virginia Index of Performance Awards

Colorado (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Awards Recognize High-Achieving Schools & Divisions

Governor Terry McAuliffe and the Board of Education announced today that 212 schools and four school divisions earned 2014 Virginia Index of Performance (VIP) awards for advanced learning and achievement. The VIP incentive program recognizes schools and divisions that exceed minimum state and federal accountability standards and achieve excellence goals established by the governor and the board.

“I am pleased to congratulate Virginia’s teachers, principals, superintendents and other educators whose commitment to innovation and excellence have made the Commonwealth’s schools leaders among our economic competitors,” McAuliffe said. “The educators and support staff in these award-winning schools — and in all of our public schools — have dedicated their careers to building brighter futures for our young people and providing pathways for success in a 21^st Century economy. I look forward to visiting as many of these schools as possible and celebrating their accomplishments.”   

The schools and school divisions earning 2014 VIP awards — which are based on student achievement and other performance indicators during 2012-2013 — include:

·        Five schools that earned the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence;

·        One school division and 71 schools that earned the Board of Education Excellence Award; and

·        Three school divisions and 136 schools that earned the Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award.

2014 Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence

Five schools — Carson Middle, Longfellow Middle and Rocky Run Middle in Fairfax County; Short Pump Middle in Henrico County; and Kemps Landing Magnet in Virginia Beach — earned the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence, the highest VIP award.  Kemps Landing Magnet has won the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence every year since the VIP program began in 2008. This year’s award was Rocky Run Middle’s fifth consecutive Governor’s Award.

“Schools and divisions that earn the Governor’s Award for Education Excellence promote the well-being — as well as the academic achievement — of every student,” Secretary of Education Anne Holton said.

To earn the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence, schools and school divisions must meet all state and federal achievement benchmarks and achieve all applicable excellence goals for elementary reading, enrollment in Algebra I by the eighth grade, enrollment in college-level courses, high school graduation, attainment of advanced diplomas, increased attainment of career and industry certifications, and, if applicable, participation in the Virginia Preschool Initiative. Schools and school divisions earn bonus points for other performance measures, including the Governor’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Scorecard.

2014 Board of Education Excellence Awards

Falls Church Public Schools and 71 schools earned the Board of Education Excellence Award, the second-tier honor in the VIP program. These schools also met all state and federal accountability benchmarks and made significant progress toward goals for increased student achievement and expanded educational opportunities set by the board.

“Virginia’s accountability system includes recognitions for academic excellence and progress,” Board of Education President Chris Braunlich said. “The achievement of the educators and students in these award-winning schools is especially noteworthy given the increased rigor of the commonwealth’s academic standards and assessments.”

The schools receiving Board of Education Excellence Awards are as follows:

·        Albemarle County — Virginia L. Murray Elementary

·        Arlington County — Arlington Science Focus School, Arlington Traditional, Ashlawn Elementary, Jamestown Elementary, McKinley Elementary, Nottingham Elementary, Taylor Elementary, Tuckahoe Elementary and Williamsburg Middle

·        Chesapeake — Grassfield High

·        Chesterfield County — Bettie Weaver Elementary, Greenfield Elementary, Midlothian Middle, Robious Elementary, W.W. Gordon Elementary and Winterpock Elementary

·        Fairfax County — Archer Elementary, Canterbury Woods Elementary, Chesterbrook Elementary, Churchill Road Elementary, Colvin Run Elementary, Cooper Middle, Floris Elementary, Frost Middle, Greenbriar West Elementary, Haycock Elementary, Hunters Woods Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences, Keene Mill Elementary, Kilmer Middle, Langley High, Madison High, Oak Hill Elementary, Oakton Elementary, Sangster Elementary, Spring Hill Elementary, Thomas Jefferson High, Thoreau Middle and Wolftrap Elementary

·        Falls Church — George Mason High, Mount Daniel School and Thomas Jefferson Elementary

·        Hampton — Armstrong Elementary

·        Henrico County — Glen Allen Elementary, Holman Middle, Mills E. Godwin High, Nuckols Farm Elementary, Pocahontas Middle, Rivers Edge Elementary, Shady Grove Elementary, Short Pump Elementary, Tuckahoe Elementary and Twin Hickory Elementary

·        Loudoun County — Emerick Elementary and Round Hill Elementary

·        Montgomery County — Gilbert Linkous Elementary, Harding Avenue Elementary and Kipps Elementary

·        Prince William County — Cedar Point Elementary, J.W. Alvey Elementary, Mary G. Porter Traditional, T. Clay Wood Elementary and Thurgood Marshall Elementary

·        Roanoke — Crystal Spring Elementary

·        Roanoke County — Cave Spring High and Hidden Valley Middle

·        Stafford County — Garrisonville Elementary

·        Virginia Beach — John B. Dey Elementary, North Landing Elementary and Old Donation Center

·        West Point — West Point High

2014 Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Awards

The Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award was earned by three divisions — Poquoson, Lexington and West Point — and 136 schools that met all state and federal benchmarks and made progress toward the goals of the governor and the board.

The schools receiving Distinguished Achievement awards are as follows:

·        Albemarle County — Joseph T. Henley Middle, Meriwether Lewis Elementary and Mortimer Y. Sutherland Middle

·        Arlington County — Long Branch Elementary, Swanson Middle and Yorktown High

·        Augusta County — Riverheads High

·        Botetourt County — Breckinridge Elementary

·        Charlottesville — Burnley-Moran Elementary, Greenbrier Elementary and Venable Elementary

·        Chesapeake City — Butts Road Intermediate, Butts Road Primary, Great Bridge Intermediate Great Bridge Middle, Great Bridge Primary and Southeastern Elementary,

·        Chesterfield County — Cosby High, Enon Elementary, Grange Hall Elementary, Midlothian High and Woolridge Elementary

·        Danville — Galileo Magnet High

·        Fairfax County — Fairfax Villa Elementary, Flint Hill Elementary, Forestville Elementary, Franklin Middle, Great Falls Elementary, Hunt Valley Elementary, Irving Middle, Kent Gardens Elementary, Lake Braddock Secondary, Mantua Elementary, McLean High, Mosby Woods Elementary, Oakton High, Poplar Tree Elementary, Robinson Secondary, Sherman Elementary, South County High, Springfield Estates Elementary, Stratford Landing Elementary, Vienna Elementary, Wakefield Forest Elementary, West Springfield Elementary, West Springfield High, Westbriar Elementary, White Oaks Elementary, Willow Springs Elementary and Woodson High

·        Fauquier County — C. Hunter Ritchie Elementary

·        Gloucester County— Bethel Elementary

·        Goochland County — Randolph Elementary

·        Hanover County — Chickahominy Middle, Cool Spring Elementary, Kersey Creek Elementary, Pearson's Corner Elementary, Pole Green Elementary, South Anna Elementary and Washington-Henry Elementary

·        Henrico County — Colonial Trail Elementary, Echo Lake Elementary, Gayton Elementary, Glen Allen High, Pemberton Elementary, Springfield Park Elementary and Three Chopt Elementary

·        Henry County — Rich Acres Elementary

·        Lexington — Lylburn Downing Middle

·        Loudoun County — Ashburn Elementary, Belmont Ridge Middle, Belmont Station Elementary, Blue Ridge Middle, Briar Woods High, Eagle Ridge Middle, Farmwell Station Middle, J. Michael Lunsford Middle, Kenneth W.Culbert Elementary, Legacy Elementary, Liberty Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Little River Elementary, Loudoun Valley High, Lowes Island Elementary, Lucketts Elementary, Newton-Lee Elementary, Pinebrook Elementary, Rosa Lee Carter Elementary, Sanders Corner Elementary and Stone Hill Middle

·        Newport News — Deer Park Elementary

·        Norfolk — Larchmont Elementary

·        Pittsylvania County — Tunstall High

·        Poquoson — Poquoson High

·        Prince George County — L.L. Beazley Elementary

·        Prince William County — A. Henderson Elementary, Bristow Run Elementary, Buckland Mills Elementary, Gainesville Middle, Louise A. Benton Middle, Mountain View Elementary, Old Bridge Elementary, Pennington School, Piney Branch Elementary and Victory Elementary

·        Richmond — Richmond Community High

·        Roanoke County — Cave Spring Elementary, Cave Spring Middle, Clearbrook Elementary, Fort Lewis Elementary, Glenvar Middle, Hidden Valley High, Oak Grove Elementary and Penn Forest Elementary

·        Rockingham County — East Rockingham High and Peak View Elementary

·        Salem — South Salem Elementary

·        Scott County — Yuma Elementary

·        Stafford County — Colonial Forge High and Rodney E. Thompson Middle

·        Virginia Beach — Great Neck Middle, Hermitage Elementary, Kingston Elementary, New Castle Elementary, Princess Anne Elementary, Red Mill Elementary, Thoroughgood Elementary and Trantwood Elementary

·        Washington County — High Point Elementary

·        Williamsburg-James City County — Lois Hornsby Middle, Matoaka Elementary and Matthew Whaley Elementary

·        Wise County — Eastside High 

·        York County — Coventry Elementary, Mount Vernon Elementary and Tabb Middle

“I congratulate the superintendents, principals, teachers and other educators in all of the divisions and schools that earned VIP awards this year,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright, who proposed the awards program in 2007 as a means of rewarding high-achieving schools and divisions. “These educators — and thousands of others in schools across this commonwealth — dedicate every day to challenging students and helping them to achieve their goals.”

More information about the VIP incentive program for schools and school divisions is available on the VDOE website: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/statistics_reports/va_index_performance_awards/index.shtml

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Governor McAuliffe, Mayor Sessoms Offer Bipartisan Support for Closing the Coverage Gap

McAuliffe (Photo credit: mou-ikkai)

Governor Terry McAuliffe, Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms, and Cox Communications Vice President of General Operations in Virginia Gary McCollum on Thursday urged members of both parties in the General Assembly to work together to negotiate a budget that closes the health care coverage gap. The bipartisan group – McAuliffe a Democrat and Sessoms and McCollum Republicans – said it is smart business for Virginia to bring its own taxpayer dollars back to the Commonwealth to provide healthcare coverage to up to 400,000 Virginians and lower insurance premiums on Virginia businesses.

“If we close the coverage gap, we can save Virginia taxpayers $1 billion over the next eight years, provide 400,000 Virginians with access to quality health insurance, and create as many as 30,000 jobs,” said Governor McAuliffe. “I put forth a proposal last week that protects Virginia by closing the coverage gap in the form of a pilot program, where we accept federal funds for two years, while the money is 100% paid for, and then we evaluate if we want to continue with the program.

“I believe this plan sets forth a pathway for the House and Senate to come to a compromise and pass a budget that funds our core priorities and brings our federal money home to close the coverage gap. As you can see at this press conference today, this is not about Republican or Democratic politics – it’s about doing the right thing for Virginia families and for our economy.”

Mayor Sessoms continued, “If the General Assembly acts to close the coverage gap, over 14,000 people in Virginia Beach would be eligible for coverage. The business case has been made – now is the time to act. Virginia needs to move forward with a plan to close the coverage gap. Our leaders in Richmond have forged bi-partisan consensus on difficult issues in the past and I know they can do the same now.”

McCollum added, “As a large employer in Virginia, Cox Communications understands that a healthy workforce is our most important asset. Having a strong healthcare provider network in a community is critical to economic development. In the Hampton Roads region, some of the largest employers – outside of the military and other federally funded operations – are Sentara, Riverside and Bon Secours. It is time for our representatives in Richmond to come together, in a non-partisan manner, and find a way to “yes”, a way to a solution that protects taxpayers, draws down federal funds and closes the coverage gap in Virginia.”

Governor McAuliffe last week released a budget that includes a two year pilot program to close the coverage gap and offers Republicans and Democrats in the General Assembly a platform for negotiations about how best to structure a plan to use Virginians’ federal tax dollars to cover hundreds of thousands of people and create as many as 30,000 jobs. The McAuliffe budget includes $225 million in savings over the biennium from closing the coverage gap and invests those funds in long-term healthcare spending reserves, a 2% raise for all full-time state employees, and the increased funding for the Virginia Retirement System. 

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Gloucester, VA School Board Meeting Video, March 11th, 2014

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Governor McAuliffe Announces More Than $1 Million in Farmland Preservation Grants

English:  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

~Eight Localities Receive Funds to Place Working Farmlands Under Permanent Conservation Easements~

RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced the recipients of fiscal year 2014 farmland preservation grants.  Eight localities have been awarded just over $1,058,000 from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS).  Localities must use the grant monies to preserve farmland within their boundaries through local Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) programs. PDR programs compensate landowners who work with localities to preserve their land permanently by voluntarily placing a perpetual conservation easement on it.

VDACS allocated almost $149,678.46 each to the counties of Albemarle, Clarke, Fauquier, Isle of Wight, James City, and Stafford, as well as the City of Virginia Beach.  Rappahannock County will receive an $11,000 grant.  These allocations total a little more than $1,058,000, bringing the total allocation of state matching funds to $8.68 million since 2008, when PDR funds were first distributed.

Speaking about the farmland preservation grants, Governor McAuliffe said, “Today’s announcement, which will be the first of many, highlights my administration’s goal of conserving Virginia’s working lands, an important component of land preservation.  These grants are the first step toward my administration’s goal of conserving 400,000 acres of open space and working lands across Virginia. I applaud the commitment of my predecessors and the General Assembly to land preservation, and I look forward to building on the successes they have achieved over the last eight years.”

Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore added, “Adequate and accessible working lands are the foundation of agriculture and forestry, Virginia’s largest industries.  Local governments receiving these funds will be able to use them alongside their dedicated local support, creating new opportunities to preserve working farmland, produce goods for purchase, create jobs, generate tax revenue, and protect our precious natural resources.  I look forward to working with Governor McAuliffe, Natural Resources Secretary Molly Ward, localities, and landowners during the next four years to preserve as many working land acres as possible”

This is the seventh time that the Commonwealth has provided state matching funds for certified local PDR programs.  Of the 22 local PDR programs in Virginia, 18 have received local funding over the past few years. To date, more than 6,700 acres on 49 farms in 12 localities have been permanently protected in part with $6 million of these funds.  Additional easements are expected to close using the remaining funds over the next two years.  Future new appropriations will help preserve additional working lands as well.

Localities interested in future rounds of grant applications for PDR matching funds should contact the Office of Farmland Preservation at the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. They may e-mail Andrew Sorrell, the Office of Farmland Preservation Coordinator, atandrew.sorrell@vdacs.virginia.gov or call 804.786.1906.

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