Government Affairs

General Assembly Update

February 25, 2013

With Victory Comes a Time for Thanks

Dear VTCA Members,

Six months ago everyone said that 2013 couldn’t be the year for a transportation funding bill. They said it was the last year of the Governor’s term and an election year and the House would never go for new revenues. They all said we would have to wait for a new Governor and a new General Assembly to take on the issue of long-term sustainable funding for transportation.

We proved them wrong. This past weekend the General Assembly approved a historic transportation funding bill that will over the next five years will invest more than $5.5 billion in transportation in the Commonwealth. After that, there will be an annual investment of NEW money for transportation of over $1.3 billion a year.

With every victory come a time to thank those who helped us get there. Please take a few minutes and let the following folks know you appreciate their support and dedication.

The Governor:  Last summer, I met with dozens of legislators, most of whom were willing to support more funding for transportation. But, every one of them said the Governor would have to get engaged. Well, he did. By introducing his “Virginia’s Road to the Future” legislation, the Governor laid the foundation for what would become the final legislation. We worked long and hard with the Governor’s staff on his bill. Throughout the legislative the bill changed significantly, but the Governor never wavered in his commitment to do something for transportation this year. He deserves our thanks.

You can send him a note at:

Governor Robert McDonnell
Office of the Governor
Patrick Henry Building, 3rd Floor
1111 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219

If you prefer to e-mail him, send it to his Communications Director Tucker Martin and he will make sure it gets delivered:

The Governor will take a lot of heat for pushing his transportation funding package. Please consider a letter-to-the-editor for your local paper to set the record straight

Legislators: We asked a lot of legislators to take a tough vote on transportation funding this year. In an election year, we asked them to devote more general fund money and raise new revenues for transportation. A majority of them responded to our call. They deserve our thanks.

Senators voting for the bill were: Alexander, Barker, Blevins, Carrico, Colgan, Deeds, Edwards, Favola, Herring, Howell, Locke, Lucas, Marsden, McEachin, McWaters, Miller, Norment, Northam, Puckett, Puller, Ruff, Saslaw, Stosch, Wagner, and Watkins.

Delegates voting for the bill were: Albo, BaCote, Brink, Bulova, Cosgrove, Cox, M.K., Dance, Dudenhefer, Edmunds, Filler-Corn, Greason, Head, Helsel, Herring, Hester, Hodges, Hope, Iaquinto, Ingram, James, Jones, Keam, Kilgore, Knight, Kory, Krupicka, LeMunyon, Lewis, Lopez, Loupassi, Marshall, D.W., May, McClellan, McQuinn, Merricks, Minchew, Morris, O’Bannon, Orrock, Plum, Poindexter, Purkey, Putney, Rust, Scott, E.T., Scott, J.M., Sherwood, Sickles, Spruill, Stolle, Torian, Toscano, Tyler, Villanueva, Ware, O., Watson, Watts, Yancey, Yost, Mr. Speaker.

Be sure to call them, or send them a letter/e-mail thanking those who stood with us. Contact information for legislators can be found at: Delegates and Senators. Simply click on their name and their home contact information will be displayed.

Secretary Connaughton and Commissioner Whirley: The Secretary and Commissioner worked tirelessly to get the transportation funding package though the General Assembly. They deserve our thanks. You can send them an e-mail at: ;

Whittington Clement and Myles Louria: Our lobbyists at Hunton and Williams were instrumental in working to get the transportation funding package passed. They were engaged in every strategy session, and worked with legislators morning, noon and night to sell the legislative package. We couldn’t have done it without them. You can send them an e-mail at: and .

The VTCA Board of Directors and Legislative Committee: Knowing the big fight over transportation funding was coming, our Board and Legislative Committee developed a comprehensive PR/media campaign that included, videos, the LetsGoVA and Virginians for Better Transportation campaigns, polling, direct mail/e-mail campaigns, and social media. Thanks to their foresight, we were ready to unleash the campaigns as the General Assembly started. The influence these campaigns had was significant in getting a funding package passed.

VTCA Members: Once the Governor’s transportation funding package was introduced, we asked our members to step up like never before and “work” their legislators for passage of the package. Well, you did it. VTCA members generated more than 2,500 letters, e-mails, phone calls and visits. Outstanding.

Once the Governor signs the bill, it will take effect July 1st. Over the next few weeks we will be working closely with the Governor’s office on any technical amendments that may be necessary on the legislation. In addition, we will be working with VDOT to ensure that the new funds are put to work quickly and effectively.

Thank you for all your support.

Bill Hamlin
VP Boxley
VTCA President

Rick James
Executive VP, Adams Construction
VTCA Legislative Committee Chairman

Jeff Southard
VTCA Executive VP