Virginia Politics Blog

On the day that Gov. Bob McDonnell makes his first trip to International Paper's Franklin mill, we learn that one of his former political rivals is making a bid to buy the soon-to-be closed factory and convert it to a wood-fired power plant.

Terry McAuliffe -- the businessman and Democratic National Committee chairman turned failed 2009 gubernatorial candidate -- and other investors want to buy the plant, which is scheduled to close this spring, resulting in 1,100 layoffs. They want to turn it into a environmentally friendly biomass energy plant.

Sources in the governor's office say McAuliffe and his partners would be eligible for tax credits, available in the new McDonnell administration, that would allow a $500 income tax credit for the creation of "green" jobs and a credit for up to 350 new green jobs if the jobs are in an enterprise zone.

McAuliffe said this morning that he has visited the plant with other investors and has also met with the paper company's top executives at their headquarters in Memphis. He said the group has extended an offer for the plant, but bids were due by Feb. 26, and he said other companies may have interest in the plant, too. A nondisclosure agreement barred him from providing details about the offer, McAuliffe said.

"We're hopeful and excited about our offer. But it's up to IP to decide what they want to do with their plant," he said.

Former Virginia Gov. Doug Wilder is causing trouble for his Democratic party once again. This time, he's urging President Obama to majorly shake up his staff, and called on Tim Kaine to resign as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

In a bylined column in Politico, Wilder writes that Obama needs to dismiss the "admittedly brilliant advisers who helped elect him with others more capable of helping him govern."

And on the topic of Kaine, whom Wilder notes he supported for mayor of Richmond, governor of Virginia and vice president of the United States when Obama was considering him for the job, Wilder is harsh.

Republicans are surely going to remind voters, nationwide, that Chairman Kaine tried to balance his budget in his last days as governor by proposing a $1 billion-plus personal income tax increase. This measure was "shot down" in the first week of the legislative session with not a single person, including Democrats, voting for it (0-97). Even the patron of the bill abstained.

Kaine's recommendation to the Justice Department to transfer one of Virginia's inmates to a federal jurisdiction, and ultimately to Germany, for possible parole in two years was almost immediately withdrawn by the incoming Republican governor and Republican attorney general. Because of the serious nature of these heinous murders and the clearest evidence of guilt, many are still asking why.

Is that who this president wants to be arm in arm with as we enter a pivotal election year? For his sake, it shouldn't be. The president has enough to worry about and defend without this detracting sideshow as to feckless party leadership.

Wilder is the most prominent Democrat yet to call for Kaine's resignation.

Fairfax County officials approved a plan Tuesday to spend $593,000 on two Herndon homes to house low-income families.

The neighboring houses, which were purchased in 1989 and 1990 by the county's Redevelopment and Housing Authority and called Sunrise I and II, served as publicly subsidized group homes for teenagers with substance abuse and mental health issues, until they were closed last year. Officials say the 1970s-era, ranch-style houses off West Ox Road will be used by a designated nonprofit for "very low income households."

The county is slated to refinance tax-exempt bonds for county-owned properties, for a savings of almost $3.million. The county's Board of Supervisors voted 8 to 2 to spend nearly $600,000 of that amount to pay off the houses' existing mortgages. About $200,000 in federal stimulus funds have also been approved to renovate the houses, including the replacement of a failing septic system.

-- Derek Kravitz

With yet more snow on the way for Northern Virginia this evening, we were amused by the following story about Del. David Albo (R-Fairfax) making its way around Capitol Square on Monday.

The story goes like this. Albo became badly snowed in at his Fairfax home over the weekend. With his vehicle buried behind at least six feet of rock-hard, heaped-up snow left by plows, Albo called the authorities Sunday evening, looking for assistance to meet his statutory obligation to attend the General Assembly session Monday.

Naturally, the Virginia National Guard got called in. They sent around a Humvee. The idea, Albo said, was that the heavy-duty vehicle might punch a hole in the wall of snow and free his car. But the wall won.

With the fourth major snowstorm on its way this winter, lawmakers representing two of Virginia's biggest school districts are responding to "snowoverkill" by considering measures to shorten the current school year.

Otherwise, owing to the number of snow days already logged, students and teachers might still be in school around the Fourth of July.

Del. Scott A. Surovell (D-Mount Vernon) said he and Del. Robert Tata (R-Virginia Beach) are looking at what would have to be done legislatively.

Surovell said Tata, who is the chairman of the House Education Committee and Appropriations Subcommittee, also met with Gov. Bob McDonnell's staff to discuss the issue Tuesday morning.

"We could slip something into the budget," Surovell said. "I got a request from my local school board member saying we should look into it. It's a problem all around the state. It's not just a Northern Virginia thing."

The Standards of Quality mandates that students must receive 180 days of instruction.

-- Fredrick Kunkle

It's been decades since Bob McDonnell lived in Northern Virginia, but that didn't stop him from repeatedly telling area residents on the campaign trail last year that he was one of them. This week, many Northern Virginia leaders say Virginia's new governor proved just that.

McDonnell announced yesterday that he opposes a freeze in the adjustment to the school funding formula proposed by his predecessor -- former Democratic governor Gov. Tim Kaine -- that would have cost cash-strapped schools in Northern Virginia nearly $140 million. Read today's story here.

"Last year, candidate McDonnell campaigned as 'Fairfax's Own,' " Del. Mark L. Keam (D-Fairfax) said. "I'm very glad to see that Governor McDonnell is living up to this campaign promise."

Northern Virginia legislators, local officials, business leaders -- even of the opposing party --are rejoicing.

"It's a very helpful move on his part.'' Sen. Janet Howell (D-Fairfax) said. "The freeze was an injust decision by the previous governor, and I'm pleased we have the support of the current governor to change it."

Gov. Bob McDonnell just announced that he will support unfreezing the adjustment to the school funding formula known as the local composite index, a change proposed by former Gov. Tim Kaine (D) in his final two-year budget.

"Ensuring that we have a fair formula that is implemented without regard to temporary or political considerations is the best means by which to appropriate education funding in the commonwealth,'' McDonnell said. "Every time the index is readjusted, some school systems gain funding while others receive less. This has occurred for nearly 40 years, and local officials understand the routine and objective biennial implementation of the index."

The update will cost the state $29 million in fiscal 2011. To pay for it, McDonnell will recommend to the General Assembly that $13 million be transferred from Literary Fund balances; $8 million through the use of available balances in the health insurance fund to reduce state health insurance premiums; $5.2 million in Real ID savings; and $3 million in additional non-general fund balances.

It was one of the hottest political topics in Virginia last spring -- and now it's back.

The Virginia Senate today approved a bill that make changes to the commonwealth's unemployment insurance program which would allow the state to access $125 million in federal stimulus money for unemployment benefits.

Last year, the House of Delegates chose to reject the dollars because they did not want to accept the strings attached -- adjusting the program to offer unemployment benefits to people enrolled in training programs or who had held part-time jobs. They argued that employers would be left with the costs of the expanded program once stimulus dollars ran out.

Send your thoughts and photos to Post reporter Sandhya Somashekhar or post them in the comments below.

For reference, here's what we wrote over the weekend:

Feb. 5: McDonnell has now closed state offices

Feb 6: McDonnell: Dangerous storm has exceeded expectations

Feb. 7 Northern Virginia state offices to close Monday

And don't forget that there's more snow on the way this week.

You have to hand it to Northern Virginia leaders. They sure are being persistent in lobbying Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) on a funding change that they say would prove costly to the region's school systems.

Their latest attempt: Last Thursday, the chairmen of the boards of supervisors in Fairfax, Prince William and Loudoun counties -- Sharon Bulova (D), Corey Stewart (R) and Scott York (I) -- met privately with McDonnell to ask him to oppose a freeze in the adjustment to the school funding formula known as the local composite index, a change proposed by former Gov. Tim Kaine (D) in his final two-year budget.

"This is going to drastically hurt education in Northern Virginia,'' Stewart said. "The only thing we request is fairness."

Bulova, Stewart and York penned an op-ed in the Post on the issue, and gave McDonnell another copy of a letter they wrote him last week.

"It was a productive meeting,'' said Stacey Johnson, McDonnell's spokeswoman. "The Governor is still reviewing the issue."

Stewart said McDonnell did not indicate which was he was leaning, but told the chairmen that he would seriously consider their concerns and get back to them soon.

"He clearly understood the issue,'' Stewart said. "He's struggling with it."