Virginia Politics Blog Archive: Anita Kumar
McAuliffe and McDonnell could partner on the purchase of paper mill
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...
By
Anita Kumar
|
February 9, 2010; 4:40 PM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (1)
Categories:
2009 Governor's Race
,
Anita Kumar
,
Creigh Deeds
,
Election 2009
,
Robert F. McDonnell
,
Terry McAuliffe
Save & Share:
Northern Virginia leaders cheer McDonnell's school funding decision
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...
By
Anita Kumar
|
February 9, 2010; 7:30 AM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Categories:
2010 legislative session
,
Anita Kumar
,
Fairfax County
,
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
,
General Assembly
,
General Assembly 2010
,
House of Delegates
,
Loudoun County
,
Prince William
,
Robert F. McDonnell
,
State Senate
,
Timothy M. Kaine
Save & Share:
McDonnell supports changing school funding
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...
By
Anita Kumar
|
February 8, 2010; 4:18 PM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Categories:
!Elections
,
Anita Kumar
,
Robert F. McDonnell
Save & Share:
Northern Virginia officials, McDonnell meet on school funding
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....
By
Anita Kumar
|
February 8, 2010; 7:30 AM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (4)
Categories:
Anita Kumar
,
Robert F. McDonnell
Save & Share:
Northern Virginia state offices to close Monday
Gov. Bob McDonnell announced today that state offices will be closed Monday in snow-covered Northern Virginia. Others around the state, including those in Richmond, will delay their opening until 10 a.m. McDonnell said the Virginia Department of Transportation strives to clear roads within 48 hours, but it will take longer than that after this storm. "It is a significant weather event and it is going to take a little longer than normal to finish the plowing and all of the recovery,'' he told reporters on a conference call this afternoon. McDonnell said the state experienced record amounts of snow, including 37 inches in the Front Royal area and 33 inches in Fairfax County and the surrounding region. About 108,000 houses remain without power. The Virginia State Police have responded to more than 4,600 calls, including 1,500 crashes, and two fatalities. All interstates are passable. McDonnell declared a state of emergency...
By
Anita Kumar
|
February 7, 2010; 3:39 PM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Categories:
Anita Kumar
,
Robert F. McDonnell
Save & Share:
Kaine, Obama rally Democrats in snow-covered DC
While most of us were snowbound yesterday, President Obama and former governor Tim Kaine met in Washington to pep up down-and-out Democrats. After a string of losses in Virginia, New Jersey and most recently Massachusetts, some Democrats have been calling for Kaine's removal as Democratic National Committee chairman, but Obama greeted his friend warmly at a DNC meeting yesterday. "I want to thank Tim Kaine, who's not only an outstanding former governor, but an outstanding leader of this party -- busy building the best online and in-field grassroots organization we've ever had." Kaine told the audience that Democrats should do a "better job telling the story" of how the president saved the nation from economic collapse, and that the party should not worry about losing the Massachusetts Senate seat. "The ghost of Harry Truman would kill us if he heard us complaining about 59 seats in the United States Senate,"...
By
Anita Kumar
|
February 7, 2010; 11:02 AM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (2)
Categories:
Anita Kumar
,
Barack Obama
,
Timothy M. Kaine
Save & Share:










