Suffolk officials to lawmakers: Help us get our fair share

SUFFOLK

City officials stressed funding for transportation, education and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality in a pre-General Assembly meeting Wednesday morning with their state legislators.

Myles Louria, a lobbyist for the city, said he's under "no delusions" about the challenge of the projected $2.9 billion shortfall in the current state budget. Everyone will have to share the pain, he said.

But, he added, "We hope the localities don't share a disproportionate amount of the pain."

Sens. Louise Lucas and Fred Quayle and Del. Chris Jones attended the meeting.

Mayor Linda Johnson said transportation is the city's top priority, but the state probably won't offer much help there this year. She asked Jones, Quayle and Lucas to assist in securing federal dollars.

Jones stressed the importance of having projects lined up for President-elect Barack Obama's expected stimulus package.

Suffolk Public Utilities Director Al Moor voiced concern over cuts at the Department of Environmental Quality, which included the reduction this fall of eight of its 10 wastewater engineers. Moor said the cuts could delay wastewater improvement projects and regional progress on sanitary sewer improvements.

Among other issues, Louria will monitor legislation to change how developers pay cities for infrastructure improvements for their projects. A bill to replace the current proffer system with a capped set of impact fees was tabled last year. Cities worry the bill would limit contributions from developers.

The legislation is not expected to gain any more traction this year, Suffolk Planning Director Scott Mills said.

Jones agreed.

"I don't see it having any level of priority," he said.

Dave Forster, (757) 222-5563, dave.forster@pilotonline.com