■ 13 April 2009 | 2:06 PM
Virginia Dems push online unemployment petition
The latest gambit in the fight over federal stimulus dollars for Virginia unemployment benefits is a new Democrat-sponsored Web site that calls on officials to return to Richmond and make the law changes needed to receive those funds.
Launched today by the Democratic Party of Virginia, the "Stand Up For Virginia" site is an effort to lay blame at the feet of Republican leaders, including GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell, for Virginia's potential forfeiture of $125 million in stimulus money.
The funds are available to Virginia if the state agrees to extend unemployment benefits to idled part-time workers and those in job training programs.
But the Republican-controlled House of Delegates last week rejected a proposal by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to make those changes so Virginia would be eligible for the money.
Historically, Virginia has limited unemployment benefits to jobless individuals who have been full-time workers.
House Republicans and business groups opposed the expansion, fearing the additional cost for benefits would fall on business when the federal money was spent, and as a result slow the recovery from the economic recession.
In rejecting that expansion, Republicans noted that they did approve extending unemployment benefits to currently qualified individuals another 13 weeks, bringing the maximum coverage period to 59 weeks.
Virginia Democrats have harangued Republicans since then over the $125 million. Kaine and other Democrats have not publicly called for a legislative special session on unemployment issues, but there have been hints one is being considered.
The Web site, however, demands "that the General Assembly go back to Richmond, fix this mistake, and do what's right for Virginians."
In recent days all three Democrats running for governor -- state Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath; former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe; and former Alexandria Del. Brian Moran -- have issued statements critical of Republicans and McDonnell for rejecting the funds.
Virginia is believed to be the first state to pass a budget since the federal stimulus package was approved and the first to resist the unemployment money, though other Republican governors have indicated they will also reject the funds.
Without the additional stimulus dollars, the state is still expected to receive $62.5 million in one-time federal unemployment money.
That money is likely to be spent quickly.
As of February, Virginia had about 291,000 unemployed workers and was spending roughly $25 million a week to pay unemployment benefits, according to the Virginia Employment Commission.
At the current rate of spending, the state unemployment trust fund will be tapped out by next year and Virginia will have to borrow from the federal government to pay benefits.
-- Julian Walker
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Why don't the Democrats put them back to work instead?
Governor Kaine and the rest of the Democrats could put Millions to work if they wanted to!! If would cost no additional dollars for the government, and in fact it would save Billions for ALL of us!! They are playing politics with our unemployed and sending US the enormous bill that keeps on growing!
Virginia unemployment is skyrocketing. January-March has already reached more than half of all of its 2008's total of just over a 1/2 Billion dollars.
Virginia alone paid $83,927,841 just for February 2009 and March 2009 grew to a whopping $110,399,987.
Why won't they do what it takes to pass what will put our unemployed and under-employed into decent paying jobs? E-Verify is free, fast and easy to use and those employees with errors stay on the job while the errors are corrected. Mandate E-Verify for all employees hired on or after the I-9 was made law.
Opponents of E-verify has yet to show one legal person harmed by it!!
For those who disagree or want more info 757-887-5836
Mary
Virginia Dems push online unemployment petition
We must overturn the State Legislature's position to not accept the $125M of stimulus bill unemployment money for part-time employees who have lost their job due to the recession. Take the money and get the stimulus effect and help our neighbors out of work. These are special times in our economy, we need to take aggressive actions to recover - we can go back to the VA approach of no unemployment payments for part-time employees in 2011 when perhaps the primary full-time wage earner in a family is back to work. It is our tax money - we either use it or lose it. Why take some political stand that will do nothing but short us of money going into the VA economy during this recession.
Is there a place where I can
Is there a place where I can sign a petition supporting the General Assembly's rejection of an unfunded mandate on employers?