McDonnell calls for boosting college funding, job creation

By Michael Sluss and Julian Walker

The Roanoke Times and The Virginian-Pilot

RICHMOND

Gov. Bob McDonnell urged a realigned General Assembly to be "civil and productive" Wednesday and to embrace his spending and policy priorities in the most critical legislative session of his term.

In his State of the Commonwealth address, McDonnell called on lawmakers to focus on spurring job creation, shoring up the state's pension system, boosting funding for colleges and passing "a fiscally responsible, structurally balanced budget."

McDonnell also called for a review of the state's Line of Duty Act program, which provides death benefits to families of first responders and health benefits to those injured or disabled.

The governor said he wants to ensure that eligible first responders and their families "receive key benefits in their time of need, not later."

McDonnell lauded the service of Virginia Tech police Officer Deriek Crouse, who was shot and killed Dec. 8 while making a traffic stop on the Blacksburg campus.

He said after his speech that he wants to make sure Line of Duty benefits claims get processed more quickly.

In a nod to Virginia National Guard members who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, he proposed providing in-state college tuition rates for Virginia Guard members, regardless of how long they have lived here.

McDonnell devoted most of his speech to rallying legislators to get behind a wide-ranging legislative agenda he has rolled out in recent weeks. He begins the second half of his term with a General Assembly that is under Republican power after the GOP gained procedural control of the Senate on Wednesday.

Over the next 60 days, McDonnell wants the General Assembly to provide more than $200 million in new funding for state colleges, strengthen the state's underfunded pension system, and shift some tax dollars to road maintenance.

The governor's two-year budget includes a $438 million increase in public school funding, though about $342 million of that is for the state share of teacher retirement costs.

After the speech, Senate Minority Leader Richard Saslaw predicted some of McDonnell's proposals on education and transportation funding won't survive in the Senate.

The Fairfax County Democrat said his members won't support additional money for charter schools and virtual schools.

He defiantly declared that "if there's one penny of general fund money to transportation, that budget will not get through the Senate."

Republicans on Wednesday formally captured majority status in a Senate split 20-20 with Democrats, who have some leverage on the budget because Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling can't use his tiebreaking vote on financial legislation.

On the policy side, McDonnell wants to nix a law that keeps schools from opening before Labor Day without state permission; give teachers annual contracts rather than open-ended ones; and provide tax credits to companies that invest in private-school scholarships for poor children.

The governor's budget features $2.2 billion toward retirement costs for state workers and teachers to shore up Virginia's underfunded state pension system.

McDonnell describes that as the largest employer contribution in the history of the system, though local governments would bear about half the expense.

After his speech, the governor said he will make additional recommendations to improve the health of the pension system in the coming days. That might include a proposal for an optional employee contribution plan.

Missing from his speech was any mention of lifting a 30-year-old moratorium on uranium mining, a move that would set the stage for future extraction of rich ore deposit in Pittsylvania County.

Processed uranium is used as fuel in nuclear power plants. Supporters of lifting the ban say it will be an economic boon for the state. But environmentalists warn about potential health and safety risks from mining waste.

McDonnell hasn't taken a public position on the issue yet.

He also used the speech to advise lawmakers to put partisan skirmishes on the back burner and focus on the state's business.

"To the members in the majority, I say: 'Don't be arrogant. Don't overreach,' " McDonnell said. "To the members in the minority: 'Don't be angry. Don't obstruct.'

"To all of us: 'Let's be civil and productive.' "

Michael Sluss, (540) 981-3373, mike.sluss@roanoke.com Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com