ACLU sues Richmond over parade costs
The ACLU of Virginia today filed a request in federal court on behalf of activists in Richmond for an injunction ordering the Richmond Police to allow them to hold a May Day parade without having to pay for off-duty police officers.
“Nowhere in the city code does it say that Richmond police have the authority to assess fees on parade organizers,” said ACLU of Virginia Legal Director Rebecca Glenberg. “The police cannot arbitrarily impose costs on individuals exercising their First Amendment rights.”
Kenneth Yates and other organizers are planning a May Day march through Richmond city streets and submitted a parade permit application on March 21. Although city code requires police to issue or deny the permit within five days, Yates did not receive a response until April 11. At that time, he was told that in order to march, his group would have to pay $296 for two off-duty police officers and two police cars. The group does not have the funds to pay for the officers.
The ACLU sent a letter to the Richmond Police Department on behalf of the group informing them that the Richmond parade ordinance does not authorize them to require a person to pay for off-duty police in order to march. Additionally, the ACLU said that applying such a requirement without specific guidelines is unconstitutional. The police did not respond to the ACLU’s letter.
“Without clear guidelines, police may be imposing fees on some groups and not on others,” said Glenberg. “We are concerned that police may be chilling free speech in Richmond.”
This issue is not a new one. Last year, May Day parade organizers were told they would have to pay for off-duty officers in order to march. Ultimately though, the police relented and granted organizers a permit to parade in the street without having to pay for off-duty officers.
“Organizers followed the rules and applied for their parade permit just like everyone else,” added Glenberg. “Richmond police cannot just move the goal posts and add another obstacle that is not authorized by law.”
Yates is represented by Glenberg and ACLU of Virginia Dunn Fellow Thomas Fitzpatrick.
Earth Talk: Is U.S. air quality getting better?
Dear EarthTalk: Is air quality in the United States improving or getting worse? Is it cleaner in some parts of the country than in others?
- K. Gould, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Air quality across the United States has improved dramatically since 1970 when Congress passed the Clean Air Act in response to growing pollution problems and fouled air from coast to coast. According to data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), levels of all major air pollution contaminants (ozone, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and lead) are down significantly since 1970; carbon monoxide levels alone dropped by more than 70 percent.
And that’s good news for everyone. A 2009 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that efforts to reduce fine particle pollution from automobiles, diesel engines, steel mills and coal-fired power plants have added between four and eight months to the average American’s life expectancy in recent years. Overall, Americans are living some two and three-quarter years longer than during the 1980s. Changes in smoking habits and improved socioeconomic conditions are the biggest reasons why, but cleaner air is also a big factor. “It’s stunning that the air pollution effect seems to be as robust as it is,” Arden Pope, the Brigham Young University epidemiologist who led the study, told reporters.
Pope and his team analyzed life expectancy, economic, demographic and pollution data from 51 metropolitan areas, and found that when fine-particle air pollution dropped by 10 micrograms per cubic meter, life expectancy rose by 31 weeks—such as in Akron, Ohio and Philadelphia. Where fine particle counts dropped even more—by 13 to 14 micrograms, such as in New York City, Buffalo and Pittsburgh—people lived some 43 weeks longer on average.
But according to the American Lung Association (ALA), even though air quality around the country is improving overall, some 175 million Americans—58 percent of the population—still live in places where pollution levels can cause breathing difficulties or worse. The group’s “State of the Air: 2010″ report looks at levels of ozone and particle pollution found in monitoring sites across the United States in 2006, 2007, and 2008, and compares them to previous periods.
The biggest improvement was found in year-round (annual) particulate levels, which the ALA attributes to recent efforts to clean up major industrial air pollution sources. “However, the continuing problem demonstrates that more remains to be done, especially in cleaning up coal-fired power plants and existing diesel engines.” the group reports. ALA also found, by overlaying census data with pollution maps, that Americans with the lowest incomes face higher risks of harm from air pollution, underscoring what environmental justice advocates have been saying for years.
As for how to protect ourselves from still problematic air pollution, ALA recommends checking air quality forecasts and avoiding exercising or working outdoors when unhealthy air is present. The federal government’s AirNow website provides daily air quality updates for more than 300 cities across the U.S., as well as links to more detailed state and local air quality web sites. And if air quality problems in your area continue to be bothersome, consider picking up and moving. Fargo, North Dakota or Lincoln, Nebraska, anyone? According to ALA’s “State of the Air: 2010″ report, these two cities rank among the cleanest in all of the air pollution categories studied.
CONTACTS: ALA’s State of the Air: 2010, www.stateoftheair.org; AirNow, www.airnow.gov.
EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E-The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com).
#1 UVa. rolls to 12-0 win at Radford
The top-ranked Virginia baseball team scored eight runs in the first two innings and never looked back in coasting to a 12-0 victory over Radford Tuesday evening at RU Baseball Stadium in Radford, Va. With the shutout win the Cavaliers broke the ACC single-season record for shutouts with their 12th shutout of the year; the record was held by the 1977 Clemson and 2005 Virginia teams.
David Coleman (Sr., Richmond, Va.) went 4-for-4 to highlight a strong offensive performance by the Cavaliers (37-3), who piled up 16 hits in the contest. Chris Taylor (So., Virginia Beach, Va.) led off the game with a home run and finished 3-for-5 with three RBI, while Jared King (Jr., Radford, Va.) added three hits and a pair of RBI. John Hicks (Jr., Sandy Hook, Va.) hit a three-run home run. Read more
Regan leaving UVa.
Virginia men’s head basketball coach Tony Bennett announced on Tuesday that freshman forward Will Regan (Williamsville, N.Y.) is leaving the Cavaliers’ program.
“We wish Will the best,” Bennett said. “He expressed a desire to be closer to home and find a situation that he felt suited him better. Transfers are an increasing part of college basketball today and I hope things work out well for Will. We appreciate his contributions to our program.” Read more
JMU adds two hoops recruits
James Madison men’s basketball head coach Matt Brady announced on Tuesday the signing of two players to national letters of intent, with both joining the program as freshmen for the 2011-12 season.
JMU’s spring signees include guard Arman Marks of Louisville, Ky. as well as forward Keynan Pittman of Burgaw, N.C. They join forward Enoch Hood of Norfolk, Va., who signed with the Dukes in early December.
“I think we’ve gotten three really good kids and guys who have proven they can be successful on the court and successful in the classroom,” said Brady on the signings. “The class adds a lot of flexibility and athletic ability. It also adds three quality individuals that are excited about being at JMU.” Read more
Suzi Foltz: ‘Look, No Hands!’ vs. Death Grip
Up until last year, I had always been rather hesitant about amusement park rides. Things that threw your body into unnatural positions or had you upside down for any period of time were on my list of things to avoid. I didn’t hate roller coasters, I would just stick to the ones that were more old-fashioned; traditional. Come to think of it, these ones tend to be pretty old and wood and probably the less safe ones, but at the time in made sense in my mind. Last year however, a few of my friends decided to break me of this fear and said I had to ride at least one.
It had been a really hot day last April when I had gone to Kings Dominion with two friends and my sister. After the first few hours of wandering around and going on Suzi-proof rides, they decided they wanted to ride the Volcano. The volcano: a roller coaster involving fire, shooting out of a volcano, and being upside down at several points. Uhm…no.
I offered to sit out and just watch, but they were persistent, using supporting points like I was practically an adult and could handle it, they’d have an odd number without me and someone would have to ride alone, the rides are tested all of the time, people don’t die on roller coasters…often…
After a while I decided I had to do it. To fight my reasoning and fears for once. I was sixteen years old, I was supposed to love doing stupid things, and at that time, this was a stupid thing to me.
We got in line and waited for about an hour before we actually got to the ride. By then I had waited so long that I absolutely could not back out; you don’t pay money to go to an amusement park and stand around.
To be honest, I can’t remember much of the ride. I didn’t pass out or anything, it all just happened so fast. I remember starting out slow of the loading area and then all of a sudden we shot off; much faster than I had expected. When we shot out of the volcano I could feel my body jerking against the over the shoulder restraint lock; suspended in the area for brief seconds every now and then. Flash! There was the parking lot. Flash! There was some tree! Flash! That was the ground…above me. Flash! We were done.
I absolutely loved it.
I felt a huge sense of accomplishment as the attendant unlocked my seat and signaled for us to exit the loading area. I walked off astounded but then realized I was walking alone. I turned around to see the rest of my group staring at me skeptically.
“So…did you like it?”
“Hell yeah.”
“Well good…because that was like one of the worst upside down rides in the park and now all the others will be no problem!”
I hated them. I loved them. I hit them. I was laughing.
I went on two more roller coasters involving upside-down-ness that day: the Dominator and The Flight of Fear. Both of them were amazing to me and I finally understood why people would wait in lines for so long to ride them.
At this year’s Staunton Spring Carnival I even went on some questionable rides. In a way I feel these are worse than amusement park rides because at parks, even though the rides are bigger, they are stationary and regularly maitenanced. With carnival rides, the machines are moved around every week. What if one bolt wasn’t retightened quite enough? Or what if a piece wasn’t locked in properly during the move?
One ride was a room that spun so fast that the force would push you against a wall, and eventually lift you off the floor: Fun.
However, it didn’t have anything strapping you to the wall and the panels move purely by centrifugal force: Questionable.
We also rode a Ferris wheel sort of ride: Fun.
However, the carts could spin upside down and would leave you facing straight up or straight down for extend periods while people were loading and unloading: Questionable.
I fought through the sketchy aspects and ended up having a great time. I’d even recommend those rides…for anyone who is not easily nauseated.
I am not some sort of adrenaline junkie now, but I do plan to expand my acceptable rides list. I’m scheduled to go on another trip to Kings Dominion this week with some of the same people and this time I intend to do no waiting (except for maybe the Berserker, but you never know…).
Suzi Foltz is an AugustaFreePress.com intern and a senior at Wilson Memorial High School.
Augusta Health repeats top showing in safety, clinical excellence ratings
For the second year, Augusta Health has been recognized as the only hospital in Virginia to be named a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence by HealthGrades and also to receive the HealthGrades Patient Safety Excellence Award. Augusta Health placed among the top 5% of hospitals nationwide for clinical performance—only 268 hospitals of the nearly 5,000 evaluated received the recognition. In Patient Safety, only 140 non-teaching hospitals were recognized.
The Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence Award identifies hospitals with the lowest risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates across a range of procedures and diagnoses. Patients who receive care at a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence have overall, a 29.82% lower risk of in-hospital mortality and a 1.91% lower risk of in-hospital complication.
The Patient Safety Excellence Award is based on outcome performance based on 13 patient safety indicators developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Patients who are treated in hospitals recognized for patient safety are, on average, more likely to have a success treatment without experiencing a patient safety event or medical error.
Augusta Health also received several “Top 10%” and better designations from HealthGrades. Top performing hospitals had significantly lower mortality rates than other hospitals—a 72% lower chance of dying when compared to the lowest-performing hospitals and a 53% lower chance of dying when compared to the national average.
For Augusta Health, these top performance designations included:
- Ranked #4 in Virginia for Overall Orthopedics and Joint Replacement
- HealthGrades Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award
- HealthGrades Joint Replacement Excellence Award
- Ranked #6 in Virginia for Treatment of Stroke
- HealthGrades Stroke Care Excellence Award
- Top 10% in the nation for Treatment of Stroke
- Ranked #2 in Virginia for Overall Pulmonary Services
- HealthGrades Pulmonary Care Excellence Award
- Top 5% in the nation for Pulmonary Care
- Ranked #4 in Virginia for Critical Care
- HealthGrades Critical Care Excellence Award
- Top 5% in the nation for Critical Care
- Ranked #6 in Virginia for General Surgery
- HealthGrades General Surgery Excellence Award
- Top 10% in the nation for General Surgery
In addition, Augusta Health received the highest Five Star rating, indicating mortality and complication rates statistically significantly below the national average, for these procedures and medical treatments:
- Treatment of Heart Attack
- Overall Orthopedics
- Joint Replacement
- Total Knee Replacement
- Total Hip Replacement
- Hip Fracture Repair
- Stroke
- Prostatectomy
- Overall Pulmonary Services
- Treatment of COPD
- Treatment of Pneumonia
- Critical Care
- Treatment of Sepsis
- Treatment of Respiratory Failure
- Appendectomy
“We’re pleased to be recognized again by HealthGrades for excellence in clinical quality,” said Mary N. Mannix, FACHE and CEO of Augusta Health. “It’s further recognition of how well our medical staff and employees work together to provide the best care possible for our patients. We strive to be an excellent hospital in every way, including these clinical outcomes. These awards are great recognition of that commitment to quality.”
Augusta Health is an independent, nonprofit community hospital whose mission is to promote the health and well-being of our community through access to excellent care. Augusta Health was named a 100 Top Hospital by Thomson Reuters in 2011. For more information about Augusta Health, its programs or its services, please contact Public Relations at 540.245.7329 or 540.221.7329, or visit our website, www.augustahealth.com.
HealthGrades is the leading independent health care ratings organization, and provides quality ratings, profiles and cost information on the nation’s hospitals, physicians and nursing homes. More information on HealthGrades can be found at www.healthgrades.com.
Tiller receives RMH 2011 Golden Stethoscope Award
K. Ellissa Tiller, MD, medical director of RMH Hospice and Palliative Care, has been named recipient of the third annual RMH Golden Stethoscope Award.
The award recognizes an outstanding physician on the RMH Medical Staff who demonstrates excellence in patient care, customer service, communication and teamwork
Dr Tiller received the award during the General Medical Staff meeting at RMH on April 12. The award is given annually as part of the hospital’s recognition of National Doctors’ Day.
“Dr. Tiller has been a tremendous addition to the RMH team,” said Dale Carroll, M.D., senior vice president, Clinical Effectiveness and Chief Medical Officer. “Those who nominated her consistently praised her compassionate, approachable manner and noted that she truly cares for the community she serves. Dr. Tiller has worked tirelessly to educate patients and their families, educate staff and build relationships with area medical professionals to enhance the breadth and quality of hospice and palliative services at RMH.”
Dr. Tiller joined the RMH Medical Staff in 2010 as the hospital’s first palliative care physician. Palliative care is a medical specialty that focuses on how serious illness affects patient, along with the patient’s family. The goals of palliative care are to relieve pain and symptoms and improve quality of life. Since Dr. Tiller joined RMH, the palliative care program has grown considerably, prompting RMH to add a second physician to the program in 2011 to meet community demand.
“I am deeply honored to receive the 2011 RMH Golden Stethoscope Award,” Tiller said. “As RMH’s first palliative care physician, I have felt welcomed by my fellow physicians, nurses and support staff. It is my goal to ensure that patients and their loved ones receive the compassion and support that they need when they face a serious illness. The patients and families I have been in contact with have touched my life, and it has been my honor and privilege to be involved in their care.”
Dr. Tiller graduated from the University of Queensland School of Medicine, Australia. She completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Virginia, where she received the Donnelly Award for best-all-round internist. She is a member of the American Academy of Physicians and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
A total of 57 nominations were submitted by hospital staff, with 24 physicians nominated from among 330 on the medical staff. Dr. Carroll noted that nominators often referred to the physician’s caring manner and interpersonal skills rather then “how smart or capable” the physician was.
“Our doctors are smart and capable, but what sets them apart is their care and respect,” he said.
McDonnell announces state tax relief granted for victims of severe storms
Gov. Bob McDonnell announced today that those affected by the severe storms that struck Virginia on April 8 and April 16 will be granted a 30-day extension for filing returns and making payments on their state taxes.
This extension will apply to taxpayers located in the cities of Charlottesville and Waynesboro, and in the following counties: Albemarle, Augusta, Bath, Carroll, Dinwiddie, Gloucester, Halifax, Isle of Wight, James City, Lunenburg, Middlesex, Pulaski, Page, Rockbridge, Shenandoah, Surry, and Warren. Taxpayers outside of these areas who sustained severe damage from the storms may also request an extension.
If the Governor declares any additional localities as disaster areas, they will also qualify for this tax relief. Check the Tax Department’s website at www.tax.virginia.gov for updates.
To qualify for this special filing extension, taxpayers must be unable to meet their filing obligations because the financial books and records they need to file their taxes are located in the affected areas or are otherwise unavailable because of severe storm damage.
Individuals and businesses in these areas automatically get 30 additional days to file all returns and make all tax payments that had a due date, or an extended due date, on or after April 16, 2011, and on or before May 2, 2011. These include Sales and Use Tax returns, Withholding Tax returns, Income Tax returns, and estimated tax payments. This extension does not apply to federal taxes, the filing deadline for which was yesterday.
To receive the special filing extension, taxpayers affected by the severe storm damage should write “Severe Storm Relief” at the top of their paper returns. The Virginia Department of Taxation will abate interest and any late-filing or late-payment penalties that would otherwise apply.
Taxpayers with additional questions should contact Tax at 804.367.8031 for individual income tax questions or 804.367.8037 for business tax questions.
McDonnell signs transportation-funding legislation
Gov. Bob McDonnell signed into law on Monday what backers are terming the most significant investment in the Commonwealth’s transportation system in a generation.
The legislation, HB2527 and SB1446, sponsored by Speaker Bill Howell (R-Stafford) and State Sens. Chuck Colgan (D-Manassas) and William Wampler (R-Bristol), creates a framework to invest nearly $4 billion into Virginia’s road, rail and transit networks, and fund more than 900 projects, over the next three years without raising taxes.
“It has been over 20 years since we have made a major investment in our transportation system,” McDonnell said. “For far too long Virginians sat stuck in traffic while partisan politics put the brakes on progress. This year we put partisanship aside and recognized that for Virginia to retain its status as the friendliest state in the nation for business, we must invest in transportation and help the private sector create much-needed jobs in all parts of the Commonwealth. This common-sense legislation takes advantage of previously authorized and innovative new financing mechanisms at a time when interest rates and construction costs are at near historic lows and Virginians are in dire need of jobs. We are putting billions into our roads without a tax increase.”
“I applaud Gov. McDonnell for taking vital steps toward addressing the Commonwealth’s transportation crisis,” Colgan said. “The reforms signed into law today, combined with this infusion of funding and the governor’s work on transportation over the last year will have a lasting impact in beginning to address these challenges.”
Jeff Southard, executive vice president of the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance said the state transportation system will now finally receive “the significant investment that will not only improve the travel experience for the millions who depend upon Virginia’s roads and transit systems each day, but it will support much-needed jobs for construction professionals throughout the Commonwealth.”
“The transportation construction industry is a major economic driver and provider of employment in Virginia that has struggled because we have neglected our responsibility to invest in the Commonwealth’s infrastructure for so long. The legislation signed today will help Virginia’s economy to once again thrive,” Southard said.
The legislation, which passed with the broad bipartisan support of Democrats and Republicans in both bodies of the General Assembly, uses several financing mechanisms that will enable the Commonwealth to take advantage of historically low interest rates on bonds and construction bids that are coming in well below project estimates.
The legislation:
Accelerates the issuance of $200 million of Capital Project Revenue Bonds authorized by the General Assembly in 2007 during fiscal year 2012 and $300 million in fiscal year 2013, thereby enabling VDOT to issue $1.8 billion in bonds over the next three years
Authorizes the issuance of $1.1 billion in federally backed Direct GARVEE Bonds to better leverage the Commonwealth’s annual federal allocation and support the construction of major congestion reducing projects throughout Virginia
Creates a new Virginia Transportation Infrastructure Bank, initially funded with $283 million from the fiscal year 2010 surplus and savings from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) performance audit, to make low-interest loans and grants to localities, transportation authorities and private-sector partners for transportation projects. The administration aims to put $1 billion into the bank through a number of mechanisms over the next three years.
McDonnell launches teacher performance-pay initiative
Gov. Bob McDonnell has invited 57 school divisions that may have difficulty attracting, retaining and rewarding experienced, fully licensed teachers to participate in his Virginia Performance-Pay Incentives initiative for hard-to-staff schools.
The initiative — which was approved by the 2011 General Assembly — is a centerpiece of McDonnell’s “Opportunity to Learn” education-reform agenda. It provides $3 million in state funding to reward teachers in hard-to-staff schools that earn exemplary ratings during the 2011-2012 school year.
“Teachers who make a commitment to students in hard-to-staff urban and rural schools, despite circumstances that often prompt colleagues to seek assignments elsewhere, deserve our admiration, and when they succeed in raising the achievement of students in these schools, their performance should be rewarded,” McDonnell said.
Schools receiving funding through the competitive-grant program must implement a comprehensive teacher-evaluation system aligned with performance standards and model evaluation systems approved by the Board of Education. At least 40 percent of teacher evaluations must be based on student academic growth, including, when available and appropriate, student-growth data provided by the Virginia Department of Education.
“The evaluation guidelines and performance standards awaiting final approval by the Board of Education on April 28 will ensure that performance-pay decisions are fair for all teachers and based on objective criteria,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright said. “Administrators in the participating divisions will be trained in the implementation of the board’s performance standards and evaluation criteria.”
In applying for funding, school divisions may designate all teachers within a hard-to-staff school as eligible for performance pay or limit eligibility to specific groups of teachers, such as teachers in reading and mathematics. The maximum amount a teacher may receive is $5,000.
In addition, federal support for performance-pay programs is available through the $59.8 million School Improvement Grant the commonwealth received in April 2010 to fund “turnaround” plans and other reforms in low-achieving schools. Schools receiving funds through the federal grant must implement teacher-evaluation systems that include student growth as a significant factor and have the option of applying for funding to support performance-pay plans.
“All told, the funding available for performance pay represents an opportunity to provide meaningful incentives and rewards for exemplary teachers in a significant number of Virginia schools, and, in the long term, the results of these pilot programs will tell us a lot about the potential for performance pay to improve teacher quality and raise student achievement,” McDonnell said.
To participate in the state-funded Virginia Performance-Pay Incentives initiative, a school must meet at least four of eight criteria associated with schools that have difficulty recruiting and retaining effective teachers. The criteria are related to these factors: accreditation, average attendance, percentage of students in special education, percentage of limited-English proficient students, percentage of teachers with provisional licensure, percentage of special education teachers with provisional licensure, percentage of first-year teachers, and the number of first-year teachers in a critical-shortage area.
The 169 eligible schools, by division, are as follows:
- Accomack County — Kegotank Elementary and Pungoteague Elementary
- Albemarle County — Albemarle County Community Public Charter
- Alexandria — Cora Kelly Magnet Elementary, Francis Hammond 2 Middle, Francis Hammond 3 Middle, George Mason Elementary, James K. Polk Elementary, Mount Vernon Elementary, T.C. Williams High and William Ramsay Elementary
- Arlington County — Abingdon Elementary, Arlington Traditional Elementary, Ashlawn Elementary, Barrett Elementary, Campbell Elementary, Carlin Springs Elementary, Claremont Elementary, Drew Model Elementary, Francis Scott Key Elementary, Gunston Middle, Henry Elementary, Hoffman-Boston Elementary, Long Branch Elementary, Oakridge Elementary, Randolph Elementary, Swanson Middle and Washington-Lee High
- Brunswick County — James S. Russell Middle
- Buchanan County — Hurley High and Twin Valley High
- Caroline County — Caroline High and Madison Elementary
- Charles City County — Charles City County Middle
- Chesterfield County — A.M. Davis Elementary
- Colonial Beach — Colonial Beach High
- Covington — Covington High
- Cumberland County — Cumberland High and Cumberland Middle
- Dinwiddie County — Dinwiddie Middle
- Essex County — Essex Intermediate
- Fairfax County — Bailey’s Elementary, Bryant Alternative High, Franconia Elementary, Hayfield Elementary, Key Center, Kilmer Center, Little Run Elementary, North Springfield Elementary and Woodson Adult High
- Fauquier County — Greenville Elementary and Kettle Run High
- Franklin — Franklin High
- Franklin County — Rocky Mount Elementary and Windy Gap Elementary
- Frederick County — Robert E. Aylor Middle
- Goochland County — Goochland Middle
- Grayson County — Grayson County High
- Greensville County — Edward W. Wyatt Middle
- Hampton — C. Alton Lindsay Middle, Captain John Smith Elementary, Hampton High, Jane H. Bryan Elementary and Merrimack Elementary
- Henrico County — Academy at Virginia Randolph, Baker Elementary, Fairfield Middle, Highland Springs Elementary, Highland Springs High, L. Douglas Wilder Middle, John Rolfe Middle, Skipwith Elementary and Varina High
- Henry County — Axton Elementary
- Hopewell — Carter G. Woodson Middle and Hopewell High
- King and Queen County — Central High
- Lee County — Dryden Elementary, Flatwoods Elementary and Thomas Walker High
- Loudoun County — Creighton’s Corner Elementary, Freedom High, Rolling Ridge Elementary, Stone Hill Middle and Sugarland Elementary
- Louisa County — Trevilians Elementary
- Lunenburg County — Central High and Lunenburg Middle
- Manassas — Osbourn High and Weems Elementary
- Manassas Park — Cougar Elementary and Manassas Park Elementary
- Mecklenburg County — Bluestone High
- Montgomery County — Auburn High
- New Kent County — New Kent Middle
- Newport News — Denbigh High
- Norfolk — Azalea Middle, Lafayette-Winona Middle, Lake Taylor Middle, Lindenwood Elementary, Madison Alternative Center, Norview Middle and Ruffner Middle
- Northampton County — Kiptopeke Elementary and Northampton High
- Orange County — Orange County High
- Page County — Luray Middle
- Patrick County — Blue Ridge Elementary and Hardin Reynolds Elementary
- Petersburg — Peabody Middle and Vernon Johns Junior High
- Portsmouth — Churchland Academy Elementary, Cradock Middle, Victory Elementary and Woodrow Wilson High
- Prince Edward County — Prince Edward County High
- Prince William County — Antietam Elementary, Coles Elementary, Enterprise Elementary, Fannie W. Fitzgerald Elementary, Fred M. Lynn Middle, Kerrydale Elementary, Loch Lomond Elementary, Mills E. Godwin Middle, Potomac View Elementary, Rosa Parks Elementary, Victory Elementary and Woodbridge Middle
- Pulaski County — Fairlawn Cooperative Transition Center and Pulaski County Senior High
- Richmond — Albert Hill Middle, Armstrong High, Bellevue Elementary, Binford Middle, Chimborazo Elementary, E.S.H. Greene Elementary, Elkhardt Middle, Fairfield Court Elementary, Fred D. Thompson Middle, G.H. Reid Elementary, George Mason Elementary, George W. Carver Elementary, George Wythe High, Henderson Middle, Huguenot High, John Marshall High, Lucille M. Brown Middle, Martin Luther King Jr. Middle, Miles Jones Elementary, Richmond Alternative, Summer Hill/Ruffin Road Elementary, Thomas C. Boushall Middle and Thomas Jefferson High
- Roanoke — Patrick Henry High and Westside Elementary
- Rockbridge County — Maury River Middle
- Russell County — Castlewood High and Lebanon Middle
- Stafford County — Colonial Forge High and Kate Waller Barrett Elementary
- Sussex County — Sussex Central Middle
- Warren County — Skyline High and Warren County High
- Westmoreland County — Washington & Lee High and Washington District Elementary
- Wythe County — Rural Retreat Middle, Scott Memorial Middle and Wythe County Technical Center
- York County — York River Academy
A request for proposals from divisions with eligible schools to participate in the state-funded Virginia Performance-Pay Incentives initiative was posted last week on the VDOE website. Completed applications from interested divisions are due on June 15 and award amounts will be announced during the summer before the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year.
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Ken Plum: A frugal, well-run government
Posted on April 20, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Once again I will draw heavily upon the work of the widely acclaimed, non-partisan Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) publication, “Virginia Compared to the Other States,” 2011 edition, available at jlarc.virginia.gov. The amount of revenue received by Virginia government comes from taxes (51%), charges and miscellaneous sources such as college tuition, state hospital charges, and interest earnings (29%), and the federal government (19%). According to the JLARC publication taking data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Virginia state and local revenue as a percentage of personal income is 46h lowest among the states. The 50-state average is 22.9 percent; Virginia is at 17.0 percent. Only Connecticut at 16.9, New Hampshire at 16.8, South Dakota at 16.7, and Maryland at 16.7 percent are lower than Virginia. Virginia has ranked in the bottom five states in state and local revenue as a percentage of personal income since 2004.
Virginia’s per capita state revenue at $4,648 is 37th lowest among the states for FY 2008, the most recent year for which comparative data are available. The national average is $5,939. Per capita state revenue in Virginia decreased by almost $1,500 in 2008 compared to 2007. During that period of time the state’s rank went from 32nd to 37th lowest. Per capita state taxes at $2,361 is 31st lowest among the states and decreased from 2007 to 2008.
Virginia’s motor fuel excise tax per gallon at 17.5 cents is 37th lowest among the states. The last time the gas tax was changed was in 1986. The 50-state average for state gasoline taxes is 20.9 cents. The federal gas tax collected in all states is 18.4 cents per gallon. As anyone can detect from riding on Virginia roads, our per capita road expenditures is $633, 42nd lowest among the states, while our state-maintained highway system of 58,000 miles is the third highest in the nation.
The details on Virginia’s taxes demonstrate why the state is considered the best managed in the Nation. While this information will not fit on a slick postcard, it is essential to an understanding of our state and its government of which I am pleased to be a part.
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