McDonnell era off to quick start

New governor dedicated to building ‘Commonwealth of Opportunity’

Story by Chris Graham
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It’s been a whirlwind weekend for Bob McDonnell, who was sworn in as governor of Virginia on Saturday and has hit the ground running.

McDonnell sidestepped a growing controversy with the last-minute move to push Bob Sledd from a Cabinet position as Secretary of Commerce and Trade to an unpaid-advisor position in his administration. Sledd had said he would continue to serve in paid roles on several corporate boards while serving on the McDonnell Cabinet, drawing criticism for raising potential conflicts of interest in the dual roles.

“I know that Bob will be a dynamic job-creator for Virginia. And he will work side by side with the lieutenant governor as Chief Job Creation Officer and the new Secretary of Commerce and Trade, Jim Cheng. Jim is well-respected in the Virginia business community. He understands our global economy and what must be done for Virginia to excel in it. I thank Jim for taking on this responsibility. He will do great things for the Commonwealth,” McDonnell said.

The appointment of Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, referenced above, as the state’s Chief Job Creation Officer came in an executive order signed by McDonnell on Saturday. A second executive order from the desk of McDonnell over the weekend establishes a Governor’s Commission on Government Reform and Restructuring. The Commission’s tasks are focused on identifying opportunities for creating efficiencies in state government and exploring ways to deliver public services at the lowest cost and best value to state taxpayers.

The executive order creating the Commission calls for a final report to be delivered to McDonnell in December.

Those seem to be the two early thrusts of the McDonnell administration – not at all surprising, given the tenor of the times, with the nation beginning to poke its head back out from the two-year plus economic downturn.

“As Virginians, we believe that government must help foster a society in which all our people can use their God-given talents in liberty to pursue the American Dream,” McDonnell said in his inaugural address on Saturday.

“Where opportunity is absent, we must create it. Where opportunity is limited, we must expand it. Where opportunity is unequal, we must make it open to everyone. Our administration will be dedicated to building ‘A Commonwealth of Opportunity’ for all Virginians,” McDonnell said.

Gov. McDonnell will deliver the Governor’s Address to a Joint Session of the Virginia General Assembly tonight at 7 p.m.