April 18, 2024: General Assembly to reconvene May 13 for special session to complete budget, finalize legislation
Plus: Albemarle Supervisors learn what the Social Services department does to help community members in need
Do numbers have power? If so, how do we make sure the numbers are correct before we assign meaning? By my records, this is the 666th edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement, a newsletter that for most of its history has also been a podcast. But what about special editions created for special reasons? Could it be that all of these figures are entirely arbitrary and periodic audits and resets are the key to stability and sanity? I’m Sean Tubbs, willing to keep going until at least the one after 909.
In today’s installment:
The General Assembly will go into overtime with a special session to begin on FY23 and an effort to override the school sales tax bill is unsuccessful
Albemarle Supervisors have comments on recent deployment of the HART team and a bomb threat at Planet Fitness
LEAP’s Solarize Program to connect homeowners and businesses with solar installations runs through June 30
The 58th Rededication of the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial in Charlottesville’s McIntire Park is tomorrow
The Albemarle Department of Social Services helps a lot of people each year and Supervisors get a briefing
First shout-out: Traffic Violence and Restorative Justice
In today’s first Patreon fueled shout-out: Livable Cville and Central Virginia Community Justice are holding a webinar on April 23, 2024 that offers a glimpse into alternate ways to deal with collisions between motorists and other users of the roads.
The event will feature Erin Campbell, Co-Director of Central VA Community Justice and Shannon Neal, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney for Albemarle County as they talk about one recent case. Also on the panel are the survivor and the driver of a local hit and run case who the option of restorative justice option. There will also be question and answer period.
Register at: https://events.humanitix.com/traffic-violence-and-restorative-justice
General Assembly to reconvene in May to adopt budget; School sales tax bill remains dead
Both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly reconvened yesterday to respond to actions taken by Governor Glenn Youngkin. While several recommendations from the executive branch were adopted, other legislation remains pending including the state budget.
Youngkin released a joint statement with Speaker of the House Don Scott, Senate Finance and Appropriations Chair Louise Lucas and House Appropriations Chair Luke Torian in which they explained negotiations will continue.
“We are all committed to creating a budget that meets the needs of Virginians on time,” reads the statement. “An updated budget will then be presented to the General Assembly on May 13th to be voted on in a special session on May 15th.”
It takes a two-thirds vote in the Chamber to override a Governor’s veto and with a 51 to 49 majority there appeared to be no attempt to do so in the House of Delegates.
The Senate is a different story and there were many votes to attempt to pass the original version which resulted in the same 21 to vote such as with SB1 which would have raised the minimum wage in Virginia.
“The free market for salaries and wages works,” Youngkin wrote in his veto statement. “It operates dynamically, responding to the nuances of varying economic conditions and regional differences. This wage mandate imperils market freedom and economic competitiveness.”
The Senate did not have enough votes to override Youngkin’s veto of SB14 which would have allowed localities to hold a referendum on a one percent sales tax increase for school construction. This originally passed the Senate on January 29 with a 27 to 13 vote, which is above the two-thirds threshold.
When the bill went for a vote in the House of Delegates on February 26, an amended bill passed with 68 yes votes and 28 no votes, again above the threshold. Two days later, the Senate voted 25 to 14 which is not a veto-proof majority. However Senator Tammy Mulchi (R-9) indicated she had intended to vote yes as she did on January 29.
Yesterday, Mulchi was among the Senators who voted yet, but 15 voted no to keep the vote at 62.5 percent which means the veto was not overridden. Both Senator Danny Diggs (R-24) and Senator Todd Pillion (R-6) changed their vote.
Some vetoed bills will wait to the special session for further action:
SB69 would allow individuals who are considered Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to serve in law enforcement
SB143 would have required railroad crews to include at least two people
SB306 would require retailers who sell invasive species to post information about the dangers of such plants to the ecosystem.
SB428 would expand ranked-choice voting to more types of elections
For a full list of bills that were adopted with Youngkin’s amendments, click here.
In some cases, the House of Delegates rejected Youngkin’s amendments which means the legislation goes back to his office for further consideration. These include:
HB173 would make it a Class 5 felony for sale, transfer, or possession of the sale of plastic firearms designed to evade detection. Speaker Scott ruled the amendments were not germane.
HB224 as passed specifically states that mental health awareness training for teachers cover the stresses of LGBT+ youth. Youngkin had recommended stripping that from the bill.
HB536 added a nuance to the definition of bullying to add language about people in groups named in The Virginia Human Rights Act. The House rejected Youngkin’s amendment.
For a full list of bills with recommendations that have not yet been adopted, click here.
Here’s a special edition of the “Reading Material” section related to yesterday’s reconvened session:
Future of skill games in Virginia still unclear as Senate rejects Youngkin’s proposal, Graham Moomaw, Virginia Mercury, April 17, 2024
Virginia legislature will consider reworked state budget in May 13 special session, Nathaniel Cline and Charlie Paullin, Virginia Mercury, April 17, 2024
Virginia lawmakers agree to extend budget talks as they take up Youngkin amendments, vetoes, Sarah Rankin and Denise Lavoie, Associated Press, April 17, 2024
Gallaway salutes HART response to Belvedere incident
Pruitt decries normalization of hate that has led to death threats
A member of the Albemarle Board of Supervisors took some time at yesterday’s meeting to acknowledge the role a new public safety team is playing in the community.
On April 10, 2024, Albemarle’s new Human Services Alternative Response Team (HART) responded to an incident in the 700 block of Belvedere Boulevard where a man was wielding a machete. (read the original report)
“The HARTS team was first on scene and the gentleman was found to be in a mental health crisis and eventually the police department had to come in to help resolve the situation,” said Supervisor Ned Gallaway of the Rio District. “The fact that the situation was resolved and that man is receiving treatment is a specific commitment to an approach here in Albemarle County that I appreciate. It is not lost on me that this gentleman would have been shot and killed in other jurisdictions in this country.”
Gallaway said the use of non-lethal methods to resolve a standoff is the preferable choice and he thanked Police Chief Sean Reeves for working to implement the program.
HART launched in July 2023 and in its first six months responded to calls for 150 people. Albemarle’s draft budget for FY2025 contains additional funds to allow the team to expand in size and capacity.
Supervisor Mike Pruitt of the Scottsville District took the time to thank public safety officials for their assistance in dealing with a recent bomb threat at the Planet Fitness in 5th Street Station.
“It is one of the dozens across the country that appear to have been targeted in response to the fact that Planet Fitness as a gym as a policy does not ban trans women from locker rooms,” Pruitt said. “I view this specifically as an anti-LGBT terror effort.”
Pruitt said a local ordinance is needed to allow the Commonwealth’s Attorney to seek damages related to a hate crime which could repay the cost to respond to the bomb threat. He added he himself has received many death threats because he has spoken out about the issue.
LEAP offering free solar assessments to Albemarle and Charlottesville residents
The Local Energy Alliance Program launched ten years ago as a way to help property owners understand the process of adding solar panels to rooftops. Now the nonprofit organization is offering free assessments to businesses and homeowners who sign up for their services as part of their annual campaign.
“Making the switch to solar can be challenging for a number of reasons,” said LEAP Co-Executive Director Katie VanLangen in an April 1, 2024 press release. “We’re here to be a trusted partner and a guiding hand.”
The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2023 increased a tax credit for solar installations from 26 percent to 30 percent.
“A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in the amount of income tax you would otherwise owe,” reads a website on the program run by the U.S. Department of Energy. “For example, claiming a $1,000 federal tax credit reduces your federal income taxes due by $1,000.”
Tax credits are good for the year that a solar system is installed.
LEAP works with municipalities all across the Commonwealth on the Solarize Virginia initiative which runs through June 30. There are webinars on the program scheduled for May 15 and June 3. Visit the website for details. There’s also a list of resources worth reviewing.
Sponsored message: Buy Local
From Crozet to Barracks Road, the Downtown Mall to the Shops at Stonefield, and everywhere in between, Albemarle County and Charlottesville’s Offices of Economic Development encourage you to Buy Local as spring approaches.
Buying locally supports our neighbors and community members and makes a big impact for our local economy. Local businesses are more likely to reinvest in our community and their goods and services contribute to the unique character of our community.
Learn more about how you can support local business at ShowLocalLove.org and on social media:
Dogwood Vietnam Memorial rededication tomorrow
The first memorial to soldiers and military personnel who died in the U.S. war in Vietnam was dedicated in Charlottesville on April 20, 1966. Tomorrow the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial will be rededicated in the 58th annual ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. at McIntire Park.
“Parking will be in the field but you’ll be directed to enter in through the skate park going westbound/northbound on the bypass only,” said Supervisor Ann Mallek at Wednesday’s Board meeting.
The event is sponsored by the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial Foundation an organization founded in 2015 to raise funds to improve accessibility to the memorial’s relatively new position in McIntire Park. The structure was relocated to accommodate the John Warner Parkway.
The City of Charlottesville had anticipated putting $600,000 in capital funds toward a project to build a pedestrian bridge across the parkway to the memorial site, but the Virginia Department of Historic Resources will now contribute that funding. On Monday, Council held the first of two readings on a resolution to approve the pass-through funding.
Albemarle Social Services annual report presented to Supervisors
There is a lot of wealth in Albemarle County but it is not distributed equally, especially as the cost of living increases.
“We do have 16,000 households that are identified as asset-limited, income-constrained, and employed,” said Mary McIntire, the Rio District representative on the Department of Social Services Advisory Board.
“And this is important for us to remember that they are working but yet they are not earning enough to support their families,” McIntire continued.
McIntire presented the annual report for FY2023 to the Board of Supervisors on Wednesday. The theme this year is “Impacts” and McIntire said that refers to the assistance that helps many people in the community get by.
“When you look at the number of people in Albemarle County that receive some kind of services from the department, you probably do know someone who receives services from the department whether you know it or not,” McIntire said. “In fact, all of the people who come through DSS as clients impact you in some way. They are your neighbors. They are driving on the roads next to you. They are shopping in the stores with you. They are playing in the parks with your children.”
One of the services is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program which helps families, individuals, and households buy food. The number of recipients jumped nearly 44 percent over five years from 9,664 in fiscal year 2019 to 13,668 in FY23.
“We do have more people needing assistance in the community and we are able to provide that in various ways,” McIntire said.
The number of referrals to Child Protective Services has also increased from 913in FY19 to 1,228 in FY23. McIntire said the department is currently able to handle the increased workload with existing staff but more resources may be needed if the trend continues. One thing staff does is validate cases. There were 336 validated in FY19 and 483 in FY23.
Other services include assistance with energy issues including home heating and purchase of fans or air conditioning. Much of that funding is a pass-through from the federal government and it runs out each year.
There’s also work to help connect people with employment.
“The DSS helps people find and get living wage jobs,” McIntire said. “We provide job leads daily to people seeking job. In our career center, of the 846 people that visited the career center, 427 were first time visitors.”
A major barrier to people entering the workforce is a lack of child care. McIntire said Albemarle does not have enough providers which has driven up the cost. Albemarle has a subsidy program but many day care centers won’t accept it.
In the question and answer period, Supervisor Ned Gallaway asked about a metric related to care for elderly residents.
“In the presentation, it was mentioned the 591 seniors receiving services to remain living independently,” Gallaway said. “Do we think we’re missing people?”
Kaki Dimock, Albemarle’s Chief of Human Services, said it is very likely that there are people who aren’t getting the services they need in part because they may not know the services exist or that they are eligible for them.
Needs for eldercare are nuanced but the system may not be.
“There are folks who are in a setting where they are getting more services than they need at the moment,” Dimock said. “The ideal setting or the continuum is that you get the services you need. You don’t go immediately from one to ten but sometimes our system is not set up for that sort of nuanced, progressive sort of care-giving.”
The presentation also covered housing issues and I’ll be following up on that in another edition of the newsletter. (review the report)
Reading material:
Honor Committee brainstorms sanction diversification, considers future steps for AI, Lexie Stadler, Cavalier Daily, April 17, 2024
Charter school debate dominates monthly school board meeting, Heather Michon, Fluvanna Review, April 17, 2024
VDOT holds vigil for workers killed by drivers at Workers Memorial on I-64, WIll Gonzalez, WRIC, April 17, 2024
Removing PFAS from public water will cost billions and take time, Kyle Doudrick, Virginia Mercury, April 18, 2024
#666 has nothing to do with Nonagon Infinity
Since I agreed to do a radio show for WTJU, all of the stories I write go into a spreadsheet which I use to assist what I can do with it after I publish each newsletter. I realized that not every segment needed to be in a podcast and I could perhaps cut back on audio production time by limiting it to one day.
Town Crier Productions is a business, and a business has to go where the revenue is. There are undoubtedly some paid subscribers who pay for the podcast, and tomorrow they’ll get a version that will take all of the audio stories from this week and put it in one package.
But today will have been five consecutive days of content, totaling around maybe 15,000 words. That’s a lot, and I do apologize for any typos or grammatical errors. I am still building the system I need to really achieve my goal of writing everything I want.
I do this because I believe communities should have access to the discussions being had in local government. I’ve focused most of my career on this effort, and a dedication to localism may or may not have something to do with almost hitting a presidential candidate’s spouse in the head with a boom microphone back in 1996.
(I was mortified)
Anyway, I’m grateful for the new subscribers this week with a collective $600 or so in additional revenue. I’m still figuring out the business end, but I know how to how to cover this community. I’ve been at it now for a while, and I want to see how it all turns out.
So, tomorrow there’s a podcast and maybe new content. I’m not sure. I’m supposed to go network with other journalists tomorrow morning and while that would be fun to do, I have readers and listeners who pay me for my time.
I’m running out of time so I’m repeating the haiku pitch:
Writing this ain’t cheap
Substack is good way to pay
Ting will match first time
Ting can help you with your high speed Internet needs. If service is available in your area and you sign up for service, enter the promo code COMMUNITY and you will get:
Free installation
A second month for free
A $75 gift card to the Downtown Mall
