January 22, 2007
How long should the Virginia Governor serve in office? That is one of the many bills that have re-emerged before the General Assembly this year. This proposal has been raised many times in the past, however this year it seems to have gained substantial support.
The proponents of this idea believe that because Virginia's Governor can not succeed himself, government in the Commonwealth has less stability than if each Governor could run for a second successive term.
Whenever legislation is proposed, I try to determine what that legislation is trying to accomplish and what the effects that legislation will have on the Commonwealth; both good and bad. Then I try to determine if the proposal's positive effects outweigh the negative effects.Thus far I have not determined there is a need to change Virginia's constitution for this matter.
Those who support such legislation point out that Virginia is the exception because some states allow two or more terms. But I would respond that Virginia is always ranked as one of, if not, the best managed states in the country. If our management consistently ranks near the top, why should we change our constitution?
Supporters point to the fact that Governors appoint their own top management team which frequently takes much of the first year learning the people and the agencies they have responsibility over. On this point the supporters are correct, however knowing that the Governor and his team have only four years to accomplish goals tends to create a greater sense of urgency for the team to accomplish their goals.
Additionally, supporters say that four years is not long enough to accomplish some of the tougher problems the state faces. I would argue that if a Governor is not prepared to make changes in a specific area when he first takes office, it is unlikely any changes will be made at all.
A perfect example is the issue I worked on last year - work force training. For a number of years we have known that we have a mismatch between job availability and the training needed to fill those jobs. Yet no Governor has come into office fully grasping the changes needed to correct this mismatch. Therefore each Governor has delayed tackling this issue until later in their administration. By the time they have focused on a need for change their own appointments have a vested interest in not making major changes but rather playing around the edges.
Finally, observing what has occurred in North Carolina since they changed to allow Governors to succeed themselves with a second term, should give rise to serious concerns. Since North Carolina changed its constitution, no Governor has lost a run for a second term. Whether Democrat or Republican; liberal or conservative, in each election incumbents have won. This is because the attention a Governor can draw from the media almost guarantees that they can not lose. Even North Carolina's current Governor, who after less than a year in his first term had offended most voters, was able to be re-elected.
Hopefully the General Assembly will not make a change that offers little or no value to the people of Virginia.
I am interested in what you have to say about this and other issues. Please feel free to call me at 804-698-7515 or by emailing me. Of course you may also contact me by writing to us at P.O. Box 396 Richmond, VA 23219.
I again look forward to working to serve you in Richmond.