February 7, 2005
This past week in the Senate, entrepreneurs and small tobacco companies gained valuable ground with the passage of several pieces of legislation. One of the most important issues facing Southside Virginia is that of employment and economic growth. This new legislation will promote the startup of small manufacturers and help promote domestic tobacco business.
The big tobacco companies purchase a great deal of their tobacco from foreign growers, thus lowering their cost of production. Local tobacco companies, under new legislation, will enjoy a more equitable tax structure and incentives to purchase higher quality, domestically grown tobacco.
This keeps the money in the state, helps smaller companies to compete against big tobacco, and fosters the growth of one of the Southside's biggest industries. The only thing that remains to be seen is the reaction of the House of Delegates in regard to these bills. Hopefully, this helpful legislation will pass through the House and be signed into law by Gov. Warner. If so, it will be a big victory for not only the Southside, but the entirety of rural Virginia.
Without a doubt, our Great Commonwealth continues to grow and change. New data released by the Cooper Center at the University of Virginia shows that Virginia has grown considerably within the last four years. Since the last census, data trends suggest that Virginia population has grown by over five-percent. The population has grown consistently over the last few decades with suburbia experiencing the most significant surge in inhabitance.
More and more people are moving to the Tidewater, Richmond, and Northern Virginia suburbs. In terms of State Government, this means there will be additional representation in both houses of the General Assembly. To be more specific, there will be two more State Senators and five more Delegates in Northern Virginia alone. These additional seats will come from the balance of Virginia most notably from the rural areas.
It is my sincere hope that all new legislation that benefits our District, and the entirety of Virginia, be passed and signed into law. I am optimistic about the current Assembly Session, and all of us are gearing up for crossover, when the House bills come to the Senate for discussion and vote and Senate bills go to the House. This will definitely be a busy week.
I hope my column has helped some of the questions you have about issues facing the General Assembly and the whole of Virginia. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. You can reach me by mail at Senate of Virginia, P.O. Box 396, Richmond, Virginia 23218, by phone at (804) 698-7515 or the constituent hotline (800) 889-0229, or by email.