The opening gavel of the General Assembly is followed by the State of the Commonwealth address by the Governor, and this year for the first time since taking office, Governor Mark Warner was able to tell the legislature and the people of Virginia that “the state of the Commonwealth is strong.” Over the past three years, Virginia faced a staggering deficit and the residue of fiscal mismanagement. Working in a bi-partisan effort, the Governor, the Senate and members of the House of Delegates joined forces in support of measures that brought Virginia’s fiscal house back into order, protected our triple A bond rating, established accountability standards for state agencies—including the besieged Virginia Department of Transportation, and infused dollars into the rainy day fund. This was done while continuing our financial commitment to public education and programs for children and families most at risk in times of an economic downturn.

Last year, amid initially rancorous and extended debate, the legislature finally made a vital investment in Virginia’s future that now provides a solid foundation from which to move forward. The Governor, in his speech, urged a continued environment of cooperation that expects debate and disagreement, but in the end works together for solutions that ease the state’s thorniest problems.

Today the state looks toward a hopeful future with a positive economic rebound being led by defense contracts in Northern Virginia and the Tidewater area. Although there are still pockets of serious concern, the unemployment rates in Southwest and Southside Virginia have improved and the state has launched significant business recruitment programs in hard hit areas.

Much has been made of the $900 million + surplus now available through added revenue. That money is a welcome resource to cover outstanding bills and unanticipated costs, and more importantly—it will allow us to begin to address the enormous transportation needs left unmet over the course of the previous shortfall. While the gridlock that halts people and business in the state’s urban centers is not a daily frustration for residents in the 12 th district, we can all relate to the overcrowding on I-81 and recognize the need for traffic solutions and alternatives. In addition to ongoing road projects, the Governor promised money for rail and mass transit planning that will help us prepare for and avoid future bottlenecks.

Transportation will, no doubt, be one of the big ticket issues on the legislative agenda for this session, but there are also numerous additional matters that will be raised. One part of my legislative focus this session will be to address the growing and alarming threat of methamphetamine labs in rural Virginia. My approach is twofold. First, I want to strengthen the penalty side by substantially decreasing the amount of methamphetamine a person can possess before incurring a fine or arrest. Second, I will bolster the enforcement side of the problem by infusing $500,000 at the local level for an Assault Force that will provide additional uniform personnel to combat this growing hazard.

In the coming weeks I will report on the progress of my legislative initiatives as well as the larger issues before the General Assembly. Topics will include: health care, education and criminal justice. I hope if you have questions or concerns about legislation mentioned in this column, or any legislative matter, you will contact me at any of the following addresses. And again, I invite you to visit me in Richmond to discuss local or legislative issues of importance to you. My door remains open.