McDonnell Announces “Virginia Speaks” Tour
By Alan Moore | Thursday, July 29th, 2010 | Policy
Governor Bob McDonnell today announced a town hall tour around Virginia. Coming on the heels of a stellar report on his approval ratings, the Governor will continue his outreach to Virginians across the state. This should be pretty interesting considering unemployment is still extremely high in some parts of the state. Can’t wait to see what kind of stories and soundbites come from this tour.
From the press release:
Governor Bob McDonnell will hit the road in August to hold eight town hall meetings around the Commonwealth. The tour will kick off in Roanoke on Wednesday, August 4th. The “Virginia Speaks: A Conversation about Jobs, Government Reform and Our Future” events will allow Virginians to speak directly with Virginia’s governor about the issues facing the Commonwealth. The governor will also spend a portion of each town hall discussing his efforts to make government smaller and simpler, privatize Virginia’s state run ABC stores, and create good jobs statewide. In addition to Roanoke, “Virginia Speaks” town halls will be held in Norfolk, Chester, Fredericksburg, Fairfax, Harrisonburg and Danville before concluding in Bristol on August 31st.
Discussing the “Virginia Speaks” statewide tour, Governor McDonnell noted, “I’ve served in elected office for 18 years. During that time I have consistently found that the best ideas don’t come from Richmond, they come from Virginians in communities statewide. We are focused on reforming state government to make it simpler, smaller and more efficient. To best accomplish this goal we must hear from the citizens who own that government, and who deal with it on a daily basis. That’s why we are launching the ‘Virginia Speaks’ statewide town hall tour. It’s your government, and we want to know how we can make it work better for you.”
McDonnell continued, “One of our ideas to make government smaller and simpler, while providing an immediate infusion of new revenue for transportation, is to privatize Virginia’s state-run ABC stores. Our state government must be focused on core priorities instead of services that should rightly be provided by the private sector, offering Virginians more choice and convenience. In a tough economy, why should we miss out on hundreds of millions of dollars for roads just so the state government can retain a monopoly on the sale of bourbon and vodka? We need to get roads built, and we need to refocus government on its core responsibilities. Privatizing ABC will accomplish both goals, and I’m going to talk about this proposal at each one of our town halls. I know Virginians will be able to help us privatize ABC the right way by sharing their experiences and good ideas.”
The Governor concluded, “I’m also going to discuss other ways by which we can reform Virginia’s state government, and how we are working to help the private sector create the good jobs we need in every community. More importantly however, I’m going to spend my time listening. I want Virginians to tell us how government can work better, what would make it easier to access and use, what doesn’t work, and what we can do to ensure a better return on their investment. I’m looking forward to starting this tour and traveling all across the Commonwealth in August.”
The governor will be joined at each town hall by a number of cabinet secretaries and Administration officials. In addition to the sites of the official “Virginia Speaks” events, the governor will be traveling to a number of other Virginia cities and counties during this same time period. Details of the governor’s public events for each week will continue to be released through the Friday weekly public schedule.
Additionally, in order to accommodate the “Virginia Speaks” tour, and ensure the maximum amount of public input for the Governor’s Commission on Government Reform and Restructuring, the previously scheduled final full meeting of the Commission has been moved from August 26th to September 13th. The meeting will still be held in Richmond. The interim report of the Commission will now be issued by September 15th.
Townhall Dates:
August 4, 2010 — 7:00pm-8:30pm
Roanoke
Roanoke County Administration Center
Board of Supervisors Board Room
5204 Bernard Drive
Roanoke
August 9, 2010 —7:00pm-8:30pm
Norfolk
Old Dominion University
Webb University Center – Hampton/Newport News Room
4201 Hampton Blvd.
Norfolk
August 19, 2010 — 7:00pm-8:30pm
Chester
Cultural Center of India
6641 Ironbridge Parkway
Chester
August 24, 2010 — 7:00pm-8:30pm
Fredericksburg
University of Mary Washington
Lee Hall – Room 412
1301 College Avenue
Fredericksburg
August 25, 2010 —7:00pm-8:30pm
Fairfax
Northern Virginia Technology Council Auditorium
2214 Rock Hill Road, Suite 300
Herndon
August 26, 2010 —7:00pm-8:30pm
Harrisonburg
James Madison University
East Campus Dining Hall – Montpelier Room
800 S. Main Street
Harrisonburg
August 30, 2010 — 7:00pm-8:30pm
Danville
Institute for Advanced Learning and Research
Great Hall
150 Slayton Ave.
Danville
***Partnering with the Sorensen Southside Public Leadership Series***
August 31, 2010 — 7:00pm-8:30pm
Bristol
Bristol Public Library
J. Henry Kegley Meeting Room
701 Goode Street
Bristol
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About the author
Alan Moore is a conservative activist and public relations expert in NoVA. Follow Alan on Twitter: @SecPress
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11 Responses to "McDonnell Announces “Virginia Speaks” Tour"
Hey Brian, why has the Governor and his vaunted public relations machine snubbed the largest city in the Commonwealth?
How ironic that the Governor and his public relations machine must lack so much confidence in the business case that they must drum up public support for their proposal before it is even finished.
That is, most rational officials consider the business case before promoting the selected alternative; in this case, they are doing it the other way around, and suggesting that it is a done deal and if we don’t proceed, transportation will suffer.
This is so patently ridiculous as to cause derision and laughter. The solution to funding transportation needs to have a nexus to the use of the system and it ought to be a permanent fix, not a one time infusion sufficient to fix one interchange.
Anyone who takes this seriously needs a dose of common sense and perspective, and all this PR activity reveals that the business case has simply not been conclusive. Aren’t we Virginians entitled to an honest assessment with the facts before the PR campaign?
‘We Will Not Be Silenced’: Democrats Produce Documentary Alleging Rampant Vote Fraud by Obama Campaign vs. Hillary in 2008 Primaries
wewillnotbesilenced2008.com/
Yes, if you think the proposal about sale of the ABC stores (which they don’t own) is a bit premature, what about the other proposals by the Commission populated by McDonnell’s anti tax supporters.
Surprise, they want to reduce taxes on themselves (corporate income tax), and also the BPOL tax and the machinery and tool tax, which are collected to support local government, not the state.
Does anyone else remember the No Car Tax debacle which essentially bankrupted the Commonwealth? Is the collective memory of this administration that short? Or do they plan to cut the local taxes and not reimburse the cities/counties?
My theory is that is exactly what they will do as it is clear that citizens are just too unengaged to get the difference. In fact, cutting taxes is now the popular thing, not the right thing, to do, and with a Governor and a mandate, stand by for more popularity and a bill for the damage that will become due much later to be paid by our children.
“Aren’t we Virginians entitled to an honest assessment with the facts before the PR campaign?”
Sounds like you’re criticizing Light Rail Now.
Oh, and Mike, probably because McDonnell was here in Virginia Beach yesterday.
Where were you? The Deeds-Wagner-Shannon office?
Those stupid citizens… “citizens are just too unengaged to get the difference.” are just getting in the way of taxing and spending for the “right” projects.
And then… “the damage that will become due much later to be paid by our children”… is classic Mike trying to hold up “our children” as human shields against the evil “tax and spending” fiscal responsibility being shown by McDonnell.
Mike, the moving companies, due to the economic down turn, have great rates for moving your household goods to your condos in Belize and Costa Rica. You can blog from there to let us know how we should follow Latin American examples of how to take from money from citizens and have Government spend it to have great roads, shining cities and to pay for everything for everybody… oh wait… you already are doing that! Well, go ahead and move there anyway, and you will gain some credibility with us since you will be close to and living the example.
Town Hall meetings with Glenn Nye ??
Where can I find a list of Town Hall meetings in August with Glenn Nye ??
Governor Bob McDonnell has time to talk to the citizens.
Where is Glenn Nye ??
Fund raising with Charles Rangel ??
Does Glenn Nye lack the “cojones” to talk to the citizens ??
Palin Says Brewer Has Something Obama Lacks: ‘Cojones’
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/01/palin-brewer-cojones-obama-lacks-immigration-enforcement/?test=latestnews
Perhaps both Obama and Nye lack the “cojones” that Governor Brewer seems to have.
If you want a congressman with “cojones” then
VOTE REPUBLICAN ON NOVEMBER 2ND
Yes he was Brian, to raise money from the very corporations who will benefit from the deficit creating cuts in corporate taxes, machinery and tool taxes, and BPOL taxes. But of course, that is the McDonnell plan. Even the ABC sale is simply a way to reduce state income, and then clearly reductions must be made in the general fund to keep the budget balanced. Of course, then less flows to local government, and they must make the actual cuts. It is the simple Grover Norquist strategy: Cut the arms and legs off of government so the body can be drowned in a bathtub. Great politics, lousy governance.
“Of course, then less flows to local government, and they must make the actual cuts.”… sounds like you finally get the math… Less money from the state government to the local government = cuts in the local government. Mike are you in line yet to buy one of the private “ABC” licenses?
Actually, I understand the politics much better. McDonnell’s strategy to sell the ABC stores, use money from that sale for transportation (fix one interchange), and then cut the budget by the amount that the ABC operation contributed to the General Fund, so our Mayor/Council will have to cut teachers, policeman, and fireman. Political tactic; genius. Governance; typical sleazy move.
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