Budget Bill. (HB30)

Introduced By

Del. Lacey Putney (I-Bedford)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Budget Bill. Appropriations of the Budget submitted by the Governor of Virginia providing a portion of revenues for the two years ending respectively on the thirtieth day of June, 2011, and the thirtieth day of June, 2012.

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
12/18/2009Committee
12/18/2009Introduced by request
12/18/2009Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/10 10103086D
12/21/2009Referred to Committee on Appropriations
02/21/2010Reported from Appropriations with amendments (15-Y 7-N) (see vote tally)
02/23/2010Read first time
02/23/2010Budget amendments available
02/24/2010Motion for Special and Continuing Order (97-Y 0-N)
02/24/2010VOTE: --- AGREE TO (97-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/24/2010Passed by for the day
02/25/2010Read second time
02/25/2010Uncontested committee amendments agreed to (61-Y 38-N)
02/25/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (61-Y 38-N) (see vote tally)
02/25/2010Amendment by Delegate Morrissey to Item 0.9 rejected (28-Y 70-N)
02/25/2010VOTE: --- REJECTED (28-Y 70-N) (see vote tally)
02/25/2010Contested committee amendment Item 0.9 #2h agreed to (62-Y 37-N)
02/25/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (62-Y 37-N) (see vote tally)
02/25/2010Contested committee amendment Item 88 #1h agreed to (65-Y 33-N)
02/25/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (65-Y 33-N) (see vote tally)
02/25/2010Contested committee amendment Item 219 #2h agreed to (59-Y 40-N)
02/25/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (59-Y 40-N) (see vote tally)
02/25/2010Contested committee amendment Item 4-1.08 #1h rejected (0-Y 99-N)
02/25/2010VOTE: --- REJECTED (0-Y 99-N) (see vote tally)
02/25/2010Amendment by Delegate Putney to Item 4-1.08 #1h agreed to (98-Y 0-N)
02/25/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (98-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/25/2010Amendment by Delegate Putney to Item 4-1.08 #1h reconsidered
02/25/2010Amendment by Delegate Putney to Item 4-1.08 #1h agreed to (99-Y 0-N)
02/25/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION #2 (99-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/25/2010Pending question ordered
02/25/2010Amendment by Delegates Carrico and Johnson to Item 132 rejected (33-Y 64-N)
02/25/2010VOTE: --- REJECTED (33-Y 64-N) (see vote tally)
02/25/2010Amendment by Delegate Byron to Item 4-5.04 agreed to (66-Y 31-N)
02/25/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (66-Y 31-N) (see vote tally)
02/25/2010Motion to pass by the Amendment by Delegate Ebbin to Item 4-6.07 agreed to (61-Y 38-N)
02/25/2010VOTE: --- AGREE TO MOTION (61-Y 38-N) (see vote tally)
02/25/2010Engrossed by House as amended
02/25/2010Budget floor amendments agreed to available
02/25/2010Constitutional reading dispensed (99-Y 0-N)
02/25/2010VOTE: --- AGREE TO MOTION (99-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/25/2010Passed House (61-Y 38-N)
02/25/2010VOTE: --- PASSAGE (61-Y 38-N) (see vote tally)
02/26/2010Constitutional reading dispensed
02/26/2010Referred to Committee on Finance
03/02/2010Reported from Finance with amendments (13-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
03/02/2010Reported from Finance with Senate amendments substituted for House amendments (13-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
03/03/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (15-Y 82-N) (see vote tally)
03/03/2010Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/03/2010Read third time
03/03/2010Reading of amendments waived
03/03/2010Committee amendments agreed to
03/03/2010Engrossed by Senate as amended
03/03/2010Passed Senate with amendments (31-Y 9-N) (see vote tally)
03/03/2010Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/03/2010Passed Senate with amendments (30-Y 10-N) (see vote tally)
03/03/2010Senate amendments rejected by House (15-Y 82-N)
03/03/2010VOTE: --- REJECTED (15-Y 82-N) (see vote tally)
03/03/2010Senate insisted on amendments (38-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
03/03/2010Senate requested conference committee
03/03/2010House acceded to request
03/03/2010Conferees appointed by House
03/03/2010Delegates: Putney, Cox, M.K., Sherwood, Landes, Jones, Joannou
03/03/2010Conferees appointed by Senate
03/03/2010Senators: Colgan, Houck, Howell, Saslaw, Stosch, Wampler
03/14/2010Conference report agreed to by Senate (34-Y 6-N) (see vote tally)
03/14/2010Conference report agreed to by House (73-Y 23-N)
03/14/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (73-Y 23-N) (see vote tally)
03/30/2010Enrolled
03/30/2010Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB30ER)
03/30/2010Signed by Speaker
03/30/2010Signed by President
04/13/2010Governor's recommendation received by House
04/20/2010Placed on Calendar
04/21/2010VOTE: --- REJECTED (43-Y 52-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- REJECTED (25-Y 69-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- REJECTED (48-Y 46-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- REJECTED (19-Y 77-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- REJECTED (37-Y 54-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- REJECTED (0-Y 95-N 1-A) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- REJECTED #2 (35-Y 60-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- REJECTED (32-Y 63-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Reenrolled bill text (HB30ER2)
04/21/2010Reconsideration of Governor's recommendation to agreed to
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #1 (94-Y 1-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #2 (94-Y 2-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #3 (90-Y 6-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (90-Y 6-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #4 (91-Y 4-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #5 (95-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #6 (67-Y 29-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (67-Y 29-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #7 (92-Y 3-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #8, Item 96, language page 72 (90-Y 5-N 1-A)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #8, Item 96, language page 72 (90-Y 5-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #8, Item 96, language L (61-Y 33-N 1-A)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (61-Y 33-N 1-A) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #8, Item 96, language M (90-Y 5-N 1-A)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (90-Y 5-N 1-A) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #9 (70-Y 26-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (70-Y 26-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Passed by temporarily #10, Item 98
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #10 (72-Y 14-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (72-Y 14-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #10 (89-Y 6-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION #2 (89-Y 6-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #11 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #12 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #13 (94-Y 2-N)
04/21/2010Passed by temporarily #14, Item 114
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #14 (91-Y 3-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (91-Y 3-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #15 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #16 (76-Y 19-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (76-Y 19-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Pending question ordered #17
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #17 (52-Y 44-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (52-Y 44-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House rejected Governor's recommendation #18 (43-Y 52-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (43-Y 52-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Passed by temporarily #19, Item 132
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #19 (58-Y 37-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (58-Y 37-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #20 (94-Y 2-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (94-Y 2-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #21 (95-Y 1-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #22 (89-Y 6-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (89-Y 6-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #23 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #24 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #25 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #26 (91-Y 4-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (91-Y 4-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #27 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House rejected Governor's recommendation #28 (25-Y 69-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (25-Y 69-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #29 (95-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #30 (86-Y 10-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (86-Y 10-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Passed by temporarily #31, Item 297
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #31 (94-Y 1-N)
04/21/2010House rejected Governor's recommendation #32 (48-Y 46-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (48-Y 46-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/201051 affirmative votes required for passage
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #33 (87-Y 9-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (87-Y 9-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #33 (90-Y 6-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION #2 (90-Y 6-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #34 (55-Y 41-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (55-Y 41-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #35 (83-Y 2-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (83-Y 2-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #36 (90-Y 3-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (90-Y 3-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #37 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #38 (95-Y 1-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #38 (90-Y 5-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION #2 (90-Y 5-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House rejected Governor's recommendation #39 (19-Y 77-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (19-Y 77-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #40 (63-Y 31-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (63-Y 31-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #41 (56-Y 40-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (56-Y 40-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #42 (69-Y 26-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (69-Y 26-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #43 (56-Y 39-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (56-Y 39-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #44 (57-Y 38-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (57-Y 38-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #45 (90-Y 4-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (90-Y 4-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #46 (52-Y 43-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #47 (52-Y 43-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (52-Y 43-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #48 (52-Y 41-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (52-Y 41-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #49 (60-Y 36-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (60-Y 36-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #50 (55-Y 40-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (55-Y 40-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House rejected Governor's recommendation #51 (37-Y 54-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (37-Y 54-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #52 (54-Y 42-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (54-Y 42-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #53 (74-Y 20-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (74-Y 20-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #54 (73-Y 21-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (73-Y 21-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #55 (90-Y 5-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (90-Y 5-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #56 (95-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #57 (76-Y 20-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (76-Y 20-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #58 (75-Y 20-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (75-Y 20-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #59 (95-Y 1-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #60 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #61 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #62 (92-Y 4-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (92-Y 4-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #63 (93-Y 2-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (93-Y 2-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #64 (85-Y 11-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (85-Y 11-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #65 (95-Y -0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #66 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #67 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #68 (92-Y 3-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (92-Y 3-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #69 (94-Y 1-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #70 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #71 (95-Y 0-N 1-A)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (95-Y 0-N 1-A) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #72 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #73 language #5 (94-Y 1-N)
04/21/2010House rejected Governor's recommendation #73 language #6 (0-Y 95-N 1-A)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (0-Y 95-N 1-A) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #74 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #75 (73-Y 23-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (73-Y 23-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Reconsideration of Governor's recommendation agreed to
04/21/2010House rejected Governor's recommendation #75 (35-Y 60-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION #2 (35-Y 60-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #76 (83-Y 13-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (83-Y 13-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Reconsideration of Governor's recommendation agreed to #76
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #76 (89-Y 7-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION #2 (89-Y 7-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #77 (95-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #78 (95-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House rejected Governor's recommendation #79 (32-Y 63-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (32-Y 63-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #80 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #81 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #82 (94-Y 1-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (94-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #83 (95-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #84 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #85 (95-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #86 (95-Y 1-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #87 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #88 (95-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #89 (95-Y 1-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #90 (95-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #91 (64-Y 30-N 1-A)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (64-Y 30-N 1-A) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #92 (96-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (96-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #93 (95-Y 0-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (95-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #94 (60-Y 30-N 1-A)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (60-Y 30-N 1-A) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #95 (50-Y 46-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (50-Y 46-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010House concurred in Governor's recommendation #96 (95-Y 1-N)
04/21/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION (95-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Senate concurred in Governor's uncontested recommendations (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Senate concurred in Governor's recommendations #'s 34,40,41,44,46,48,50,52 (30-Y 9-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation #11 (24-Y 15-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Senate rejected Governor's recommendation #16 (9-Y 29-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Senate rejected Governor's recommendation #17 (7-Y 31-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Senate rejected Governor's recommendation #31 (5-Y 34-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Senate rejected Governor's recommendation #42 (6-Y 33-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Senate rejected Governor's recommendation #43 (7-Y 32-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Senate rejected Governor's recommendation #64 (18-Y 21-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation #91 (20-Y 19-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation #94 (32-Y 7-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation #95 (30-Y 9-N) (see vote tally)
04/21/2010G Governor's recommendation adopted in-part
04/21/2010Communicated to Governor
04/21/2010Reenrolled
04/21/2010Reenrolled bill text reprinted (HB30ER2)
04/21/2010Signed by Speaker as reenrolled
04/21/2010Signed by President as reenrolled
05/17/2010G Approved by Governor-Chapter 874 (effective 7/1/10)
05/17/2010G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0874)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 109 clips in all, totaling 4 hours.

Duplicate Bills

The following bills are identical to this one: SB30.

Comments

Rox Barking writes:

Coming out of committee, this bill has an amendment that essentially eliminates the Virginia Transportation Research Council.Why is there a call for this when the VTRC gets only about $1.5-$1.6 million dollars from the state coffers as a part of VDOT? The multimillion dollar budget of the VTRC is funded through grants and other funds secured through efforts of the people who work there.

Cindy Patterson writes:

Do Not Allow Richmond to close the VCE offices in PWC!

The House Budget in Richmond has proposed to close the VCE offices in PWC.

Our Virginia Common Wealth (our collective taxes) paid for VCE (Virginia Cooperative Extension) to extend the college based research educational programs from Virginia Tech and Virginia State University to bring us closer as a community and healthier as a society.

Each county in Virginia requests programs geared to each districts needs which enhances our community with an avenue to help others as we enrich ourselves, giving everyone the opportunity to volunteer and give back to the community.

VCE educates communities to help themselves.

By closing the VCE offices in PWC, we are:

Raising our crime rate due to the lack of parental education as to how to speak to their teens efficiently and responsibly enough to keep the teens in school and in the homes

Allowing our home values to plummet as more homes will be foreclosed upon, causing gang graffiti and blight to occur more rampantly due to lack of financial education and counseling keeping families in their homes

Health care cost will sky rocket due to diabetes and other preventable food based diseases, due to lack of funds for "Dining with Diabetes", SNAP Ed  and ServSafe

Unsafe drinking water due to lack of educating the citizens about our storm drains sending pollution right to our drinking water, storm water run off that causes flooding, erosion and pollution to our streams and the Chesapeake Bay.

The 4H program has "Get Fit, That's It' and Safe AT Home, Safe Alone", as well as many clubs, camps and community events that promote self sufficiency, self reliance and life skills to become a responsible and productive member of society.

VCE educates communities to help themselves.

Do not allow Richmond to close the offices of VCE in PWC!

Ann Carroll writes:

I am totally against cutting the Virginia Cooperative Extension. It gives so much to the community for such little cost. This may be one of our best Virginia investments and we need to keep it and my legislators will hear of it.

The timing is terrible. How can this happen at a time where many households and families are planting gardens to make their dollar go a little bit further. VCE will help them select the right plants, test the soils and prepare their gardens properly and grow healthier food for themselves - generating jobs and tax revenues as we buy more seed and tools, live plants and flowers.

Isn't it amazing that all the country is talking about creating local and sustainable food systems and how we have to eat healthier foods and our legislature is trying to cut this great example of how government can work for the people of all ages in all communities in Virginia.

I would be surprised if our investment in VCE doesn't generate returns far beyond what we put in. VCE helps us test our soil to make sure its safe, not put too many fertilizers or nutrients in that can runoff into the Bay. The better our soil, the more water it holds, the less we waste, the more biomass and biodiversity, the more carbon held and stored and the benefits keep growing.

Editor’s Pick
Walter R. Peterman writes:

Each county in Virginia requests/establishes programs geared to their needs; relying heavily on many volunteers which save thousands of dollars. The various programs offered by the PWC VCE to a diverse population, including 4H; Agricultural information and assistance, nutrition programs, inancial counseling and education in these areas,are critical to the quality of life, not only in the county but in surrounding jurisdictions. Currently; the State only provides approximately $16,000 in operating funds, plus salaries or partial salaries to an undermanned staff coupled which is supported by a strong volunteer base. The PWC Government provides the remaining resources necessary to operate the programs. With its strong volunteer base and various grants, the state currently receives approximately $1.60 for every dollar invested. Elimination of these programs will not only create a further loss in revenue, but will increase the number of children at risk in this urban county. 4H itself has been in existence for about 100 years, withstanding the elements of time, proving that it is a necessary and worthwhile program. VCE operates under two land grant colleges and should continue to do so and not be micro-managed by the state. A vote against the relative provisions of HB30 will not only enable the programs to survive, it will prove that Virgini's legislature understands the importance of these programs and refuses to allow them to become part of a political football.