All results / Stories / Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum, State Delegate (D-36)
Opinion: Commentary: Awash in Cash?
With the news reports of the cash coming to state and local governments from the federal government to provide relief from the effects of the COVID pandemic and the announcement that Virginia will have a sizable cash balance at the end of this fiscal year, one could conclude that government is awash in cash!
Column: Billion-Dollar Give-Away!
By the time you are reading this column Virginia will have reached the milestone by having refused to accept a billion dollars of monies paid by Virginia taxpayers to close the coverage gap for 400,000 working poor Virginians who cannot afford health insurance!
Column: Couple of Bad Weeks for Virginia
The Commonwealth that has been reeling all year from a spate of bad publicity from the legislative session found itself in the national spotlight again as the president of its nationally premiere university was forced out in a behind-the-scenes maneuver by a couple of members of the Board of Visitors without a formal vote.
Commentary: From Polarization to Compromise
The outcome of the most recent elections demonstrates once again how divided we are as a nation and as a state. The clearest winner is gridlock as it is hard to see how progress can be made by Congress on important issues that await resolution.
Column: Spending Plan Approved
The General Assembly passed a spending plan for FY2012-2014 last week in a session that had much more drama than most meetings of the state’s legislature. One Democratic Senator changed his vote after the budget had failed to pass in order that the constitutionally required majority could be reached; a Republican Senator got a State Police escort back to the Capitol from visiting his wife in the hospital in order that he could vote. By a one vote margin the $85 billion spending plan for the next biennium was approved.
Column: Tradition of Keeping Voters Informed
Virginians can access state government programs and services through a single internet portal, www.virginia.gov that is nationally recognized as one of the best among the states.
Assembly Leaves Unanswered Questions
Commentary
Last Wednesday the 2014 session of the General Assembly adjourned sine die at the end of the Reconvened Session that is called at the conclusion of each regular session to consider amendments to legislation proposed by the Governor and vetoes he made of any bills. Much of the work during the Reconvened Session dealt with technical issues related to the drafting of bills during a fast-paced session. Although the regular session has concluded, the General Assembly is already in special session to consider the biennium budget and closing the gap in health care coverage.
Opinion: Commentary: Law and Order and Justice
There is no more important function of government than ensuring public safety.
Column: General Assembly Session Stalled
The beautiful red and pink camellias on Capitol Square in Richmond have been blooming for a couple of weeks.
Commentary: Restoring Rights
Governor Terry McAuliffe issued an executive order recently restoring civil rights of voting, serving on a jury, running for office, or being a notary public for persons who had been convicted of any and all felonies in the past and who have completed the terms of incarceration and who have completed any period of supervised release of probation and parole.
Opinion: Silver Line No Silver Bullet
For those of us who have been looking at the seemingly completed infrastructure for many months, announcement of the actual date that we can ride this important new service for our community is welcome news.
Column: The Legacy of Bob McDonnell
I had no idea what to expect when the jury announced it had reached its verdicts on the charges against former Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife Maureen, but when the verdicts were announced I was stunned.
Commentary: Transit Means Business!
A couple of weeks ago I dropped off my Prius for service at a dealership near the Spring Hill Station on the Silver Line and caught the Metro for a one-stop trip to the Greensboro Station.
Redistricting Remains an Issue
Although the drawing of legislative district lines is supposed to take place each decade after the federal census, the controversy over where and how lines are drawn keeps the issues alive every year. Most recently a federal court declared the current Congressional district lines in Virginia invalid because the way the lines are drawn discriminates against minorities being able to get elected. Essentially the black population is packed into one district.
At the Half 2017
Commentary
The 2017 session of the General Assembly that got underway on Jan. 11 is barreling ahead towards its midpoint of Feb. 7. At that midpoint, referred to as “crossover.”
Opinion: Commentary: No More Excuses
The most important election of my lifetime is coming up on November 3, and I am not even on the ballot!
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