Archive for October, 2013

Despite the dysfunction in Washington that has led to a partial federal government shutdown, there was a great deal of good news for the Commonwealth in the last week. For starters, Virginia has once again been named the “Best State for Business” by Forbes.com after ranking second for the last three years. Virginia was the only state to rank in the top five in four of the six categories, receiving first in the regulatory environment category! Additionally, a report was recently released that shows Virginia’s film industry employment has increased by 15.7% from 2011. The study also shows that for every dollar invested in bringing film productions to the Commonwealth, $11.80 is returned to the state economy.

These are but a few recent indicators that the efforts of the General Assembly and the Governor to foster business growth and development are working. Both entrepreneurs and established businesses recognize that because of our controlled regulatory environment, strong right to work laws, capable workforce and high quality of life, Virginia is the ideal place in which to do business.

Another positive development is the announcement by the College Board that while SAT college-admission test scores have dropped nationally, the average score of Virginia public school students has risen in all three testing categories. This is further evidence that the vast majority of our public schools are doing an excellent job preparing students for college or the workforce. While we hold students and teachers accountable to rigorous standards, this news clearly suggests that they are largely meeting this challenge.

Harrisonburg DMV Staffing
Several of you have contacted me over the last few months regarding unusually long wait times during your visit to the Harrisonburg DMV office. I relayed your concerns to DMV officials in Richmond and I have since learned that several additional part-time customer service representatives have been hired to address the issue. Additionally, staff has been brought in from other area DMV offices to help reduce customer wait time. I hope the additional staff will allow citizens to take care of their DMV business in a more expeditious manner. Remember, many DMV transactions can be completed online by visiting dmvnow.com.

November 5th Election
The upcoming election is just over a month away, and now is the time to make sure you are prepared to have your vote counted. The deadline to register to vote is Tuesday, October 15th. You can register to vote by visiting your registrar’s office (listed below), or you can register online at vote.virginia.gov. State law allows you to vote absentee for a number of reasons. To request an absentee ballot, please visit vagopabsentee.com. You can also vote in-person absentee now through November 2nd. The Harrisonburg and Rockingham registrar’s offices will be open for in-person absentee voting from 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday and 9:00am to 5:00pm on October 26th and November 2nd.

Harrisonburg Voter Registrar
345 South Main Street
Harrisonburg, VA 22801
(540) 432-7707

Rockingham Voter Registrar
20 East Gay Street
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
(540) 564-3055

If we want to continue to maintain our position as a top state for business and one of the best states to live and raise a family, then we need to elect Ken Cuccinelli this November. Ken understands the need to limit the growth of government, keep taxes low, and maintain a regulatory environment that does not place unnecessary burdens on employers and families.

In stark contrast, I’m afraid his opponent has no intention of maintaining the pro-growth policies of the last several years. Terry McAullife’s support of job killing EPA regulations against the coal industry is just one example that when faced with a choice, he will pick the President’s harmful agenda over the needs of Virginia citizens. These regulations will significantly drive up the cost of energy for Virginians and will undoubtedly put us at an economic disadvantage.

I have complete confidence that Ken Cuccinelli will take a conservative approach to budgeting, prioritizing taxpayer dollars, and implementing common sense policies and reforms. I do not have that same confidence about his opponent.

How You Can Help

While I appreciate your continued support, because I don’t have an opponent for my re-election campaign this year, I would encourage you to keep your focus on the statewide races. Please visit the neighborhood victory office in Harrisonburg (behind the Valley Mall) to help with door knocks and phone calls for our Republican ticket. You can also get your yard signs and bumper stickers at this office. I will have “Wilt for Delegate” signs available at the neighborhood office as well. If you would like one of my signs, but can’t make it to the office, please let me know and we will get one to you as soon as possible.