RICHMOND — Gov. Bob McDonnell has entrusted several pieces of his plan for improving Virginia’s economy to legislators from the Lynchburg area, he said during his State of the Commonwealth speech Wednesday night.
Sen. Steve Newman and Del. Scott Garrett, both Lynchburg Republicans, are being asked to carry some of the governor’s ideas toward General Assembly approval.
Del. Lacey Putney, I-Bedford, Del. Ben Cline, R-Rockbridge, and Kathy Byron, R-Campbell County, will push the governor’s other legislative proposals.
Newman said he would sponsor “a chunk of the technology package the governor talked about tonight” that is designed to attract new business to Virginia, and particularly to the Danville and Martinsville areas, because “there is a lot or heartache there” caused by the loss of manufacturers.
Both Newman and Putney said they think Democrats and Republicans are all focused on bringing more jobs to Virginia.
Putney, who is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said he thinks the Democrat-dominated Senate is showing a cooperative spirit.
“My heavy lifting is going to be trying to oversee 10 subcommittees of the Appropriations Committee and bring them all into one global balanced budget with no tax increases,” Putney said.
McDonnell said he also will ask Putney to sponsor legislation that would require all state employees to contribute to the Virginia Retirement System that will provide their pensions. Until this year, the state has contributed to the employees’ retirement.
Garrett said he was sponsoring six of the McDonnell administration’s bills.
One of Garrett’s bills would provide a tax credit for wineries. Another would save $600,000 on the cost of registered letters the Department of Motor Vehicles sends to drivers when their license is suspended, Garrett said.
Others are designed to streamline antiquated parts of government.
Cline said he will sponsor a tax-credit measure to offset the cost of research and development for businesses. It would “bring high-tech jobs to our part of Virginia,” Cline said.
Byron is sponsoring a McDonnell measure to boost energy-related businesses. That bill would offer financial incentives to companies that manufacture or assemble equipment, systems, or products used to produce renewable or nuclear energy, as well as products used for energy conservation, storage, or grid efficiency.
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