Lawmakers Aim to Give Jurisdictions More Power

Area Delegations to Target Abusive-Driver Fees, Mental Health Reform

Northern Virginia legislators head back to Richmond next week facing a budget deficit and calls to reform the state's mental health system and to repeal abusive-driver fees.

They will push bills that would grant local governments the authority to give property tax relief to homeowners, protect pedestrians in crosswalks, allow pregnant women to vote by absentee ballot and permit bars to serve sangria.

Although the General Assembly passed hard-fought, sweeping transportation legislation last session, many Northern Virginia lawmakers say it wasn't enough.

"Transportation affects Northern Virginia more than any other part of the state because of our congestion," Del. Robert H. Brink (D-Arlington) said. "We're going to make sure that the transportation bill we did last year is only regarded as a down payment, a first step on the issue."

Del. Brian J. Moran (D-Alexandria) has seized on a recent report showing that the new abusive-driver fees not only failed to raise the projected revenue but did not make roads safer. He has pre-filed a bill to repeal them.

In light of the Virginia Tech massacre and the flaws it exposed in the state's mental health system, Sen. Patricia S. Ticer (D-Alexandria) wants lawmakers to take action to ensure that more troubled people get help and that the process is easier. Virginia is one of the few states that requires people to be found an "imminent" danger to themselves or others before receiving help.

Although mental health reform has bipartisan support, Ticer said she does not expect legislators to reform gun laws, another issue raised by the Virginia Tech shootings April 16.

"There may be some wording about the mentally ill, but it's not going to be a deep and real remedy," she said. "Those of us who've been in Richmond long enough are realistic about the opportunity for getting any of those gun bills through. Which is zero."

Brink, Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple (D-Arlington) and other lawmakers said they will again work to pass homestead exemption legislation, a priority for Alexandria and Arlington County officials. The legislation would give local jurisdictions the authority to grant property tax relief to residents in owner-occupied houses, up to 20 percent of a home's assessed value. Because such a change would require a constitutional amendment, the bill must pass the General Assembly for the second time this year before being put to voters in a referendum. Lawmakers gave the bill first-round approval last session.

"Traditionally, Arlington gets up to 50 percent of their real estate taxes from residences and 50 percent from commercial and retail. But it's gotten out of balance," Brink said. "Homeowners are now paying something like 60 percent of the real estate taxes. This exemption would give local governments another tool to manage their property tax system as equitably as they can."

Northern Virginia lawmakers will be returning to a new political reality in Richmond, now that Democrats have taken control of the state Senate. Many said that although lawmakers from the region will chair six of 11 Senate committees, they expect little to change, at least not right away.

"I think there's going to be some change, but it's overly optimistic to think it's going to change the whole complexion overnight," Ticer said. "We have to get the bills through the Senate first. Then they go over to the 'killing field.' That's what we call it over in the House. And the killing field takes care of anything you have left. So it's still somewhat of an uphill battle."