ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES BILLS ARE STILL ALIVE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Keep the calls, emails, and faxes coming!

The Senate Local Government Subcommittee takes up another APFO bill, Senator Byrne's SB 1292, for consideration on Tuesday, January 28th, 2:00 PM.

Delegate Marshall kept his APFO bill alive through last Friday, when the subcommittee voted to Pass By Indefinitely. The full House Counties, Cities and Towns Committee will hear this last surviving APFO bill, HB 2039, on Friday at 8:30 AM. Recap of the January 21st hearing on the APFO.

A new Mason-Dixon poll shows overwhelming support among Virginia voters - 78 % - for adequate public facilities.

WE STILL NEED YOU TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS AND TELL THEM TO SUPPORT THE APFO BILL AND SIMILAR BILLS IN THE SENATE.

We can still send a powerful message to state legislators that growth management is an important issue and that we will no longer subsidize developers in their search for profits.

CALL, WRITE, EMAIL your senator, delegate, and members of the House Counties, Cities and Towns Committee, and Senate Local Government Committee

Find your Virginia legislators (if you don't know - based on zip code)

Delegate phone list (see below for full Committee list)

Senate phone list (see below for full Committee list)

BASIC TALKING POINTS:

Legislators should support APFOs because they:

• Allow localities to time development to coincide with the taxpayers' ability to pay for the schools, road, public safety and other necessities upon which development is dependent.
• Help to ensure that development doesn't proceed at the expense of decent schools, public safety, and good neighborhoods.
• Help to ensure that the huge backlog of approved development in many high growth localities does not bankrupt localities, or taxpayers.
• Ensure that localities that wish to manage growth must adopt capital budgets that will support growth.

These bills do not:

• Violate constitutionally guaranteed property rights.
• Excuse localities from their obligation to provide infrastructure.
• Impose unfair costs on developers.
• Downzone property.

CONTACTING YOUR LEGISLATOR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Write your message in your own words and express your personal feelings on this issue.

Find your Virginia legislators (if you don't know - based on zip code)

PRIORITY ORDER:

1. Call and email your SENATOR and Senate Local Government Committee members
2. Call and email your DELEGATE and CCT members
3. Write personal letters via fax or mail:
   
   Address for Delegates:
   Virginia House of Delegates
   General Assembly Building
   P.O. Box 406
   Richmond, Virginia 23218
   Fax: (804) 786-6310
   
   Address for Senators:
   Senate of Virginia
   General Assembly Building
   PO Box 396
   Richmond, Virginia 23218
   Fax: (804) 698-7651

House Counties Cities and Towns Committee Membership List:
(* indicates delegate is on Subcommittee for January 21st hearing)

Senate Counties, Cities and Towns Committee Membership List

RECAP of Jan. 21st hearing on "Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances" (APFOs)
Tuesday night's hearing before the House Counties, Cities and Towns subcommittee was attended by over 40 supporters of the Adequate public facilities legislation, ranging from the Garden Club of Virginia to Fairfax County School Board and including local elected officials from Fairfax, Loudoun, Suffolk, Albemarle, Chesapeake City and others.

A telling quote from Tuesday night's testimony showing the basic nature of allowing local governments to delay construction of projects until the area has adequate schools and other infrastructure came from Marcia DeGarmo, President of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, "People are in disbelief that this isn't an authority that local governments already have."

The House Counties, Cities and Towns subcommittee that conducted the hearing Tuesday night voted this morning (with the exception of Del. Mcquigg of Prince William) to recommend that the full committee Pass it By Indefinitely (PBI).

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