Press Release

For Immediate Release
Friday, July 10

-Newly-formed steering committee to assist in community effort to address gang activity in community-

STAUNTON, VA: Delegate Chris Saxman (R-Staunton) issued the following statement regarding joining the newly-formed Comprehensive Gang Model Steering Committee.

This model has been implemented in several localities across the country and is targeted towards smaller communities. As a comprehensive approach to the problem of gangs, the model involves a multidisciplinary response, targeting prevention, intervention and suppression to successfully reduce gang-related crimes and threats.

Last night at a meeting in Staunton, Delegate Saxman joined other local elected officials along with law enforcement officers, school officials and other community leaders to learn more about the program and establish a new Steering committee, on which Delegate Saxman agreed to serve.

"I am honored to be asked to participate in the Comprehensive Gang Model Steering Committee, and I am looking forward to working with others in our community on this important effort. We have a serious problem in this area, and I am thrilled that people are coming together to solve this one.

"Locally we have seen too many cases of gang violence, drug offences and attacks on people and property," said Delegate Saxman. "Diane Kellogg and the Office on Youth have been instrumental in establishing this program to combat gangs and reaching out to the community for greater participation, and I applaud them for their work."

"With the implementation of the Comprehensive Gang model we will compile a picture of the problem which is specific to our community," added Ms. Kellogg. "We will have data which will justify taking action and guide us to the most successful actions to take. This will ensure the best allocation of our resources and a bottom line for measuring impact therefore creating long-lasting solutions. In the end we will have a safer community."

Delegate Saxman noted, "In the legislature, we have passed new laws to give communities and law enforcement additional tools to crack-down on gangs: adding to the list of crimes making individuals eligible for prosecution under Virginia's gang participation laws, ensuring judges have the ability to impose restrictions on gang members on probation regarding their associations with other gang members, creating stiffer penalties for drug dealers.

"But what is equally important is our communities working together to address the problems locally. This model has been shown to be an effective approach to addressing gang problems by involving the community and focusing on all aspects from prevention to suppression of gang activities.

"For the safety of our children and our community, it is critical that we take every step we can to prevent and supress the threats from gangs. While there are many challenges we face, I am looking forward to working with this broad coalition from our community to tackle these challenges together."

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For Immediate Release
Tuesday, April 21, 2009

STAUNTON, VA: Preceding tomorrow’s observance of Earth Day, Delegate Chris Saxman (R-Staunton) issued the following statement highlighting the numerous accomplishments of Virginia Republicans to encourage a healthy and sustainable environment.

“As we prepare to observe Earth Day, I believe all Virginians share a common and uniting goal of safeguarding and protecting the natural treasures of our Commonwealth. We are truly blessed to enjoy an abundance of natural resources, from our Blue Ridge Mountains, to our beaches, from our rivers, to our scenic mountains, and I believe it is our shared responsibility to preserve and protect these natural treasures so that Virginians and visitors to our Commonwealth will be able to enjoy them for generations to come.

“Since being elected to the House of Delegates, I have worked with my colleagues on policies to preserve and protect our environment- here in the Valley and across the Commonwealth. Working together we have been able to enact practical, forward-thinking measures that are producing real results in preserving Virginia’s natural treasures.

“The Commonwealth has been able preserve over 420,000 acres of open space by putting free market tools to use through innovative land conservation tax credits. Here in the Valley, as well as other parts of the state, we have worked alongside private organizations to preserve our historic Civil War battlefields. We have demonstrated a long-term commitment to cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay through enacting agricultural best management practices and funding upgrades to our wastewater treatment facilities. We have demonstrated a commitment to promoting renewable energy development, exploration and use.

“One of the key issues I worked with my colleagues on in 2006 was an important compromise that will bring cleaner air to Virginia through significant mercury emission reduction standards. HB1055 will result in cleaner air in the Shenandoah Valley and across the Commonwealth three years ahead of the previous schedule. The measure also codifies the Department of Environmental Quality’s regulation for the Clean Air Interstate Rule, which limits sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions- which address the concern of smog by limiting the emissions of these toxins.

“During this year’s legislative session, we worked together on a number of initiatives aimed at sustaining and improving our natural resources, including nutrient offsets exchanges, septic system clean-up and energy conservation programs.

"But it's not just about voting on public policy, it's also about living it in your life and business. On a personal level, our family recently bought and set up a composting bin, and for 10 years our company sponsored with WVPT the Young Environmentalist Award. We have also been on geo thermal heating at our business for 10 years as well. We recognize that we can be good coporate citizens by also being good environmental stewards.

“While we have worked together to accomplish many positive steps forward to protect our environment, there is work we must all continue to do. As we observe Earth, we must remain committed to looking forward for new and innovative ways in which we can all do our part to ensure long-term positive results for our environment. We must continue to work together, as individuals, as communities, as businesses and as governments to ensure the natural splendor of our Commonwealth remains for future generations.”

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During the recent Reconvened Session of the General Assembly, Governor Kaine recommended action that would have permanently changed Virginia’s unemployment laws in order to receive short-term, temporary federal funding. The News Leader’s editorial on the unemployment insurance vote correctly notes that the issue is not as simple as the governor and some Democrats try to make it seem, but it is not quite accurate to simply suggest it was a partisan divide caused by unwillingness to compromise.

It should first be noted that prior to this vote, the Republicans in the House unanimously approved Del. Sam Nixon’s HB1889, which more than doubled the time an individual is eligible for unemployment insurance, from the current 26 weeks to 59 weeks, or 14 months. The Legislature recognizes the severity of the economic challenges and took action that will provide real relief to Virginians who, through no fault of their own, are out of work.

The Reconvened Session is a one-day opportunity for the Legislature to vote on the governor’s amendments and vetoes of bills passed during the legislative session, which ended in February. At the Reconvened Session, legislators do not have the chance to make further amendments to the governor’s recommendations, but merely vote them up or down exactly as they are worded from the governor.

For Wednesday’s vote, the governor placed amendments onto an unrelated bill to permanently change Virginia’s unemployment insurance laws.

Instead of consulting with the House Commerce and Labor Committee, which is responsible for employment and labor issues, prior to the Reconvened Session to discuss options for compromise on the changes, such as a sunset provision, Gov. Kaine instead made a unilateral decision and proposed permanently amending Virginia’s unemployment insurance laws in order to receive the additional $125 million in temporary federal funding.

Already during the regular session, the Legislature agreed to accept $62 million being extended to the Commonwealth for unemployment benefits with no strings attached. While the additional federal money may have seemed to be short-term, quick fix, it would have been a job-killer, and when those federal funds ran out, Virginia would have been left holding the bill for another unfunded federal mandate.

Virginia has been recognized for several years as the number one state in which to do business, and even in these challenging times, our economy remains more competitive than other states, in large part thanks to policies such as our unemployment insurance laws. Since the governor’s amendment was made before the Reconvened Session, he left us no room for negotiation or compromise on the language.

Should the governor choose to call a special session to work on a compromise regarding unemployment insurance, I believe both sides would be more than willing to work together for a responsible solution to help Virginians.

We are acutely aware of the challenges Virginians are facing in this economy, challenges I have experienced first-hand through our small family business. We know that many Virginians are hurting, and this is exactly why members of the Legislature worked together this past session to pass a number of meaningful, comprehensive initiatives to provide real benefits to Virginians.

• We extended unemployment benefits from 26 weeks to 59 weeks of coverage.
• We passed legislation to establish a program allowing employees of small businesses to have better access to the federal health insurance premium assistance program to assist Virginians in obtaining quality healthcare.
• We extended tax credits to businesses that create new full-time jobs here in the Commonwealth to encourage job creation and get Virginians working.
• Additionally, we approved funding for economic development incentives to attract new businesses to Virginia, aid in workforce development and promote tourism - important steps to grow our economy and create good jobs for Virginians.

The economic challenges we face as a Commonwealth are real, and Virginians expect comprehensive solutions and a balanced, long-term approach to address these problems. They expect our actions to provide real results that will not prove to be detrimental to our future economic stability and growth. A short-term check from the federal government is no substitute for real, pragmatic solutions that will create new jobs, stimulate economic growth, and get Virginians working again in long-term, full-time jobs that provide good pay and good benefits.