Thursday, April 24, 2008
Medical site plan crosses a hurdle
The General Assembly approved a bond deal that will finance the joint Tech-Carilion project.
Associated Press
House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong, D-Henry County (left), and House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, confer during the chamber's floor session Wednesday in Richmond.
Related
The latest from our Blue Ridge Caucus politics blog
- What issues will play in May’s Roanoke city elections?
- Federal lawsuit over congressional redistricting dismissed
From The Roanoke Times
RICHMOND -- The General Assembly on Wednesday formally authorized a Roanoke medical school facility and research institute planned by Virginia Tech and Carilion Clinic, approving it as part of a $1.46 billion bond package that will finance college and state building projects throughout Virginia.
The bond legislation -- which represents a compromise between the Senate and House of Delegates -- authorizes taxpayer-supported debt for projects at state colleges, mental health facilities, prisons and parks. Unlike a package proposed by Gov. Tim Kaine in December, the bonds do not require voter approval in a referendum.
The legislation (House Bill 5001 and Senate Bill 5001) will take effect as soon as Kaine signs it, allowing many projects to proceed almost immediately. Del. Lacey Putney, I-Bedford, the House sponsor of the legislation, described it as an "economic jump-start package."
Construction of the Roanoke medical school building could begin as early as this summer and the first class is scheduled to begin there in the fall of 2010. The 150,000-square-foot building will be built at the Riverside Center for Research and Technology on South Jefferson Street. Tech and Carilion will jointly operate the medical school, which will focus on training physician researchers.
"We're pleased that the bond package passed and very grateful to the legislature, our local legislators and Governor Kaine for their support of this project," said Carilion spokesman Eric Earnhart. "It will allow the school to get off to a running start without the burden of construction debt.
The school will be able to devote its resources to the mission of educating new physicians."
Roanoke lawmakers said the medical school would be an economic boost for the city and strengthen ties between the Roanoke Valley and Tech.
"The two valleys have a common destiny, and this is another way for the two valleys to work together," said Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, whose district extends from Roanoke to Blacksburg. "Connecting the dots here was brilliant."
Del. William Fralin, R-Roanoke, said the project "solidifies our ties to Virginia Tech."
"Virginia Tech employees will be based in Roanoke, the economic spinoffs will be in Roanoke and the professionals will be based in Roanoke," Fralin said.
Del. Onzlee Ware, who represents the portion of Roanoke where the school will be built, said, "I think it will elevate the perception of the city."
The bond proceeds also will fund projects at Tech, Radford University, Virginia Military Institute and community colleges in the region. In addition to the bond package, lawmakers approved funds to begin planning for an additional $853 million worth of projects as part of a six-year capital improvements program.
Kaine hailed the compromise as "a record investment in Virginia's higher education institutions."
The General Assembly on Wednesday also acted on Kaine's amendments to bills passed during the winter legislative session. They approved Kaine's technical changes to major mental health overhaul legislation and a bill putting new restrictions on payday lenders.
Lawmakers rejected seven of the 41 amendments that Kaine made to the two-year, $77 billion budget that will take effect July 1, including an amendment that would exempt Patrick County from the state's moratorium on local and regional jail construction. Kaine had proposed the amendment because the state Board of Corrections is expected to reject a planned regional jail that would serve Patrick and Henry counties and Martinsville because of the proposed allocation of beds.
Kaine also withdrew a budget amendment to add less expensive behavioral drugs to the Medicaid preferred drug list. Mental health advocates and lawmakers in both parties objected to the amendment, saying it could restrict access to needed medications for indigent Virginians with mental illnesses.
The House and Senate on Wednesday also reached agreements on filling about two dozen judicial vacancies, but failed to fill several others, including a vacancy on the State Corporation Commission.
As expected, Roanoke Valley legislators could not agree on filling a vacancy on the General District Court that serves Roanoke, Roanoke County and Salem. That vacancy likely will be filled by Circuit Court judges in the district for a one-year period.
Lawmakers will return to the Capitol later this spring for a special session to deal with transportation funding, an issue largely triggered by a Virginia Supreme Court ruling in February that invalidated regional tax-collecting authorities in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.
In addition to passing viable regional funding plans, Kaine and Democratic lawmakers also want new statewide tax revenue for mounting highway maintenance costs. House Republicans have said they will oppose statewide tax increases, preferring to focus only on the regional plans. Kaine said he wants to work with legislators to pass "a transportation funding package that will move Virginia forward."
