Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell wants to eliminate a number of costly regulations that local officials complain hamper their cash-strapped communities, opening the door to more revenue from red-light cameras in Northern Virginia and fewer standardized tests for students.
McDonnell unveiled a package of bills Monday intended to relieve localities of 20 so-called unfunded mandates — costly rules passed down from the General Assembly with no state funding to pay for them. The emphasis comes as the state continues to pare back funding to local governments already dealing with recession-drained budgets.
In his 2012-14 budget proposal, McDonnell restores $25 million of the planned $60 million in cuts to local aid, but he also requires communities to make a record $1 billion contribution to the state retirement system for teacher pensions.
Among the laws McDonnell wants struck from the books is one that requires schools to get a waiver from the state to open before Labor Day. Another pays teachers to take civics training and others that force local governments to ask state transportation officials for approval of a red-light camera before it can be installed.
Allowing communities to decide where to put the cameras, the bane of drivers but a cash cow for government coffers, helps local officials maximize how much revenue those cameras can generate.
