VISUALIZATION: 10 ALL-TIME MOST EXPENSIVE LEGISLATIVE RACES

The spending record for a Virginia House of Delegates election that had stood for nearly a decade didn't stand a chance this year. Candidates in HD40 spent a combined $3.9 million. In fact, seven of the 10 most expensive state House races of all time took place this year. The State Senate record set four years ago held, but 2019 contests now account for half of the 10 most expensive Senate contests of all time.

NORTHAM WANTS TO BOOST TOBACCO AND FUEL TAXES, END VEHICLE INSPECTIONS, SLASH REGISTRATION FEES

Gov. Ralph Northam is proposing a two-year state budget with big tax increases on tobacco products and motor vehicle fuels, but he wants to use the money to lower health insurance premiums, end annual vehicle inspections and cut vehicle registration fees in half. The governor proposes increasing the cigarette tax from 30 cents a pack to 60 cents a pack and boosting the tax on smokeless and other tobacco products, excluding new electronic cigarettes

NORTHAM PROPOSES NEW TAXES ON TOBACCO AND GASOLINE, LEAVES INCOME-TAX RATES UNTOUCHED

Gov. Ralph Northam proposed new taxes on tobacco and gasoline, along with eliminating the state's requirement for a yearly vehicle inspection, in a two-year, roughly $135 billion spending plan unveiled Tuesday morning.

CAR INSPECTIONS WOULD GO AWAY — BUT GAS TAXES WOULD GO UP — IN GOV. RALPH NORTHAM’S BUDGET

Gov. Ralph Northam wants to put an end to the annual chore — and fee — of vehicle safety inspections for Virginians. The news came as the governor unveiled his proposed two-year budget Tuesday in Richmond. Northam also wants to cut car and truck registration fees by 50%, but his plan calls for three consecutive, annual 4-cents-a-gallon gasoline tax increases to help address Virginia’s chronic under-funding of highway work and reduce the state’s reliance on income, sales and other general fund taxes to pay for it.

NORTHAM PUSHES TO REPEAL SAFETY INSPECTION, INCREASE GAS TAX

Virginians may soon be paying higher gas and tobacco taxes but won't have to get their cars inspected each year. Gov. Ralph Northam unveiled a $135 billion, two-year state budget plan Tuesday that included those ideas as well as hefty new spending to boost early education, clean up the Chesapeake Bay, and reduce health insurance premiums.

NORTHAM LAYS OUT PRIORITIES FOR 2-YEAR STATE BUDGET

Gov. Ralph Northam unveiled his two-year budget proposal Tuesday, pitching tax increases for motor fuels and tobacco products, which he’d like then to use to scrap car inspections and lower registration fees, and lower insurance premiums with new health programs.

WHAT’S IN NORTHAM’S BUDGET FOR HAMPTON ROADS: MONEY FOR ODU AND NORFOLK STATE, PORT UPGRADES AND MORE

Hampton Roads was prominent in Gov. Ralph Northam’s budget message, as he painted a possible bright future as a center for offshore wind electric generating facilities. But there’s plenty more in his budget for the region. Here’s a first look: $58 million for railyards, paving and other maintenance and repair work at Virginia Port Authority terminals; $45 million for upgrades to port authority equipment;

BIG CRIMINAL JUSTICE BOOST IN NORTHAM’S BUDGET

Considering that, once it’s printed, Gov. Northam’s two year budget will probably run over 500 pages, it’s no surprise that even a half hour budget speech can’t hit all the highlights. But, as Del. Mike Mullin, D-Newport News, (whose day job is as a prosecutor) was quick to notice, the budget includes a major increase in funding for courts and cirminal justice system.

GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL WOULD BRING MONEY FOR SCHOOL SYSTEM BACK TO PRE-RECESSION LEVELS

Danville school officials are hopeful about Gov. Ralph Northam’s proposed $1.2 billion in additional money for K-12 education in Virginia. Called by the governor’s office one of the biggest new investments in K-12 education ever proposed in the state, it includes the single-largest increase for at-risk schools, raises teacher salaries by 3%, funds more school counselors and new staff supports for English language learners.

AT-RISK FUNDING COULD BE BOON FOR AREA SCHOOLS

Education funding increases proposed by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam could represent significant dollars for area schools, particularly those with high poverty rates. On Tuesday, Northam unveiled details of his biennial budget, which includes more than $500 million in new education funding, including $140.4 million to increase the “At-Risk Add-On” for students with a greater likelihood of educational challenges — including those living in poverty.

PROPOSAL WOULD GIVE VA. GOVERNORS CHANCE TO SUCCEED THEMSELVES

A state constitutional amendment proposed by Sen. Adam Ebbin could change the dynamics of electing governors in the Old Dominion. But whether it gets addressed in the 2020 legislative session remains to be seen.

POLL: MAJORITY OF VIRGINIANS SUPPORT PROPOSED REDISTRICTING AMENDMENT

70 percent of Virginia voters support passage of the bipartisan redistricting amendment up for a crucial second vote by the incoming General Assembly, according to the results of a new poll. The Christopher Newport University’s Wason Center for Public Policy poll surveyed over 900 registered Virginia voters after the November 2019 Democratic sweep.

LEGISLATORS PROPOSE ‘JUSTICE COMMISSION’

Two Democratic state legislators recommend changing the State Crime Commission into the “Virginia Justice Commission.” Legislation introduced by Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Mount Vernon, and Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, would broaden the commission’s focus from solely crime and punishment to include diversion, rehabilitation, collateral consequences of convictions, firearm violence prevention, equity and fairness in the criminal legal system and prisoner re-entry.

VIRGINIA PASSED A LAW TO COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING. WHY ISN’T EVERYONE USING IT?

Around 2015, Mike Feinmel saw the market for human trafficking “explode” with the opioid crisis. “It was like jet fuel,” he said, with “desperate men and women willing to do anything it took to get drugs.” Traffickers exploited that desperation, forcing their victims to have sex for money, said Feinmel, a deputy commonwealth’s attorney in Henrico County,

RIVERSIDE JAIL SUPERINTENDENT REMAINS AT HELM AFTER BOARD REVIEWS PROBE OF HER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

The superintendent of Riverside Regional Jail remains on the job after the facility’s governing board took no public action against her following two closed sessions of more than four hours to discuss “employee matters” and an investigative report of her management practices.

WHILE PAROLES ARE UP IN VIRGINIA, THEY REMAIN RARE

Jen Soering and Elizabeth Haysom received parole last month after serving 30 years in state prison for the sensational murder of Haysom’s parents in 1985. Soering, a German national who had been given two life sentences, and Haysom, a Canadian who had been sentenced to 90 years, were turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation.

REPORT: VIRGINIA SHOULD COVER INJURIES CAUSED BY REPETITION

Virginia is the only state in the country whose workers’ compensation system doesn’t cover injuries sustained through repetitive work activities, like repeatedly lifting boxes over several weeks, a new state report says. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission recommended in a recently released report that Virginia should allow such injuries to be compensated.

VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS WANT MORE TRANSPARENCY IN UNIVERSITY DONATIONS

Two Democratic state delegates in Virginia say they are working on legislation that would pry open the fundraising activities of entities like the George Mason University Foundation. They were responding to a Virginia Supreme Court decision last week upholding a ruling that shields the foundation from transparency rules. Revelations that major donors, including the Charles Koch Foundation, had undue influence over academic affairs sparked the lawsuit.

PAYING FOR CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE: FOR VIRGINIA'S SMALL COMMUNITIES, BUSINESSES MONEY IS SCARCE

For seven years, the Virginia Coastal Policy Center has been bringing together experts from around the country to help Virginia plan coastal adaptation and protection from rising waters due to climate change. The biggest challenge so far is how to pay for it.

RICHMOND CITY COUNCILWOMAN PUSHING FOR STATUE TO AFRICAN AMERICAN SOLDIERS ON MONUMENT AVENUE

A new Civil War monument is being proposed for Richmond’s Monument Avenue. City Councilwoman Kim Gray is asking the city to give $5,000 in start up funding to the Honor the 14 Foundation. The group says it plans to raise millions of dollars for a statue memorializing 14 black Union soldiers that fought at the Battle of New Market Heights in Henrico.

SOLAR PROJECTS IN COUNTY TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION SOON

Construction on two five-megawatt solar projects will begin in Pittsylvania County before the end of the year, with the projects to be up and running by summer 2020, the city of Danville announced Tuesday morning. The Irish Road Solar and Whitmell Solar projects span 100 acres along State Road 703/Irish Road and will generate an estimated 23,668,000 kilowatt-hours annually, according to the news release. That is enough to supply 2.5% of the city’s power needs

STAFFORD COUNTY BECOMES 2ND AMENDMENT SANCTUARY

Stafford County is the latest locality in the state to declare itself a 2nd Amendment sanctuary. County supervisors voted 7-0 Tuesday night in support of Stafford County citizens' 2nd Amendment rights, joining 93 other jurisdictions in the state who have adopted similar resolutions.

YORK COUNTY PASSES RESOLUTION TO BECOME ‘CONSTITUTIONAL COUNTY’

Dozens of people stood out in the rain, while dozens more packed inside just to speak and watch York County Supervisors sign a resolution Tuesday night. Applause followed as it became evident York is now a “Constitutional County.”

MONTGOMERY COUNTY BOARD OPTS FOR 2ND AMENDMENT SUPPORT — BUT NOT SANCTUARY

In front of a largely pro-gun crowd early Tuesday morning, the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors chose on a 4-3 vote not to declare the county a Second Amendment sanctuary. Instead, the board voted along party lines in favor of another resolution that declares the county’s support of the Bill of Rights, “including and not limited to the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.”

MASSANUTTEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS LOBBY FOR INCORPORATION

Members of a committee for the incorporation of Massanutten announced that they’ve gathered almost 900 signatures of community members for a petition in favor of making Massanutten a town. From now until January 2020, leaders of the movement plan to lobby state representatives for support of incorporation and the enactment of a town charter during the General Assembly session in March 2020. The community of Massanutten Village, home of Massanutten Resort and multiple timeshare developments, is currently part of Rockingham County. There have been multiple studies into the feasibility of incorporating the area into a town over the past 32 years, according to a study published by community members in the Massanutten Town Study Group (MTSG), which provided a 2019 update on the push for incorporation. After over three decades of interest in the incorporation of Massanutten, committee members feel they have raised enough public support to move forward with the petition to incorporate.

FRANKLIN COUNTY SUPERVISORS CAREFULLY EMBRACE SECOND AMENDMENT SANCTUARY STATUS

The Franklin County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to join the growing Second Amendment sanctuary movement, sparking a standing ovation Tuesday afternoon from hundreds of gun rights activists who packed the meeting room for the second month in a row. The board’s choice hardly came as a surprise, as all seven members spoke in favor of the idea during the November meeting.

APPOMATTOX COUNTY PASSES RESOLUTION REFUSING TO BECOME REFUGEE SANCTUARY

Following a similar town of Appomattox resolution in November, Appomattox County passed a resolution expressing its intent to refuse becoming a refugee sanctuary Monday night. The decision follows Governor Ralph Northam’s declaration in November that Virginia would welcome more refugees, a statement that followed President Donald Trump’s offer to let states and localities veto resettlements.

VIRGINIA MUSEUM'S SMART STATUE SOLUTION

How do you address omissions or misrepresentations about the past without erasing your own history? The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond and Kehinde Wiley have come up with a brilliant solution.

BRAND NEW REGION

The Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce last week announced that a year-long study of how best to brand and market the region concluded that “757” provided the forward-looking, modern and familiar label needed to propel this community forward. Predictably, the proposal was welcomed with howls of derision.

WILSON: FOREST SERVICE WANTS TO REDUCE PUBLIC INPUT

The Jackson River Preservation Association (JRPA), is a small, non-profit corporation, located in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia, dedicated to the protection and preservation of the Jackson River. The Jackson River flows through Highland, Bath and Alleghany Counties, all in Virginia, and joins with the Cowpasture River to form the James River.

Wilson is an attorney in Covington and president of the Jackson River Preservation Association

MATSON: TIME FOR VIRGINIA TO RATIFY THE ERA

In the history of the United States, Nov. 5 could prove among the most consequential days in the struggle for women and girls to be treated as equals under the law, in close company with Aug. 18, 1920, when the 19th Amendment declared that states did not have the power to deny the right to vote on the basis of sex. Virginia voters swept Democrats into power in both legislative chambers, where they will join Gov. Ralph Northam in January with the veto-proof power to make Virginia the clinching 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment

Erin Matson is co-founder and co-director of Reproaction, a reproductive justice organization. She lives in Arlington.