• We urge the General Assembly to revise state revenue-sharing formulas to result in more equitable funding for Arlington County government, public schools, and transportation

• We support funding for public education, public transit, roads and bridges, housing, human services, and regional COLAs throughout the state, which continue as high priorities.

1. Arlington County

B. Transparency in Budgeting. Ask the County Board to study the most effective way to match the annual real estate assessments with the start of the state fiscal year so that that tax rates match the fiscal year. [added 10/1/05 by vote of 31-7 with 5 abstentions]

2. General Governance

3. Economic and Community Development

4. Conservation (environment)

5. Crimes and Offenses Generally

B. Antidiscrimination and Hate Crimes Ordinances. Supports the addition of sexual orientation to the categories included in existing state antidiscrimination and hate crimes laws.

6. Criminal Procedure

B. Death Penalty Moratorium. Urges state legislation that will impose a moratorium on executions until policies are in place to minimize the risk that innocent persons will be executed and that will ensure that death-penalty cases are administered fairly and impartially.

C. Handicapped Parking. Supports legislation to raise the reduced mail-in fine (currently $125) for parking in a handicapped space to $300 (the current fine is $500 should you go to court)

7. Dangerous Weapons

8. Equal Rights

B. Employment and Housing. Urges prohibition of discrimination in employment and housing on the basis of sexual orientation in a manner consistent with existing state discrimination laws.

9. Energy Conservation and Resources

10. Health

B. Regional Health Planning Agencies. Opposes any attempt to eliminate or reduce the funding level for regional health planning agencies. These agencies provide meaningful input into the COPN process and also provide the sole opportunity for significant local public representation.

C. Authority for Nurses. Supports enacting legislation to continue to expand the authority of certified advance practice nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician's assistants to write appropriate prescriptions and to practice independently or in collaboration with physicians. Such legislation would reduce costs and expand access to health care.

11. Insurance

12. Property and Conveyances

B. Eminent Domain. Urge the General Assembly to enact legislation in opposition to the recent Supreme Court of the United States decision on eminent domain (Kelo v. City of New London, CT). [added 10/1/05 by vote of 37-3 with 4 abstentions]

13. Public Health

14. Taxation

B. Economic (Fair-Market) Rent. Recommends establishment of statewide, economic (fair-market) rent, not contract rent, as the basis for assessments of commercial property. [2]

C. Motor Fuels Tax. Supports legislation to permit Arlington County to levy a motor fuels tax as can cities in Virginia. Supports legislation to increase the motor vehicle fuel tax with revenue devoted to transportation and public transit.

D. Sales Tax Modernization. Urges the Legislature to simplify and modernize its sales tax system by adopting legislation to conform to the multistate Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement. The effect of such legislation, applicable to Internet and mail order sales, would be to adopt uniform definitions of goods and services (such as what constitutes computer software). As of 2004, 42 states are participants and 20 states have adopted conforming legislation. [3]

E. Homestead Exemption. . Supports a Constitutional amendment to provide real estate tax relief in the form of a homestead exemption for owner-occupied residential properties. [added 10/1/05 by vote of 25-9 with 9 abstentions]

15. Transportation and Highway Safety.

B. Interstate 66. Opposes changes to I 66 inside the capital beltway unless such changes are part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan and are made with community consensus.

C. Cell. Phones. Urges the General Assembly to prohibit the use of cell phones by drivers on all roads in the Commonwealth. [added 10/1/05 by vote of 38-5 with 1 abstention]

Notes

[2] Although the Virginia Supreme Court has ruled that contract rent may be used, the Federation has opposed its use because it usually lowers commercial assessments, shifting more of the real estate tax burden to homeowners.

[3] This effort was prompted by judicial decisions determining that retailers without physical presence in a given state do not have to collect sales and use tax on sales made into that state. The explosive growth of e-commerce beginning in the late 1990s increased the number of transactions that have escaped sales tax. States were losing revenue and so-called "bricks and mortar" retailers argue that they are at a competitive disadvantage to the electronic retailers because they do have to collect sales tax. The agreement does not change these rules (Federal legislation would be need) but, instead, focuses on making state sales taxes more uniform so that compliance with current rules is simplified. Project proposals include adopting more uniform definitions and procedures, more efficient administrative procedures, and new technologies to reduce the burden of tax collection. More information can be found on the project website, www.streamlinedsalestax.org.

[4] A legislative proposal urging a Constitutional amendment to allow the automatic restoration of voting rights for released felons was defeated 18-21 with 5 abstentions.

[5] The legislative package, as amended, passed by 18-4 by a show of hands. All other voting, as indicated, was by paper ballot.

Prior Years