ALEXANDRIA – The Virginia Education Association, Virginia’s largest teachers’ union, announced Friday that it endorses Del. David Englin (D-45) for re-election to the House of Delegates in this year’s November election.

“We stand with those who stand for public education,” said Princess Moss, Chairperson of the VEA Political Action Committee. “The challenges are great, and we believe our recommended candidates will make education a priority.”

“As the father of a son in an Alexandria public school, I am especially honored to have the support of the VEA and the teachers they represent across Virginia. I know first-hand how important teachers are to making sure Virginia’s children receive a first-rate education,” said Englin. “This endorsement is also meaningful to me because my late mother was a public school teacher and a lifelong member of the National Education Association. I will continue to work hard to ensure that in the 45th District and across Virginia teachers are paid what they’re worth and treated as professionals.”

A key part of Englin’s agenda to improve education in Virginia is to raise teachers’ pay to the national average. Despite recent gains, which Englin helped achieve, teachers across the state are still paid more than $5,000 less than the national average.

“If we want Virginia’s public schools to attract and retain the best teachers we need to raise teachers pay to least the national average, or risk losing qualified teachers,” said Englin. “I will continue to work with other education advocates in the General Assembly for state money to help localities close that gap.”

The endorsement — called a “recommendation” in VEA parlance — came from the VEA’s political action committee, which is the union’s political arm and is funded entirely by voluntary contributions of VEA members.

Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) of Alexandria will hold its first commencement ceremony in City Council Chambers, City Hall, 301 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, on May 11, 2007. A dessert reception will follow immediately in the Vola Lawson Lobby of City Hall celebrating the accomplishments of PLTI-Alexandria’s first graduating class.

“Congratulations to this inaugural class of Parent-Leader graduates, and to Joyce Woodson and Fay Slotnick, whose energy and drive have brought this terrific program to our community,” said David.

Mayor Bill Euille and former City Councilwoman Joyce Woodson will award certificates to the 17 city residents who have successfully completed the program.

PLTI of Alexandria, in cooperation with the Connecticut Commission on Children and in partnership with the City of Alexandria and Hopkins House, provides instruction to city residents on topics dealing with community and government structure and related functions, including leadership and advocacy skills. Course participants are required to attend 20 weekly classes, and design a community-based program benefiting children.

“This training initiative has empowered motivated parents to be effective change agents in Alexandria. We are graduating informed people who will use democracy tools to participate more fully in community and school life for the betterment of children,” said Joyce Woodson, former council member. Woodson observed a presentation of
Connecticut’s PLTI program a few years ago and was driven to have Alexandria establish its own branch.

Fay Slotnick, PLTI Program Coordinator said, “It is an incredible privilege being involved with this emerging community of high-performing parent leaders. I look forward to working with alumni and our second cohort group this fall.”

PLTI seeks to enable parents to become leading advocates for children. The curriculum teaches parents who wish to improve the lifelong health, safety and learning of children to become change agents for the next generation.

For further information, please visit the PLTI web site at www.PLTI-ALEX.org or contact Fay Slotnick at gro.XELA-ITLPnull@ofni or 703-739-0233.

David joined hundreds of children and their families at Bucknell Elementary School in Mount Vernon today for the opening ceremonies of the 2007 season of the Alexandria Potomac Little League. After opening remarks and introductions by the organizers, David and each of the other elected officials present threw ceremonial first pitches to a line of Little League catchers.

“Congratulations on the start of the season, and congratulations and thank you to all of the parents and volunteers and organizers who make this happen,” said David. “Play well, have fun, and have a great season.”

Caleb joined David for today’s ceremony, and was especially excited to meet the event’s special guest, Washington Nationals mascot Screech.

The Alexandria Potomac Little League is the oldest Little League organization in Northern Virginia, covering parts of Mount Vernon and Lee in Fairfax County, including all of the Fairfax County parts of the 45th District.

ALEXANDRIA – Delegate David Englin today filed the papers necessary to formally begin his bid for re-election to the House of Delegates. Currently serving his first term representing the 45th District, Englin has already earned a reputation as a strong, effective, progressive leader, whose tireless grassroots approach and year-round devotion to constituent services have solidified his support among constituents and colleagues alike.

“David is clearly one of the rising stars of the General Assembly,” said Delegate Robert H. Brink (D-Arlington). “He can always be counted on to fight for his constituents and for the progressive values of his district, yet he has also built relationships across the aisle that help him deliver on his legislative goals.”

During the 2007 General Assembly session, Englin successfully championed legislation to protect equal rights in hospital visitation, create tools to preserve affordable rental housing, expand minimum wage protections to seniors, expand access to discount prescription drugs, promote energy conservation, and strengthen insurance notification for flood-prone homeowners.

“This past year and a half representing the people of the 45th District has been the greatest honor of my life,” said Englin. “With the help and support of friends and neighbors throughout our community, together we have moved Virginia a little farther along in the direction of progress. I hope my constituents will look at my record of strong, effective, progressive leadership and will re-hire me so that I may continue to serve, so we can continue to fight for progress together.”

Every one of Englin’s General Assembly colleagues from the immediate area announced their support for Englin’s re-election: Delegate Brian J. Moran, Chairman, House Democratic Caucus; Delegate Adam Ebbin; Delegate Robert Brink; Delegate Albert Eisenberg; Delegate Kristen Amundson; Delegate Mark Sickles; Senator Dick Saslaw, Senate Democratic Leader; Senator Patsy Ticer; Senator Mary Margaret Whipple; and Senator Toddy Puller.

The following is a partial list of the General Assembly colleagues from across Virginia who have also announced their support: Delegate Ward Armstrong, House Democratic Leader; Senator Creigh Deeds; Delegate Mamye BaCote; Delegate William Barlow; Delegate Dan Bowling; Delegate David Bulova; Delegate Chuck Caputo; Delegate Rosalyn Dance; Delegate Robert Hull; Delegate Lynwood Lewis; Delegate David Marsden; Delegate Jennifer McClellan; Delegate Donald McEachin; Delegate Kenneth Melvin; Delegate Paula Miller; Delegate Kenneth Plum; Delegate David Poisson; Delegate James Scott; Delegate Stephen Shannon; Delegate James Shuler; Delegate Lionell Spruill; Delegate David Toscano; and Delegate Vivian Watts.

“I’m honored that so many of my colleagues have pledged their support,” said Englin. “I look forward to working together in the weeks and months ahead to deliver hope and progress for the 45th District and for all Virginians.”

Other endorsements from state and local leaders will be announced in the coming days and weeks.

In November 2005, Englin won the 45th District seat with nearly 68 percent of the vote against a Republican opponent. In June 2005, in his first bid for elected office, Englin won a competitive six-way primary for the Democratic nomination to succeed retiring Delegate Marian Van Landingham. The 45th District includes parts of the City of Alexandria, Arlington County, and Fairfax County.

Englin serves on the Privileges and Elections Committee, and the Health, Welfare, and Institutions Committee. He also serves on special joint subcommittees to improve math, science, and technology education and to increase telework opportunities, and he is a member of the Virginia Geographic Information Systems Advisory Board.

Go to www.DavidEnglin.org for more information about Englin and his re-election campaign.

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A packed house of Team Englin volunteers turned out last night to do the hard grassroots work necessary to make sure David again becomes the Democratic nominee and is re-elected this November.

“I’m incredibly honored and grateful that so many people would come out to support our fight for progress,” said David. “With your help taking our message to the voters, I’m confident that the people of the 45th District will re-hire me and allow me to continue to serve.”

By this morning, “Englin for Delegate” signs began springing up in yards in every corner of the 45th District, from Hollin Hills to Beverly Hills, and from Old Town to the public housing projects to Del Ray, Rosemont, and South Arlington.

“The reaction from constituents to the prospect of a primary challenge has been overwhelming,” said David. “I really can’t thank everyone enough for their strong support.”

Snapshot of David’s first day serving in the newly-renovated Capitol, courtesy of Del. Chuck Caputo.

You may recall that the standoff over transportation funding turned last year’s General Assembly session, which was my first as your delegate, into the longest in Virginia’s 400-year history. This year, we finished right on time, but the end result on transportation drove home the old expression about making laws and making sausage — neither is a pretty sight.

After giving Governor Kaine a few weeks to mull over the hundreds of bills we passed during the regular legislative session, the General Assembly met Wednesday to act on his vetoes and amendments. The highlight of the day was my first opportunity to serve in the newly renovated Capitol building. While our temporary home in the Patrick Henry Building served us well, it doesn’t compare with majesty and honor of serving in the Capitol designed by Thomas Jefferson himself, which served as the stage for a long but productive final day of legislative business for the year.

We addressed a handful of controversial issues. I voted in favor of the Governor’s gutsy vetoes of bills that would unnecessarily expand the use of the death penalty. This was not a tough call. Virginia already executes more people than any state but Texas, and I believe that imprisonment until natural death, with no exceptions, should the ultimate punishment for the ultimate crimes. Others feel differently, and the General Assembly overturned all but one of the Governor’s death penalty vetoes. I also voted in favor of the Governor’s amendment to create smoke-free restaurants in Virginia, and I challenged House Majority Leader Del. Morgan Griffith (R-Salem) on the House floor over his absurd claim that people wouldn’t be able to smoke inside hotdog stands. (How does one do anything inside a hotdog stand?)

Throughout the day, we also voted on dozens of non-controversial amendments to legislation where the Governor recommended changes to improve people’s original bills. I’m pleased to say that none of the seven bills I got through as chief patron this year required any changes from the Governor, and all will be signed into law and go into effect on July 1.

Perhaps the top issue of interest to most people was the Governor’s major changes to the ill-considered Republican transportation plan that passed the General Assembly in February. That plan had been developed in secret without consulting Democratic legislators and with very little substantive input from the local officials who would be forced to implement its major provisions. The resulting bill would have raided at least $200 million from schools, public safety, and human services to pave roads, and Northern Virginia would have ended up with a pittance. As you can imagine, I voted against it.

While a simple 10 cents per gallon increase in the gas tax would solve our transportation funding problems and still keep Virginia a very low-tax state, nobody with a loud enough microphone had the courage to make that case to the people. This modest move would bring in well over a billion dollars a year for transportation, would amount to a user fee on our roads, would capture money from out-of-state drivers straining our infrastructure, and would avoid creating whole new bureaucracies to fund transportation.

Instead, Governor Kaine used his broad powers to rewrite the Republican plan, and on Wednesday I cast a difficult vote to accept his compromise. While Northern Virginia still will get only about $80 million a year from the $3 billion in bonds included in the statewide part of the plan, the good news is that those bonds now have a dedicated revenue stream to pay them off, as opposed to pitting money for schools and public safety against repaying bond debt. By actually working with local government leaders instead of ignoring them, we now have a workable regional plan that will likely raise more than $400 million a year that will stay in Northern Virginia.

The toughest pill to swallow (and the reason I have a hard time feeling much joy about the final plan) is that we ended up taking about $65 million a year from the General Fund — money that would otherwise go to schools, public safety, and human services — and using it for transportation. At least this is much smaller than the $250 million raid on the General Fund that House Republicans originally tried to push through. In the end, I voted for it only because the Governor’s amendments mean that instead of using nearly all of that money to pave roads, $45 million each year of that $65 million will go directly to pay for public transit, which disproportionately benefits Northern Virginia and disproportionately benefits the poor, the elderly, and the disabled, as well as our area’s commuters.

The final plan is by no means a victory for our sclerotic transportation infrastructure, as it will only meet about half of the unmet funding need. However, on balance, it’s better than inaction, it’s the best we’re going to get through a General Assembly held hostage by hard-line House Republicans, and it will at least get us through the next few years. If anything, it highlights that fact that these kinds of public policy decisions ultimately are made by the voters in November, and this year will be no different.

Nearly 60 people turned out Saturday to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington to attend the Community Forum on Restorative Justice that David sponsored along with the Alexandria League of Women Voters and Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR) of Alexandria and Arlington.

Phyllis Lawrence, a local restorative justice consultant and advocate, asked David to convene the forum as a way to educate a range of stakeholders about the possibilities of restorative justice and to create dialogue about the issue.

“Phyllis has been kind enough to give me some credit for today’s event, but this really was her brainchild and we owe her our thanks for bringing us all together around this issue,” said David. “It’s clear from the evidence that restorative justice is a smarter approach to demanding accountability from offenders while also better serving victims of crime and working to repair and strengthen the community as a whole. The goal of this forum is to learn, to share ideas, and to see how we might apply some of these approaches to strengthening our Alexandria and Arlington community.”

Attending the forum were a wide range of professionals working in criminal justice, such as prosecution and defense attorneys, probation, parole, corrections, and law enforcement officers, victim advocates, and service providers to victims and offenders and their families. Several area judges and law enforcement representatives also attended.

For more information about restorative justice, click here.