Virginia’s sales tax holiday for hurricane and emergency preparedness begins today, May 25, and runs through Monday, May 31.  The holiday helps families and businesses in Virginia prepare for hurricane season and other emergencies by purchasing important supplies tax free.

“In addition to providing a measure of help to people trying to be ready for emergencies in these tough economic times, I hope this holiday will highlight the need for people to be ready and plan for emergencies,” said David, encouraging constituents to visit www.readyvirginia.gov for preparedness information. [Read more...]

On June 15, Democrats have an opportunity to pick up a seat in the House of Delegates that we’d have almost no chance of winning any other time.  Our Democratic nominee, Kai Degner, is a grassroots community organizer who, at age 27 was elected Mayor of Harrisonburg, winning every precinct in the city and receiving more votes than John McCain and Sarah Palin.  For the past two years, he’s been hard at work creating jobs, making government more transparent, increasing citizen involvement, and working toward a more sustainable Harrisonburg.

Now he’s running in the June 15 special election to fill the seat vacated by Republican Matt Lohr, who has accepted a position in the McDonnell Administration.  During a regular election, it would be very difficult for a Democrat to win this heavily Republican district.  However, special elections are different, and the candidate with the best grassroots operation who can target and turnout voters can win.  Mayor Kai Degner is that candidate.  Better still, the Republican candidate has virtually gone into hiding, and there’s an Independent candidate running as an even more conservative alternative to the Republican.  In other words, with your help and support, this could be the perfect storm for an upset victory by a terrific Democrat.

Mayor Kai Degner needs all the help he can get down the home stretch.  Can you please contribute $25, $50, $100, or whatever you can afford right now so he has the resources to win an upset victory on June 15?

Many thanks to everyone who joined us yesterday evening to support the reelection of Congressman Tom Perriello.  After visiting with the assembled guests, Perriello engaged the crowd in a thoughtful public policy discussion and shared his vision for strengthening Virginia and America for the future.

“Tom Perriello is a Democrat with a backbone who is focused on solving problems and making life better for his constituents and for the people of Virginia,” said David.  “For all of the grassroots politics we run out of our home, this is the first time we’ve ever hosted a fundraiser here, and we are incredibly proud that it was for Tom.”

David ducked out early for his own visit with the North Old Town Independent Citizens Civic Association, where he updated them on the General Assembly session and discussed his opposition to offshore drilling and support for offshore wind energy.

Alexandria – Delegate David Englin (D-45) issued the following statement today in response to Gov. Bob McDonnell’s announcement yesterday of new procedures for restoration of voting rights for individuals convicted of non-violent felonies:

While there has been much to criticize lately about the McDonnell Administration, it’s important to give credit where credit is due.  By establishing a timely and more clearly defined process for non-violent ex-offenders seeking to have their rights restored, the Governor’s new policy has the potential make an important step in the right direction.  In retrospect, it’s disappointing that our two previous governors did not implement such a policy, and I congratulate Governor McDonnell on this move.  However, the proof of the McDonnell Administration’s commitment to this issue will be reflected in the numbers of citizens whose rights are restored.  Despite other political differences, I hope we can work together on this issue, and I urge Governor McDonnell to challenge himself and his staff to restore voting rights to more Virginians than his two predecessors combined.

That said, this new policy in no way negates the need for a constitutional amendment that will automatically restore the voting rights of individuals who have already been punished for their crimes.  It’s shameful that Virginia remains one of only two states where a felony conviction results in loss of voting rights for life, even after ex-offenders have served their time and reentered the community.  This law was enacted during the Jim Crow era to suppress African American voting rights, and today it affects about 300,000 Virginians, more than half of whom are African American.  I remain committed to repealing this Jim Crow law and ensuring the right to vote for all Virginians.

[Read more...]

Thursday, May 20, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., David and Shayna — along with Mark Colley, Rob Dugger, Nikki Enfield and Andy Bechhofer, and Tom and Magaly Hirst – are hosting a fundraiser to re-elect Congressman Tom Perriello.  Tom Perriello is a true leader — a Democrat with a backbone — whom Sarah Palin and others are targeting for defeat.  David and Shayna are excited to welcome him to their home (1505 Wayne St, Alexandria – map) and we hope you will come out and show your support.  Tickets start at $100 (with a $35 Young Democrat rate).  Click here for more about Tom, donate and RSVP online here, or RSVP to gro.nilgnedivadnull@ofni or 703-549-3203 and pay at the door.

Alexandria – Delegate David Englin (D-45) issued the following statement today in response to Gov. Bob McDonnell’s appointment of Fred Malek to chair the Governor’s Commission on Government Reform and Restructuring:

While I support the effort to create a top-level commission to recommend policies to reform government, it is deeply disturbing that Governor McDonnell would appoint as its chair Fred Malek, whose history in “reforming” government includes creating lists of Jews serving in government to track and remove from government service, and who in 2008 was found guilty in a $75 million fraud scheme against Connecticut’s state pension fund.  Was there really no more qualified individual in Virginia to lead this panel? How can the Governor justify putting somebody who defrauded a state pension fund in charge of government reform? Has he done anything to disavow and make amends for his previous anti-Semitism?  Otherwise, it’s one more slap in the face from McDonnell to Jewish state employees, coming right on the heels of allowing uniformed state police chaplains to proselytize to Jewish troopers and their families.  These continued missteps from the McDonnell Administration are distractions from the competent and effective governing Virginians expect and deserve.

A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Delegate David Englin is Vice Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus and is serving his third term in the Virginia House of Delegates, where he represents the 45th District, which includes parts of the City of Alexandria, Fairfax County, and Arlington County. He serves on the Finance Committee, the Health, Welfare, and Institutions Committee, and the Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources Committee. For more information, visit http://www.davidenglin.org.

David visited with students in the Liberty’s Promise after school program at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria on Monday.  The students, who are immigrants from a wide variety of countries, are learning about America while preparing to continue their education or enter the workforce after high school.

“It was inspiring to spend some time with such motivated young men and women who are so well informed about current events and who asked such insightful questions,” said David.

Several students shared with David their deep concern about anti-immigrant legislation in Arizona and asked if it was something their families have to be worried about in Virginia.  David noted that the General Assembly’s anti-immigrant fervor has died down the past couple of years, but he shared his concern that the Arizona law will inspire anti-immigrant legislators to promote similar police-state tactic here.  He urged the students to get engaged and make sure their voices are heard.

“You know better than anyone the complexities of our country’s broken immigration system, and hope you will use that knowledge to speak out and become part of the solution,” said David.

The students were interested to learn that, like them, David was born overseas — albeit to American parents in a U.S. military hospital.  One young man asked whether he could run for the General Assembly some day. [Read more...]