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2018 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 168
Commending the Honorable Richard D. Brown.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 2, 2018
Agreed to by the Senate, February 8, 2018

 

WHEREAS, the Honorable Richard D. Brown, a native of Arlington, earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from The College of William and Mary and a master’s degree in commerce from the University of Richmond; and

WHEREAS, in 1971, Richard “Ric” D. Brown began his public service career as an economist for the Division of State Planning and Community Affairs, where he served as staff to numerous legislative and executive study commissions, including the Revenue Resources and Economic Study Commission, the National and Dulles Airports Acquisition Study Commission, and Governor Linwood Holton’s Task Force on Financing the Standards of Quality in Public Education; and

WHEREAS, while serving as staff to former Governor Holton’s Task Force, Ric Brown was instrumental in the development and adoption of the well-known “Composite Index of Local Ability-to-Pay,” a formula for determining the state and local shares of cost for funding public education that has stood the test of time and has been in use for more than 45 years; and

WHEREAS, in 1976, Ric Brown transferred to the newly created Department of Planning and Budget as a policy analyst dealing with education matters; he later transferred to the research section, where he focused his attention on special studies relating to state and local issues as well as taxation; and

WHEREAS, in 1986, Ric Brown was promoted to budget manager for the Department of Planning and Budget Commerce and Resources Section; in this capacity, he coordinated the development of the Governor’s budget recommendations to the General Assembly for the Commonwealth’s Economic Development and Natural Resources agencies; and

WHEREAS, in 1990, Ric Brown was promoted to the position of Deputy Director for Budgeting, where he was responsible for both internal and external budget development and execution procedures, as well as for the development and publication of the Governor’s Budget Bill and Budget Document; and

WHEREAS, Ric Brown was appointed as director of the Department of Planning and Budget in 2002; and

WHEREAS, Ric Brown was appointed as Secretary of Finance in 2008, just as the United States and Virginia economies began the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, and he served in this capacity for three successive Governors; and

WHEREAS, among his many accomplishments, Ric Brown has received the Gloria Timmer Award for exceptional achievements and career accomplishments from the National Association of State Budget Officers in 2002 and the Lifetime Public Achievement Award from the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs of Virginia Commonwealth University for excellence in Virginia Government in 2005; and

WHEREAS, Ric Brown’s knowledge of state and local government finances, combined with his creative approach to problem solving, was instrumental in addressing the sharp decline in state general fund revenues that resulted in two successive years of negative general fund revenue growth, while maintaining core services and the Virginia Triple A bond rating; and

WHEREAS, Ric Brown’s commitment to public service extends well beyond his state service to community service; he is a three-time past president of the Board of Directors of what is now the Greater Richmond ARC and has served on the board’s Executive Committee; and

WHEREAS, Ric Brown is a true example of a public servant, teacher, and mentor to many, and his legacy is the mentoring and development of many of the Commonwealth’s current and past leaders, including agency heads and cabinet secretaries; his work has improved the Commonwealth and will have a lasting impact for generations to come; and

WHEREAS, Ric Brown’s tradition of growing Virginia leaders will continue through a program he envisioned, the Virginia Management Fellows Program, established to recruit the Commonwealth’s future leaders; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Honorable Richard D. Brown on the occasion of his retirement after 47 years of public service to the Commonwealth; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Honorable Richard D. Brown as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for his many contributions to the Commonwealth and best wishes for a happy retirement.