GOVERNOR'S VETO

GOVERNOR'S VETO 6/9/2006

I have signed House Bill 5012, the appropriation bill for the remainder of the 2004 - 2006 biennium, with two item vetoes. My two item vetoes deal with the $4.5 million reduction in funding to the Virginia Performing Arts Foundation and the demolition of the Eighth Street Office Building, both of which I objected to previously. My item vetoes will prevent these two actions from taking place.

As matter of explanation, I returned House Bill 5012 to the House of Delegates on May 30, 2006, with one item veto and one requested amendment. By majority vote, the House decided that my proposed amendment was not specific and severable, pursuant to Section 6(b)(iii), Article V of the Constitution, and returned House Bill 5012 to the Appropriations Committee to further act on it.

The reenrolled House Bill 5012 now before me, as subsequently passed by both the House of Delegates and the Senate, adds one new amendment for the personal property (car tax) relief program with which I agree. The reenrolled bill does not deal with either of the two items that I originally vetoed or proposed to amend.

Section 6(b)(iii), Article V of the Constitution defines my power to deal with legislation returned to me from the General Assembly during a session. Thus, the options I have with regard to the two items to which I originally objected, are limited. I can item veto or accept them as they are now before me.

Accordingly, I have chosen the first option – to veto these two line items. My action will preserve my previous position to eliminate the item that proposes a $4.5 million reduction in funding to the Virginia Performing Arts Foundation. A veto will also prevent the demolition of the Eighth Street Office Building in the absence of a plan to replace that building. It is my hope that such a plan can be addressed in the 2006 - 2008 budget bill, now before the General Assembly, so that progress on the revitalization of the Eighth Street Office Building site can proceed in a timely manner.

GOVERNOR'S VETO 6/6/2006 [No further Action Taken]

I approve the general purpose of this bill, but I am returning it without my approval, including an item veto (Item 531) and a request that an amendment be made to Item C-1.05.

Governor’s Veto

Item 531

The General Assembly proposes to remove $4.5 million from the $8.5 million appropriation  awarded to the Virginia Performing Arts Foundation in Chapter 951 of the Acts of Assembly of 2005.

Although the project has been scaled back since the grant was first awarded, its current scope remains consistent with the description of expenses contained within the original grant application form, namely “renovation and construction of a performing acts center in downtown Richmond.”  As long as the funding continues to be utilized for this purpose, there appears to be no need for its reduction.  Any such action would result in the Virginia Performing Acts Center being treated differently from other nonstate grant recipients that have had changes in construction design but remain consistent with their original grant descriptions.

Therefore, I veto this item.