GOVERNOR'S VETO

Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto Senate Bill 1308, relating to acreage requirements for eligible sites for Virginia Business Ready Sites Program Fund.

The Senate's failure to adopt my proposed amendments, which would have permitted localities without a contiguous 100-acre site to apply for business-ready site funds, jeopardizes the effectiveness of such funding.

It is critical for the Commonwealth to maintain its focus on larger sites and to attract companies that will bring about transformational job growth to various regions. My amendments, which struck a fair compromise, would have ensured that localities prioritize larger sites.

I encourage the legislature to pass legislation that provides smaller localities with greater flexibility in the use of state funds while preventing an unfair advantage to localities with greater resources.

Accordingly, I veto this bill.

GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION

I approve the general purpose of this bill, but I am returning it without my signature with the request that the attached Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (23107735D) be accepted.