Many General Assembly Democrats campaigned on changing the way guns and environmental issues are regulated. Part of that change may mean giving more flexibility to local governments.
Local control. Every county board of supervisors and city council wants more of it. But the way Virginia works, local governments have only the powers the General Assembly gives them and nothing more. So will Democrats be more willing to give local governments authority?
Delegate Danica Roem says probably yes.
“When you’re dealing with more environmentally friendly bills, when you are dealing with a lot more environmental bills where localities are trying to figure out how they can best protect their environment," Roem explains. "I think you’re going to have a very permissive General Assembly as opposed to a more restrictive as we’ve seen.”
She says Democrats will probably give more thought to allowing local governments to regulate guns or set their own minimum wage.
Delegate Paul Krizek says the system has a bunch of restrictions on counties that no longer seem appropriate.
“We’ll certainly be looking at knocking down some financial barriers between cities and towns and counties so they are treated more similarly," says Krizek. "The days when counties were solely rural are certainly over.”
One thing that’s not likely to go anywhere is the Dillon Rule. That’s legal principle that gives the General Assembly the ultimate power to decide what your local government has the power to do and not do.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
