Governor Delivers Final State of Commonwealth Address

Jobs, education and transportation appear to be the top priorities of Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, who delivered his annual State of the Commonwealth address last evening before members of the General Assembly in Richmond. The Governor exhorted lawmakers to embrace his education and transportation reforms, proposing giving teachers their first state supported pay raise since 2007. He also referred to a three-point-one-billion dollar transportation plan announced Tuesday which vows to replace Virginia’s 17 1/2-cents-per-gallon gasoline tax with a small increase in the state’s 5 percent general sales tax to replenish highway maintenance funds.