Governor’s Transportation Plan Hits Roadblock

Funding package was derailed by Virginia Senate Democrats late Tuesday, though the House version of the legislation still has a chance for approval.

By Whitney Spicer and Alix Hines, Capital News Service  All 20 of Virginia's Democratic senators — including Vienna-area Sens. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax) and Janet Howell (D-Reston) — voted against Gov. Bob McDonnell's transportation plan late Tuesday, effectively blocking the Senate's version of the proposal for this legislative session. The move makes it less likely Gov. Bob McDonnell will pass a transportation package in his last year in office. While the House amended and approved a version of the plan, HB 2313, earlier Tuesday, sending it to the Senate Finance Committee, Senate Democrats "vowed to block any proposal that generated less than $1.2 billion a year in new roads money," the Washington Examiner reports. That opposition is …

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Fairfax Flags at Half-Staff for John Petersen

He passed away last week of a heart attack.

Longtime city resident, former council member and beloved professor John Petersen passed away at 71 last week.  Petersen dedicated his life to his community. He moved to Fairfax City in 1966 and remained there until he died of a heart attack on April 4. During his time within the city limits Petersen served on city council, Economic Development Authority and taught public policy at George Mason University. His students reacted to the loss with sadness and fond memories. Read some of their thoughts here. "Dr. Petersen was a fine professor, warm and engaging colleague, and most important of all, enthusiastic about his students, SPP, and his field," wrote Susan Tolchin, a public policy professor at GMU. "He was widely-respected by economic …