It's Time for 'Cinco de Surovell,' Annual Democratic Fundraiser

This year's event is Saturday, May 4, at Fort Hunt Park. Last year's event raised $30,000.

Grab your sombrero, it's time once again for Cinco de Surovell, the annual fundraiser event organized by Del. Scott Surovell, a Democrat who represents the 44th District in the General Assembly. Tickets for the fundraiser range from "Amigo" status, at $25, to "El Presidente," at $5,000. This year's event will be the fourth annual fundraiser, scheduled for Saturday, May 4 from 1-3 p.m. at Fort Hunt Park, at Pavilion B. Fort Hunt Park is located at 8999 Fort Hunt Road. Saturday's weather forecast, according to The Weather Channel is for "mostly sunny" skies and a high of 68 degrees. See the photo gallery from 2012's Cinco de Surovell event. The fundraiser in the past has featured Mexican food, Tejano music and beer as well as visits with …

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Constituents Corner

Del. Scott Surovell's End-of-Session Report

Del. Scott Surovell cast 2,000 votes in this session for the 44th district.

Now that the 2013 session of the General Assembly’s work has been completed, except for the April 3 veto session, I will continue my report on several measures. I have already covered the transportation legislation and Medicaid .  I cast 2,000 votes in this session for our district. Six bills that I authored or was chief co-patron for await the Governor’s signature, along with three budget amendments. Three of my bills were referred to study commissions. Last year, we passed legislation that required voters to present some form of identification. This included a social security card, voter registration card, utility bill, bank statement or paycheck. The General Assembly this year approved a bill that deleted all of these  and requires a …

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New State Budget Brings Steps to Expand Medicaid

More than 9,000 children in the 44th District receive their healthcare from Medicaid.

Last week, I wrote about the transportation legislation that passed the General Assembly.  The other major policy change this session was the expansion of Medicaid.  This was especially critical for the 44th District. Medicaid is a federal-state health insurance program for low-income and disabled people.  It is also the only provider of long-term nursing care for many Americans, since Medicare coverage and coverage by most private insurance policies is quite limited.  Virginia has one of the most restrictive Medicaid programs in the United States — you have to be very poor to be eligible.  Most rankings put Virginia at 48th in Medicaid expenditures and 7th in per capita income.  In other words, we are a relatively wealthy state and we do …

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Scott Surovell

11:14 pm on Thursday, March 7, 2013

Kari That's correct. The question is largely whether we take this money on the table or let it go to the other states. I'm pretty sure most of my constituents would like to take this money rather than allow Virginia's money to go to other jurisdictions. Chris Christie, Rick Scott and John Kasich reached the same conclusion after studying it.   more ›

The Final Stretch: Progress on U.S. 1, Transportation Negotiations and School Reform

As we move to the end of the General Assembly session, we are engaged in intense negotiations on the major issues. Also, we have had significant progress on U.S. 1.

Earlier this session, Senator Puller and I culminated four years of work to build support for a U.S. 1 study when the McDonnell Administration confirmed that it is holding $2 million to fund the next U.S. 1 improvement study. Last week, I met with over a dozen state, local and regional stakeholders here in Richmond to discuss the next steps on planning U.S. 1 improvements. The study will have several elements. It will likely focus on the stretch of U.S. 1 from the Occoquan River to Alexandria’s southern boundary. Second, there is a consensus that we must consider all modes of transit – Metrorail, light rail and bus rapid transit. Third, it will be based on the regional population, employment and household forecasts maintained by the …

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Constituents Corner

New Virginia Currency, Crossover, Transportation and the State Budget

Del. Surovell provides an update from Richmond.

Last week in the General Assembly we hit “Crossover” on Tuesday – the day that each body must complete all work on their own bills.  On Monday, I was in the capitol building from 7:30 a.m. until our session ended around 9 p.m.  That day, the House of Delegates passed legislation dedicating $17,440 of taxpayer funds to study the creation of a Virginia currency in case the Federal Reserve System fails. It passed on a mostly party-line vote.  Minutes later, we also passed legislation condemning the United Nations’ Agenda 21 which the U.N. adopted  in 1992. The bill describes Agenda 21 as a “radical plan of purported ‘sustainable development’ [that] envisions the American way of life of private property ownership, single-family homes, and …

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Study for Virginia Currency Gets House Approval

Preparing for U.S. monetary collapse, proposal from Del. Bob Marshall would weigh need for Commonwealth's own gold and silver coins.

A measure introduced by local Del. Bob Marshall (R-Manassas) to study a Virginia currency is now in front of the state Senate after approval from the House of Delegates on Monday. The House voted, 65-32, for the study of a metallic-based monetary unit in the event the U.S. dollar crumbles. Read the entire bill, as approved by the House. Del. Scott Surovell (D-44th), Del. Mark Sickles (D-43rd) and Del. Vivian Watts (D-39th) voted against the bill. According to the bill, the committee would meet four times this year to "consider recommendations for legislation, with respect to the need, means and schedule for establishing a metallic-based monetary unit to serve as a contingency currency for the Commonwealth." The bill sets the maximum cost …

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Constituents Corner

A Week of Sunshine, Online Textbooks and Car Title Lenders

Del. Scott Surovell presented twelve bills, cast about three hundred votes at four different committee hearings and two floor sessions during a two-day span last week.

Last week in the General Assembly was a busy one.  I have introduced 15 bills, three constitutional amendments, one study resolution, seven budget amendments, and I am Chief Co-Patron on four bills.  In two days, I presented twelve bills, cast about three hundred votes at four different committee hearings and two floor sessions. As a child of the 80s, it’s more like the late stages of Atari Missile Command. Three of my bills were referred to study commissions.  One would require the State Corporation Commission (SCC) to abide by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).  The SCC is an independent agency that regulates Virginia utilities, insurance, securities and corporations.   My legislation to allow real estate brokers to determine who can…

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Constituents Corner

Transportation Solution Debate Begins in Richmond

Del. Surovell discusses Gov. McDonnell's transportation plan.

Governor McDonnell’s transportation proposal dominated the first three days of session. I welcome this long-overdue debate.  The improvement of Route 1 is exactly the kind of project that has been stalled because of the lack of state money because it cannot be tolled or cannot be improved by a public-private partnership.  It will only happen with real money from new tax revenue. Virginia’s gas tax, one of the lowest in the nation, has been at 17.5 cents since 1985.  As roads crumble and Metro struggles to move more passengers, Virginians cannot expect to have a reliable transportation system without infusing more funds.  This means we all have to face up to increasing the gas tax.  The preliminary results of my constituent survey are that …

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Constituents Corner

Movie Star Tax Credits, A Gay Judge and the Session Ends

A summary of the 2012 legislative session.

Well, it’s over. The 2012 General Assembly ended on May 15, 2012 at 2:00 a.m. after a 13-hour House of Delegates’ session involving 117 of Governor Bob McDonnell’s amendments and the election of 40 judges. It was a fitting end to a very contentious session. The day was not without controversy. This year, we authorized a bonus and raises for state employees for the first time in five years to be funded with unanticipated revenues.  These state employees include state troopers, corrections employees and people who work for the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC), Department of Transportation (VDOT), judges, court clerks, game wardens, and colleges. On a zero to 95 vote, the House of Delegates rejected the …

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