Transparency News 3/10/17

Friday, March 10, 2017


State and Local Stories

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A new loan agreement submitted by arena developers earlier this week might move forward without a vote by the Virginia Beach City Council, which would mean no public input. The terms of the latest deal to build an Oceanfront sports and entertainment venue include a $150 million loan and $70 million in equity from the developers, according to a city official who has seen the documents but asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of negotiations. The two banks involved have not been publicly disclosed. The city declined The Pilot’s request for a copy of the commitment letter. Because the agreement is similar to the one approved by the council in December 2015, which included $170 million in debt and $40 million in equity from United States Management and its financiers, it may not require a vote by council members.
Virginian-Pilot

A resolution sponsored by Arlington County Civic Federation delegate Suzanne Sundburg passed unanimously at the federation’s March 7 meeting. It calls on Arlington County Board members to: • Consider reverting back to their previous policy of allowing members of the public to “pull” all items off the consent agenda for a full discussion at the board level. Starting with January’s meeting, restrictions were placed on the public’s ability to do so. • Adopt a rule requiring that all “critical supporting documents” for all matters to be considered at board meetings be posted on the county government’s Web site at least 72 hours in advance of meetings, unless at least four of the five board members vote to waive the rule on a per-item basis.
Inside NOVA

Some opponents of Rep. Scott Taylor are crying foul that the Virginia Beach Republican is blocking their comments on his personal Facebook page. It’s true that some people’s comments or postings are removed, but Taylor is well within his rights to do so, his political director, Scott Weldon, said Wednesday. Democrats aren’t allowed to “rabble-rouse” on the legislator’s personal page, Weldon said.
Virginian-Pilot



Editorials/Columns

ACCESSIBILITY to public information has long been a matter of legislative give and take, and during the recent session of the General Assembly, that’s exactly what Virginians got. While there can be partisan disagreement about how much access to its government’s work the public needs or deserves, party does not apply when a constituent believes access to information is being arbitrarily denied. There were a variety of bills this year that dealt with providing or restricting information, but a key issue involves the legislature itself, in particular some committees of the House of Delegates. In the majority of cases when bills are killed, House subcommittees don’t record their votes, opting instead for a “voice vote,” which means delegates are able to vote in virtual anonymity. For elected officials who believe their constituents might be divided on a given issue, the voice vote is the ideal way to avoid being tagged with voting one way or the other.
Free Lance-Star

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