It is a great honor to write the Foreword to the University of Richmond Law Review\u27s Annual Survey of Virginia Law for the second successive year. The University of Richmond has consistently been one of the finest institutions of higher education not only in Virginia, but throughout the United States. The Law School shares that proud tradition, and so does this Survey, which is now in its seventeenth year of publication

Gilmore, James S., III

English

University of Richmond

University of Richmond Law ReviewVolume 35 | Issue 3 Article 32001Moving Virginia Into the Forefront of Innovationand ProgressJames S. Gilmore IIIFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.richmond.edu/lawreviewPart of the Law CommonsThis Introduction is brought to you for free and open access by the Law School Journals at UR Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted forinclusion in University of Richmond Law Review by an authorized editor of UR Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contactscholarshiprepository@richmond.edu.Recommended CitationJames S. Gilmore III, Moving Virginia Into the Forefront of Innovation and Progress, 35 U. Rich. L. Rev. (2001).Available at: http://scholarship.richmond.edu/lawreview/vol35/iss3/3FOREWORDMOVING VIRGINIA INTO THE FOREFRONT OFINNOVATION AND PROGRESSThe Honorable James S. Gilmore, III*It is a great honor to write the Foreword to the University ofRichmond Law Review's Annual Survey of Virginia Law for thesecond successive year. The University of Richmond has consis-tently been one of the finest institutions of higher education notonly in Virginia, but throughout the United States. The LawSchool shares that proud tradition, and so does this Survey,which is now in its seventeenth year of publication.In the following pages, you will read articles from a host of ac-complished legal scholars, experts, and practitioners. They havewritten on topics ranging from corporate and business law tocriminal law and environmental law. These works, which are theaccumulation of decades of legal experience, are both insightfuland useful.As for my contribution to this survey, I begin by highlightingsome of the most important pieces of legislation enacted in Vir-ginia this past year. Additionally, I discuss how these laws haveempowered Virginia's citizens to improve the Commonwealth'squality of life. Ultimately, enhancing the state's standard of livingis my goal as chief steward of the Virginia state government.In 1787, Thomas Jefferson wrote to James Madison, "Above allthings, I hope the education of the common people will be at-* Governor of Virginia, 1998-present, Attorney General of Virginia, 1994-1998.B.A., 1971, University of Virginia; J.D., 1977, University of Virginia.UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND LAW REVIEWtended to, convinced that on their good sense we may rely withthe most security for the preservation of a due degree of liberty."This is an enduring principle of our Founding Fathers and onethat Virginians uphold two-and-a-quarter centuries later.Education has been a top priority of my administration. We arespending $1.2 billion more each year on K-12 education-an in-crease of thirty-five percent. We hired 4,000 new teachers to re-duce class sizes and kept the long-standing promise to dedicateall lottery profits to public schools. Further, these resources wereutilized with one goal in mind-implementing high academicstandards so that no child is left behind in a failing school.Thanks to the hard work of students, parents, teachers, admin-istrators, and school board members, we are succeeding by virtu-ally all measures. According to the test known as the "Nation'sReport Card," our fourth graders demonstrated greater improve-ment on math scores than every state but one, and our eighthgraders demonstrated greater improvement than every state buttwo.The most compelling proof that Virginia's policy of educationalaccountability is succeeding is evident in the results of this year'sStandards of Learning (SOL) tests. Compared with the results oftests given in the spring of 2000, the performance of Virginia'sstudents in 2001 increased on twenty-five of the twenty-eightSOL tests taken by elementary, middle, and high school students.Since the first year of SOL testing in 1998, student achievementhas increased on all tests, including double-digit increases ontwenty-three of the assessments. Moreover, the achievement ofAfrican-American students on the tests increased significantly,especially in mathematics and history. This progress should makeevery Virginian proud; our continued devotion to accountabilityand high academic standards is ensuring that every child in Vir-ginia earns a quality education.Just as we have approached education in a new way, we haveimplemented major reforms to innovate Virginia's transportationsystem. This year, we passed laws and took executive action toadvance new contracting methods such as design-build, expandthe use of the Public-Private Transportation Act, and ensure thatcontractors complete their work in accordance with environ-mental laws and regulations. In fact, we have implemented 120[Vol. 35:xiMOVING VIRGINIA INTO THE FOREFRONTreforms at the Virginia Department of Transportation. Also, wehave boosted transportation funding by ninety-six percent state-wide and 117 percent in northern Virginia.The result of these reforms and funding increases is that moreroad construction projects are underway now than at any time inour history. Obviously, that has had a tremendous impact on ourhighway department. Thus, one may conclude that these projectsare taking longer to complete. In fact, they are not. Roads are be-ing built nine to twelve months faster than in the past, and Vir-ginia's taxpayers are saving hundreds of millions of dollars. Ourtransportation system is full speed ahead into the 21st century.When I campaigned for Governor, I pledged to make Virginia aglobal information technology leader. The opportunity to em-power individuals through the use of information technology isgreater now than at any other time in history. It has been mygoal to put Virginia at the center of this revolution.We created the first Secretary of Technology in the nation, de-veloped the most comprehensive Internet policy in the world, andlaunched the first state portal that citizens can tailor to their owninformation needs. This year, we established the Virginia Re-search and Technology Advisory Commission. The commission isworking to enable Virginia colleges and universities to leveragestate funds for both federal and private research, and develop-ment grants. These initiatives have fostered a climate in whichtechnology has blossomed in state government and throughoutthe Commonwealth. Today, state and industry leaders from thefarthest reaches of the globe know Virginia as the Digital Domin-ion.Clearly, education, transportation, and technology empowerpeople to improve their quality of life. Tax relief can have a simi-lar effect by enabling people to save for college education, to in-vest in small businesses, or to buy items as basic as school clothesfor children. Tax relief must be an even greater priority duringthis time of economic uncertainty.This year, we continued the phase out of the car tax in full andon time. The Personal Property Tax Relief Act is the largest taxcut in state history, but it is only one of the sixteen tax cuts wehave enacted over the last three years. When all of the tax cutsare fully implemented, the citizens and businesses of Virginia will2001]UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND LAW REVIEWbe paying $1.6 billion less in taxes than they were four years ago.This money empowers our people with financial freedom and en-sures that our economy continues to grow and prosper.As a candidate for Governor, I pledged to create 250,000 newjobs by the end of this administration. To date, 275,000 new jobshave been created-25,000 more than originally anticipated.These numbers are even more impressive when one considersVirginia's overall economic performance. For instance, in May,northern Virginia's job growth was 5.1 percent-the highest ratein the nation. In July, our statewide unemployment rate droppedto 2.9 percent-well below the national average of 4.7 percent.Furthermore, Site Selection magazine recently ranked Virginia'seconomic development as one of the top ten in the nation.During the first three quarters of 2001, Virginia's economy con-tinued to grow despite the pressure of a slowing national andglobal economy. We worked hard to create jobs, attract invest-ment, and encourage existing businesses to expand. We cut taxes,reduced red tape, and provided billions of dollars for education tobolster our pro-business environment.One of Virginia's greatest triumphs during the last four yearshas been the twenty-one percent reduction in violent crime. Fur-thermore, many effective criminal justice laws were enacted lastyear, and they are now beginning to show results.Drug dealers and their networks are feeling the weight of oneof the most aggressive drug enforcement programs in the coun-try-SABRE. Since the establishment of SABRE in July 2000, theState Police have made nearly 10,600 arrests and seized ap-proximately $138 million in illegal drugs, cash, and weaponswhile assisting 177 local, regional, and federal authorities.In addition to cracking down on illegal drugs, we stiffened pen-alties for criminals who carry illegal guns. Under our Virginia Ex-ile program, 160 felons have been convicted of possessing illegalguns and sent to prison for a minimum of five years. The programis now active in ten communities throughout Virginia and hasserved as model for other states.Whether it is illicit drugs or illegal guns, we have taken stepsto reduce crime in our communities. Thanks to this leadershipand the devotion of countless law enforcement professionals, Vir-[Vol. 35:;dMOVING VIRGINIA INTO THE FOREFRONTginia's overall crime rate dropped to its lowest level in a quartercentury.The terrorist attack on September 11 was undoubtedly the de-fining event of 2001. Although no state could have fully preparedfor that situation, Virginia has developed plans to address theterrorist threat. In May 1999, I issued Executive Order 41, whichestablished a statewide plan to provide a coordinated response toa terrorist attack on Virginia soil. That same month, by ExecutiveMemorandum, I established the Governor's Task Force on Do-mestic Preparedness. Its members were drawn from my cabinet,the State Police, the National Guard, and personnel in emergencymanagement, health, transportation, agriculture, informationtechnology, and environmental quality.It is important that both our government and our communitiesare prepared to respond to a potential terrorist attack. For thatreason, I created the Virginia Preparedness and Security Panel,which includes men and women from the business and educationcommunities, local emergency responders, and legislators. Thepanel will submit its report by the end of November and may rec-ommend legislative action for the 2002 Session of the General As-sembly.Currently our primary focus is preventing future terrorist at-tacks and ensuring the prosperity of the state economy. However,we should not let terrorists take away from the many accom-plishments of the people of Virginia in 2001: the largest road-building program in state history; the largest tax cut in state his-tory; the lowest crime rate in a quarter century; the lowest un-employment rate in nearly a half century; the sixth-best educatedstate in the nation; the seventh largest hi-tech state in the nation;and an inclusive society that has turned the divisions of the pastinto a common destiny for all Virginians.Virginia has always risen to even the most difficult challenges.We have done so for two-and-a-quarter centuries, and we are do-ing so now. We must pull together and dedicate our energy to pro-tecting Virginia's citizens from potential terrorist attacks. Atstake is nothing less than the rights and liberties for which gen-erations of Americans have willingly laid down their lives on bat-tlefields at home and abroad. The war against terrorism can bewon, and by the grace of God, and the enduring spirit of this na-tion, it will be won.2001]

Moving Virginia Into the Forefront of Innovation and Progress

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Moving Virginia Into the Forefront of Innovation and Progress

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