Welcome to FIVE FOR FRIDAY: A weekly roundup of Public Policy Issues and Headlines. In this Issue: 1. Va. economy ‘pretty darn good’ as state revenues surge 2. Amazon, Google make dueling nuclear investments to power data centers with clean energy 3. Fairfax supervisor Pat Herrity mulls GOP run for lieutenant governor 4. U.S. Justice Department sues Virginia over program aimed at eliminating voters 5. A Trump victory could reconfigure Falls Church’s legislative priorities.
Va. economy ‘pretty darn good’ as state revenues surge
By MICHAEL MARTZ, Richmond Times-Dispatch
Virginia’s economy is generating big returns for the state’s treasury. State revenues surged last month, powered by first-quarter estimated income tax payments. They raised total tax collections by more than $600 million since July 1, compared with both the same period last year and the forecast that Gov. Glenn Youngkin used to shape the two-year budget he presented in December.
Amazon, Google make dueling nuclear investments to power data centers with clean energy
By ALEXA ST. JOHN AND JENNIFER MCDERMOTT, Associated Press
Amazon on Wednesday said that it was investing in small nuclear reactors, coming just two days after a similar announcement by Google, as both tech giants seek new sources of carbon-free electricity to meet surging demand from data centers and artificial intelligence. The plans come as the owner of the shuttered Three Mile Island nuclear power plant said last month it plans to restart the reactor so tech giant Microsoft can buy the power to supply its data centers. All three companies have been investing in solar and wind technologies, which make electricity without producing greenhouse gas emissions. Now they say they need to go further in the search for clean electricity to meet both demand and their own commitments to cut emissions.
Fairfax supervisor Pat Herrity mulls GOP run for lieutenant governor
By MICHAEL MARTZ, Richmond Times-Dispatch
Longtime Fairfax County supervisor Pat Herrity is considering a run for lieutenant governor next year, as the potential field of Republican candidates is starting to take shape after Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears’ announcement last month that she is running for governor. Herrity is a five-term supervisor for the Springfield District who was steeped in local and state government politics as the son of Jack Herrity, who served on the board for 16 years …
U.S. Justice Department sues Virginia over program aimed at eliminating voters
By DAVID NAKAMURA, Washington Post
The Justice Department on Friday sued Virginia over a state program that prosecutors said systematically sought to remove people from voting rolls too close to the Nov. 5 elections and improperly included some citizens who are eligible to cast a ballot. The move signaled that federal authorities are stepping up their enforcement actions around voting rights, coming two weeks after prosecutors filed a similar suit against the state of Alabama. In Virginia, prosecutors say Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) signed an executive order in early August directing the state Elections Department to make daily updates to state voter rolls. … Responding to the lawsuit, Youngkin accused the Biden administration of being “politically motivated” and vowed to fight the legal action “with every resource available to us.”
A Trump victory could reconfigure Falls Church’s legislative priorities
By SCOTT MCCAFFREY, ArlNow
The prospect of a Donald Trump presidential-election victory could bring Falls Church leaders back to the drawing board when it comes to developing their 2025 legislative priorities. But they will have a small window of opportunity: Election Day is Nov. 5 and the City Council is expected to review its draft 2025 legislative package on Nov. 11. Should the Republican win, some Northern Virginia leaders fear efforts will be made to dismantle the federal government’s size and scope, which could have a major trickle-down impact on the local economy.