Virginia Public Affairs Group

Mission

Representing Northern Virginia businesses, the Virginia Public Affairs Group (VAPAG) advocates for sound economic and quality of life policies to ensure that Virginia continues to be one of the nation’s best places to do business.

Goals

With participation from member companies representing the broad cross-section of our region’s business community, VAPAG works with state and local elected officials in support of critical issues facing the business community. In 2006, VAPAG will focus on:

  • Transportation improvements, including securing a dedicated funding source for Metro, protecting the Transportation Trust Fund from being raided to pay for other state services, identifying and increasing revenues for transportation improvements, and implementation of HOT lanes; VAPAG will also continue its work in support of critical projects such as widening I66 inside the Beltway, an additional Potomac River crossing, Dulles Rail, Phase 3 of the Route 28 Corridor and a Western Transportation Corridor.
  • Tax reform, including ensuring the competitiveness of Virginia’s government contractors with respect to the application of the state sales tax, repealing the estate tax, and fighting efforts to cap local real estate assessments or allow localities to impose differential tax rates on residential and commercial property.
  • Ensuring higher education in Virginia stays affordable, starting with promoting total funding for base adequacy; expanding and making easier the licensing of intellectual property; greater funding for research and development; and providing increased autonomy for colleges and universities.
  • Health care issues, including increased funding for the Medical Education Campus at the Northern Virginia Community College; implementation of the use of electronic medical record keeping; and making the cost of providing health coverage to employees more affordable.
  • Affordable workforce housing, including the identification and implementation of reasonable incentives to expand the existing supply.
  • Protecting private property rights from condemnation for economic development purposes and preventing localities from being able to stop economic development through the imposition of impact fees or adequate public facilities ordinances.

View full legislative agenda >>

Join

The Virginia Public Affairs Group is open to all members with an interest in Virginia public policy. Becoming involved with VAPAG increases your access and influence with elected officials and policy makers in Virginia, and allows you to have a direct hand in ensuring the economic vibrancy of Virginia moving forward. To join, email Bob Grow.

View VAPAG roster >>

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Committee Members

  • Chair:

    James
    Dyke

    Partner, McGuireWoods LLP

  • Chair:

    John
    Lesinski

    Executive Vice President & Managing Director, Grubb & Ellis Company

Staff:

  • Daniel Flores

    Senior Regional Director, Government Affairs

  • Greater Washington Initiative