Category: Governor

Additional State Budget Cuts Affect Mason

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine announced on Tuesday more details of the additional budget cuts that he had previously promised.

“We did do reductions to higher [education]. The net reductions to higher [education] on average… is about a 7.7 percent reduction to higher [education] That amount is slightly over $100 million,” said Kaine during the announcement. “We do believe, based on our discussions with the higher [education] institutions that they will be able to manage to this.”

According to Dan Walsch, George Mason University press secretary, Mason will be hit with an eight percent cut which will translate to $17.5 million. “It’s significant,” said Walsch. “We will spread it out as much as we can. That doesn’t mean it will be mathematically even but we’ll try to be even handed.”

When asked if the cut would mean layoffs, Walsch said, “I don’t think so, but it probably will mean some realignment, reorganization, perhaps combining programs. In terms of out and out layoffs, I doubt it but [the cut] is significant.

Below is video of Kaine’s full budget cuts announcement.

Photo by flickr user World Resources.

Photos: Creigh Deeds at Mason

Deeds at George Mason University

McDonnell Master’s Thesis Causes Big Stir

9:09 p.m.

Sunday’s Washington Post article detailing a Bob McDonnell thesis written in 1989 has caused a stir across the state. The paper, which was written for McDonnell’s master’s in public policy and law degree, was titled “The Republican Party’s Vision for the Family: The Compelling Issue of the Decade.”

According to a politico.com article, in an afternoon phone press conference, McDonnell insisted that he has changed his views on many social issues. Politico.com quotes him as saying “I think it’s unfortunate, but not surprising…that [Deeds] would turn to the divisive social issues to try to drive some enthusiasm for his campaign,” McDonnell said. “Senator Deeds, and I think this is the reason he is insisting on social issues on his campaign, has one of the worst records in recent Virginia history with supporting jobs and free enterprise.”

The Democrat Party of Virginia has also weighed in on the issue by releasing an ad bashing McDonnell for his thesis. The ad is set to scary music and as The Washington Post’s Rosalind Helderman writes “clips of puppies playing in a meadow would be frightening if set to the music used in this video.”

Initial McDonnell press release: Virginia Women Respond to Latest Deeds Attack

See what Mark Rozell, George Mason University political science professor, says about this.

Mason Votes will continue to update this story with the latest news.

Biography of Creigh Deeds

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Creigh Deeds is the democratic candidate for Governor of Virginia. Born in Richmond, Virginia in 1958, he received his undergraduate degree in 1980 from Concord University and then received a law degree from Wake Forest University in 1984. From 1988 to 1992, he was a prosecutor in Bath County and was elected in 1991 to the House of Delegates representing the 18th District. In 2002, Deeds began his career in the Virginia Senate, representing the 25th District, after winning a special election to fill the seat of Emily Couric who died of pancreatic cancer in 2001. In 2005, Deeds ran against republican Bob McDonnell for Attorney General but lost by 323 votes.

Deeds and his wife Pam have four children.

Photo by flickr user KentonNgo.

Biography of Bob McDonnell

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Bob McDonnell, 55, is the republican candidate for Governor of Virginia. According to his campaign website, McDonnell was raised in Fairfax County, graduated from Notre Dame in 1976 with a degree in management on a ROTC scholarship. He entered the Army and while stationed in Germany, he earned a masters in business administration from Boston University. After retiring from active duty in 1981, McDonnell moved to Atlanta to work for American Hospital Supply Corporation.

At Regent University, in Virginia Beach, McDonnell simultaneously earned a masters in public policy and communication and a law degree while working for the Virginia Pilot. In 1991, he was elected to the House of Delegates representing the 84th District. Then, in 2005, he ran against democrat Creigh Deeds for Attorney General and won by 323 votes.

McDonnell and his wife Maureen have five children.