VCC Magazine Winter 2020

V irginia C apitol C onnections , W inter 2020 11 And women can, and I believe will, address issues unique to women—frompassing the Equal RightsAmendment, to guaranteeing equal pay for women, to making it easier for women to report sexual assault. Many believe that women are better at working across the aisle and developing compromises to get things done. I certainly hope that is true. Virginia and the nation are facing significant issues, from establishing budgets to passing responsible gun legislation—I look forward to watching our female legislators roll up their sleeves and get things done. It will be particularly exciting to watch Speaker- Elect Filler-Corn guide the process. But the biggest benefit of more female representation may be that these women become valuable role models for our daughters and Huge Progress In Five Years from page 9 likely to engage in posturing for position. They’ll argue strongly for their ideas, but they want to come to a decision and move on.” Delegate Vivian Watts (HD 39), the new chair of the House Finance Committee, has served in the House for 28 years, the longest of any woman. She remembers when the only bathroom for women legislators was a long hallway away from the Chamber, when the lounge next to the House floor (where many deals were negotiated) was off limits to women, and when she was informed that she needed permission to wear pants when the House was in session. In her 2018 welcoming remarks to the large new group of women legislators, Watts expressed her “appreciation for what makes the core of any woman especially tough…they have to reach deep to know who they truly are…These women are strong, but they’re also acutely aware of the plight of others”. The current women leaders in the House and Senate, regardless of party affiliation, have not achieved their current positions without experiencing the sting of being underestimated, discounted or dismissed somewhere along the way. They are therefore more likely to be empathetic and open to the possibility that the voice Women of the Past and Present from page 9 that has been ignored may herald a solution they hadn’t contemplated. When Sarah Lee Fain and Helen T. Henderson left for Richmond in 1924, women had only recently achieved the right to vote. They must have been filled with trepidation, keenly aware of the high expectations placed on them despite the limitations that society imposed on them. But as so many women had done before them and would continue to do to this day, they brushed off their flower petals, raised their heads high, and blazed a trail for countless women to follow. So, what will the new “women’s leadership” look like? It will look a lot like leadership: principled, collaborative, and solution-oriented. It will also feature clarity, decisiveness, and forbearance. Yes, there will be legislative battles, because there will be issues worth fighting for. But from time immemorial, women have always been in the business of “getting ready”, of “being prepared” even against tough odds. Their important talent is knowing that even with the best armor, not all victories are achieved in a Coliseum. Margaret Vanderhye of McLean, Virginia, served as the Delegate for the 34th House District from 2008 to 2010. granddaughters. Not only will it encourage young women to serve in government, but it will signal to them that there are no boundaries in any field. While women have made great strides in the past five years, there is still have a long way to go to reach parity. For example, Virginia has had only one female statewide elected official, and that was Mary Sue Terry who served as Attorney General two decades ago. Representation by women is not a “won and done.” It will take continued diligence to support and encourage women to serve in elected office. I hope you will join me in making that effort a priority. Jody Wagner is from Virginia Beach and served as state treasurer of Virginia and as Virginia Secretary of Finance in the Kaine administration. of their address, can receive a high-quality education to enter the world of work. During the 2019 General Assembly, we addressed the teachers shortage by taking the right steps toward increasing teacher's salary towards the national average , which was the intent of my HB 2332. However, during this 2020 General Assembly session, our priorities will continue to be early childhood education, college affordability and better broadband accessibility for rural communities. I am looking forward to a successful and productive 2020 General Assembly Session and Virginia will continue to be one of the best states to raise a child and do business. Delegate Vivian Watts I’m excited to have the opportunity to Chair House Finance Committee. It brings me full circle to the tax research I focused on in my first decade and a half out of college. Many professional doors were closed to women at that time, but this gave me the great gift of setting my own agenda in active citizen involvement. The needs of our schools, mental health, environmental protection, and providing infrastructure all pushed me to focus on how basic government responsibilities could be paid for. Setting my own agenda, I could follow facts wherever they led on who is impacted by each tax, judge for myself the rationale of any given “loophole,” weigh what is prudent enforcement versus red-tape. I concluded there is no fair tax. I can argue against each one. What we must strive for is a fair tax system. As Finance Chair, I look forward to robust examination of a number of key issues: How does dependence on the real estate tax effect local services, address non-residents, and relate to ability to pay. The challenge of achieving fairness across economic classes was underscored in the state income tax debates of last Session. The recent focus on tax preferences will continue to enlighten accountable policy decisions. Obviously, I could go on! Suffice it to say, I’m grateful for the opportunity to foster open, inclusive dialogue on the broad impact of our state and local tax system. A New Day Reigns in the Old Dominion continued from previous page I do not fear the new majority. I am concerned only when opinions are ignored and constituents voices are not heard. Near the end of my seven year legislative career, when members had an opportunity to move to different seats on the House floor, I purposely picked the middle of my row, right where the Democrat and Republican seats met. I wanted to make sure I could get to know my colleagues better and understand why they were taking the votes they did. I became a better listener. It did not always change my vote, but it opened my eyes. I trust members of the 2020 General Assembly will keep their eyes and ears wide open. Paula Miller served in the Virginia House of Delegates (D-87th District) from 2005-2012. She lost her seat due to redistricting. She currently works for the Virginia Department of Transportation and serves as Communications Manager for the Hampton Roads Bridge- Tunnel Expansion Project. V V V