LeMunyon Hears from Public Ahead of Session

While Del. Jim LeMunyon's presentation at his town hall meeting Saturday showed transportation is his main priority heading into the General Assembly session, his constituents' comments and questions showed they agreed.

About 30 people listened to LeMunyon (R-67th District) talk about , with none crying foul at his proposals and often chiming in to expand on LeMunyon's concerns about Phase 2 of the Dulles Rail and better planning for other transportation projects in Northern Virginia.

But that's not to say some constituents did not have concerns of their own to take up with the delegate.

When LeMunyon described how Medicaid is the biggest cost driver in Virginia, with a predicted growth of 103.2 percent between 2004 and 2014 according to information from Gov. Bob McDonnell (R), constituents warned LeMunyon to be careful about how adjustments are made.

Eva Jones, who works with The Arc of Northern Virginia, an organization that works to protect the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is concerned about how well plans are being executed to transition from institution-based to community-based care for people with special needs.

Though the Medicaid costs look really high, people and specialized programs within the health care industry are being slashed.

"We've got all these other issues coming up with the $30 million being set into a trust so they can start community-based care, but nothing's been done to build that up," Jones said. "What's happening in the bigger picture is that they're using the human services to balance the budget."

LeMunyon wanted to make clear he is not a critic of Medicaid, and that he agreed with Jones that better planning is necessary to move forward and make the appropriate decisions regarding both Medicaid and more community-based programs.

"I'm not here to criticize [Medicaid]," LeMunyon said. "This is a necessary social safety net for people in Virginia and across our country. I'd just like to find a better way to do it."

Another resident asked LeMunyon what he could do as a delegate to expand the choices of nominees on the ballot for the Republican primary in the presidential election.

Late last month, Virginians were told only former Gov. Mitt Romney (Mass.) and Rep. Ron Paul (Texas) would be on the ballot March 6 that will help determine the GOP nominee who will run against President Barack Obama this fall.

"I feel like I'm being punished not being able to vote for my presidential candidate of choice," said the resident. "I'm not too happy with hearing that we might be able to change it for the next presidential election."

Others in the room chimed in with their frustration of being left out of the process, and want to see the rules in Virginia changed.

"The state legislature could change the law ... but the constitution requires that for it to be done in time for the upcoming primary, it would be emergency legislation and would require 80 percent of the votes in both the House and the Senate," LeMunyon said. "In my view, that's unlikely."

LeMunyon also admitted to seeing both sides of the argument on the issue.

"I kind of have feet in both camps on this one. I'm frustrated that people don't have more of a choice," LeMunyon said. "As someone who gets those petitions filled out to get my name on the ballot, it's the candidate's job to do that and the party's job to do that. I don't go crying to the Fairfax County Republicans or Virginia Republicans if I don't have the signatures."

The General Assembly convenes Wednesday.