Bob Hull's Richmond Report

Smart Growth on South Maple

With its mixed residential and commercial use, this project is a great example of smart growth. Residents can stay home instead of taking to the road to shop and adding to air pollution.

The project, developed by Atlantic Realty Company, will also include an absolutely unique arts oriented component.

Not only will there be a theatre space, but arts oriented businesses will move into retail units there. Many envision an “arts Mecca” being created there.

I can also foresee this stimulating redevelopment of adjacent areas, both in the City of Falls Church and adjacent areas of Fairfax County.

This can only have a positive impact on the nearby Tinner Hill Foundation’s planned “John Jackson Center.”

With inviting retail establishments nearby, this center for the study of the Piedmont Blues and the Northern Virginia black experience can truly become a tourist destination.

Virginia Rebounds

That beats the former record set in December 2000 by 20,800 jobs and equals a 2.3 percent annual job gain, surpassing the national rate of 1.1 percent.

That is an outstanding achievement for a state economy that was hit hard by the loss of jobs following the September 11 tragedy.

Surplus in Virginia Treasury

This is remarkable considering that tax revenue was running below what had been forecast as late as the end of March.

Tax collections in the last four months of the fiscal year were so strong that we more than met the forecast set in the budget.

These results are apparently due to the rebound of the stock market and continued strength in the housing market in Virginia.

Of course, all but $13.1 million is spoken for already, with the lion’s share going to the state’s “rainy day fund.”

In addition, over $32 million will be dedicated to the Water Quality Improvement Fund, as required by law.

It also means that more will go to the Transportation Trust Fund, used to build new transportation projects.

Virginia GOP Faces Court Challenge

We filed suit because of the actions of former state GOP executive director Edmund Matricardi on March 22 and 25, 2002, in eavesdropping on our conference call.

Mr. Matricardi and was the former chief aide to then-House Speaker Vance Wilkins were convicted of illegal wiretapping last year.

The current lawsuit is being heard in Richmond by U.S. District Court Judge James Spencer. The lead plaintiff is Senate Democratic Leader Dick Saslaw.

Many depositions have already been taken in Saslaw vs. Matricardi, and we have requested that 10 other GOP officials be deposed.

The depositions so far have put a spotlight on the office of current Attorney General and prospective GOP gubernatorial nominee Jerry Kilgore.

Mr. Matricardi has acknowledged passing along transcripts of the intercepted calls to Mr. Kilgore’s top assistants. But, what did the Attorney General know and when did he know it?

Gilmore in the Wings

Prevented by the Virginia Constitution from running for a second term, some say that Mr. Gilmore himself is eager to get back into the saddle.

One of Mr. Gilmore’s cronies, Paul Jost, even e-mailed copies of an Associated Press article about the lawsuit to interested parties.

Mr. Yost prefaced the copy of the article concerning the possible involvement in the eavesdropping of the top political aide to the Attorney General by stating, “We really could do better.”

Mr. Kilgore even offered on Tuesday to give a deposition in our lawsuit, even though we have not yet asked that he be deposed.

I guess he is feeling the heat from both sides.