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Rookie state senator, or seasoned veteran?

April 13, 2008 1:52 am

I want to commend state Sen. Richard Stuart for his tremendous leadership during his first legislative session in the state capital.

He followed through on his campaign pledge to tackle tough issues such as illegal immigration, environmental stewardship, tax relief, and bringing transportation tax dollars back to our district.

As a former prosecutor, Sen. Stuart takes seriously the problem of illegal immigration. He authored Senate Bill 152, which denies bail to any person charged with a criminal offense who is in the U.S. illegally. These are the very people who are unlikely to return to court if given a chance.

Because Sen. Stuart cares about the environment, he sponsored Senate Bill 135, which promotes responsible nutrient management. It requires lawn- care companies to conduct soil tests before applying fertilizers to non-agricultural land. He also sponsored Senate Bill 378, which is aimed at reclaiming and reusing stormwater.

Both bills aim to reduce pollutants and improve the health and vitality of our critical water systems.

He is committed to doing what he can to help lower taxes for families; his sponsorship of Senate Bill 168 provides income tax credits for volunteer firefighters and emergency service personnel.

Senate Bill 153 requires VDOT to establish a program that has nonviolent offenders mow and landscape rights-of-way on Virginia's roads and highways. This bill has criminals earning their keep and performing a community service. It frees more money to fix congestion on our roadways.

This may have been his first year as a state senator, but Richard Stuart has performed like a veteran. We can all be proud that he represents us in Richmond.

Steven Apicella

Stafford

Steven Apicella is a former chairman of the Stafford Republican Party.