End Of May Update

In our area, school has officially wrapped up and…summer is here! I know so many neighbors are looking forward to spending a bit more time with family and friends over the next few months.

Work doesn’t halt, however. There is still plenty to be done over the summer months. Plus, political campaigns will begin ramping up quite soon.

I hope you continue to find these monthly email updates informative and helpful.

Budget Update

On May 2nd, Governor Youngkin took final action on the state budget. The Governor signed the larger bill while exercising his line-item veto for approximately $900 million in spending.

Here are some important things to be aware of:

Returns nearly $1 billion in tax relief to families in the form of direct tax rebates coming this fall ($200 for individual filers and $400 for joint filers)
Sets aside $900 million in surpluses to guard against possible future economic downturns
Makes $784.7 million incremental investment under direct aid to public education

There was, in my opinion, room for additional spending cuts. Virginia’s budget continues to grow. While we might expect an increase in education and transportation spending due to a rising population, we must be diligent in ensuring that state government focuses on core functions of government. I think we too often get bogged down with good spending ideas that could be better done by private business. We must ensure that public spending does not get even further out of control.

The entire budget process starts over later this year when Governor Youngkin presents his final budget to the General Assembly in December. A new governor, however, will be the one to sign or veto the spending bill next spring.

Real ID

The federal government began enforcing the use of Real ID on May 7th. Americans seeking to access flights, military bases, or other federal facilities will need to present a federally compliant Real ID.

There are two steps to obtain a Real ID: complete an application and present necessary documents at a DMV service center.

Step 1: Application

You can start the application online before visiting a DMV service center or
Fill out a paper application at a DMV service center

Step 2: Documents

The required documents include:

One proof of identity.
Two proofs of Virginia residency.
One proof of legal presence.
Proof of your Social Security number (SSN), if you have been issued one. If you know your SSN, DMV can verify it electronically.
Proof of name change, if your name appears differently on your proof documents.

You can view an acceptable documents list here. Note: All documents must be originals and will be subject to verification. However, printouts of acceptable online residency documents can be used as proof of residency. Temporary documents and photocopies of documents will not be accepted.

The cost of a Real ID is $10, plus the cost of license or ID you are applying for. You can view a full fee chart here.

School Health Services Committee

This month I chaired a meeting of the School Health Services Committee in Richmond. The General Assembly has established numerous committees that meet while the full body is not in session. These additional committees have the opportunity to take a deep dive into specific bills or policy proposals that are made tough by the limited duration of the regular legislative session.

One of our topics of discussion this year on the School Health Services Committee is SB 1303. An earlier version of the bill modified how student diabetes could be managed in schools. From conversations with parents during session, it was clear that further study was needed. It is so important that any law we pass has the correct words. As I have noted before, we do not pass ideas in Richmond, we pass laws. If just one word is wrong, it could have serious consequences.

Work on this bill will continue over the coming months. You can follow the committee’s work on this website.

Proposed Data Center

Data centers seem to be popping up left and right these days, and one is proposed for our district. Tract is proposing to develop a 739 acre located off of Branders Bridge Road. The project is expected to bring in over $700 million in tax revenue over the next 20 years to Chesterfield County.

A second community meeting for area landowners was held in May 29th at Carver Middle School. Highlighted were some of the changes being made to the proposal at the request of area residents. That includes:

An increase in setback from 100 feet to 250 feet; the Branders Bridge Rd setback will be over 750 feet
Max building height decreased from 150 feet to 110 feet
Use of efficient Tier 4 generators (only to be used during testing periods or power outages)

There were several questions about water and electric utility usage. Chesterfield County and Dominion Energy have set a daily cap on water and electricity usage, respectively, to ensure that other needs can still be met. The developer will be responsible for all costs related to expanding utility infrastructure for the project.

You can learn more about the proposal here. If you have project specific questions, those can be asked here.

I do not have an official position on this project yet, but I will continue monitoring this proposal closely. It is expected to come before the planning commission for consideration in June before going to the full Board of Supervisors thereafter. Ultimately, the Board of Supervisors will have the final vote on this matter.

Around the District

I’ve enjoyed spending time out in the community this past month. May started with a topping ceremony at the new Central State Hospital in Dinwiddie County. This new, 250+ bed facility will serve patients throughout the entire Tri-City region and beyond. It will be managed by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

I was pleased to celebrate Virginia State University’s class of 2025 at their annual commencement ceremony! These outstanding graduates put in a great deal of hard work to get to this point. I know each and every one of these Trojans has a bright future ahead.

I was excited to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony for VCU Health’s new Chesterfield Pavilion. This new 100,000 square foot facility boasts 4 operating rooms, 2 procedure rooms, and 45 exam rooms. It is expected to open its doors in 2027.

In the News

Here’s just a few recent news articles that you may find interesting:

As always, it remains an honor to represent you in the Virginia House of Delegates. If I can be of assistance with a state-related matter, please let me know. I stand ready to assist you in any way possible.

Sincerely,
Mike Cherry