Senator Barker and Delegate Paul Nichols will hold a town hall meeting on November 15^th at 11:30am at Woodbridge High School in Room 1309. The Prince William legislators want to hear from residents about issues important to them and their suggestions for legislation to be considered in the 2009 legislative session.

Paul and George also will discuss issues relevant to the upcoming General Assembly session, including transportation, education and implications of the budget shortfall. They will answer questions and provide information about the legislation they plan to sponsor.

Elected in 2007, Senator Barker and Delegate Nichols are striving to live up to the standards of the people they represent. “I am always eager to hear from my constituents,” says Delegate Nichols, “Their insights and feedback are integral to the policy making process.” During the 2008 legislative session, both legislators worked closely with Prince William residents and County officials to address local priorities. Together they have worked to tackle issues such as congestion on our roadways, overcrowding in our schools, and financing capital projects.

George and Paul have gone door to door in the community this year to hear voters’ concerns first-hand. They have benefitted greatly from the perspectives shared with them and have enjoyed the conversations they have had with voters in a year in which they are not running for office. “By maintaining an open dialogue with my constituents I am able to better understand the concerns and needs of the community. Town hall meetings are an important way to facilitate these discussions” explains Senator Barker.

To learn more about Delegate Nichols, visit his website at delegatenichols.com.

Senator Barker was a special guest speaker yesterday morning at the Allies in Prevention Summit Breakfast held at the Old Hickory Golf Club in Prince William. The summit focused on ways we can be more effective in our efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect in Northern Virginia. George has been a foster parent to 13 children and so knows first hand that while offering support to neglected and damaged children is necessary, prevention would be so much better. Senator Barker’s remarks focused on how Virginia’s child welfare services compare to that of other states, and what is being done to improve our services at the state level. The Northern Virginia Community Foundation sponsored the event, which was held in partnership with Allies in Prevention Coalition, Stop Child Abuse Now, The Child Protection Partnership, and the Prince William Health Partnership.

Senator Barker met yesterday with Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay, Delegate Vivian Watts, Fairfax County Planning and Zoning Staff, VDOT staff and Vornado, the mall owner, to discuss plans for the renovation of Springfield Mall. The new plans include residential, office and retail developments. Vornado hopes the improvements to the Springfield Town Center will attract local residents and will be a choice destination for shopping, dining and other activities. They plan to take advantage of transit options already in close proximity to the site, such as the Franconia-Springfield Metro Station. Their vision also includes many improvements to make the area more pedestrian friendly in order to cut down on single vehicle trips. Ultimately, Vornado aims to make the Springfield Town Center the centerpiece of the Springfield community.

Senator Barker is in New Orleans this week at the National Conference of State Legislatures Legislative Summit. Legislators from across the nation are meeting to discuss issues that states are facing, including infrastructure and transportation problems, immigration legislation, environmental concerns, and energy policy. Yesterday’s speakers included former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell. Throughout the conference Senator Barker has been attending seminars and engaging in discussions with legislators on both sides of the political aisle about issues pertinent to his district. He hopes that this experience will provide important insights into how other states are handling the problems that the 39th District is facing and help him to promote better policy here in Virginia.