Archive: Press Releases

Statement from Delegate David J. Toscano on ABC Chairman’s Call for State Police Investigations

July 9, 2013 by David Toscano

CHARLOTTESVILLE – Delegate David J. Toscano released a statement today in response to ABC Board Chairman J. Neal Insley’s call for a Virginia State Police investigation of the April 11, 2013 incident in Charlottesville:

“Chairman Insley’s request for an impartial, third party review of the incident involving ABC law enforcement personnel is encouraging,” said Toscano. “A number of questions about this incident have been raised, and I believe this independent investigation by Virginia State Police will provide insight as to what went wrong, and how ABC can improve and implement better protocols and procedures to ensure than an incident like this does not occur again.”

Delegate Toscano recently sent a letter inquiring about the proper protocols and procedures to Shawn Walker, Director of Enforcement at ABC (see below). In his letter, Mr. Toscano inquired about what policies are currently in place for ABC law enforcement to detain citizens when enforcement officers suspect individuals may be underage and in possession of alcohol, and specifically, what procedures are in place to detain individuals already in motor vehicles. Additionally, Mr.Toscano inquired as to the specific training ABC law enforcement personnel receive in handling their weapons, and what protocols are in place to determine when an officer of ABC should unholster their weapon.

“I have lived in this community for over 30 years and do not recall an incident like this during that time,” wrote Toscano. “I appreciate the role that ABC plays in enforcing the laws against underage purchase, possession, and consumption. But I am concerned about the apparent overreaction of the agents during the April 11 event.”

Toscano Letter to Shawn Walker

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Statement on Renomination as Democratic Candidate for House of Delegates

May 6, 2013 by David Toscano

I am very pleased and honored to accept the nomination of the Democratic party for another term to be your Delegate for the 57th District in the Virginia House of Delegates. I first want to thank my family – Nancy and Matthew – for supporting me all of these years. Without them, I could not do this job.

Since I took office in 2006, I have learned a great deal about how best to represent this district and region. It is a challenge to get things done in Richmond, particularly when you are in the minority in the House. But with every year that goes by, I have become more effective, whether it has been in re-writing the adoption statutes that was accomplished early in my tenure, fighting against the forced resignation of President Teresa Sullivan in 2012, continuing to advocate for more funding for public education, or working to ensure that our Amtrak service from Charlottesville to DC has a dedicated source of funding.

I have been pleased to receive the endorsement of state and local teacher groups and to be designated by the League of Conservation Voters, the preeminent legislative environmental group in the Commonwealth, as a “Legislative Hero” for six years running.

My election as the Democratic Leader in the House has brought increasing responsibilities and opportunities to influence policies in Richmond that reflect the values of our region. As many of you know, the landmark Transportation Bill passed in 2013 could not have been done without Democratic votes in the House. I have pushed for this kind of legislation for years, and it was gratifying to help deliver the votes to pass it, given my new leadership position in the body.

These accomplishments are gratifying, but they cannot be done without you. You have supported me with your ideas, messages of encouragement, and monetary support. To do my job, I will need all three again. Please feel free to pass this announcement on to a friend, let me know what is on your mind, and, if you can, donate to my campaign or my political action committee, the Virginia First PAC. Donations to the PAC will go to help elect other candidates to the House who share our values. In that way, we marshal our local resources to gain more votes for our values in Richmond.

As always, it is an honor to represent you in the House of Delegates. I ask for your vote in November to be returned for another term.

Toscano on Redistricting

January 22, 2013 by David Toscano

Toscano Morning Hour Comments on Redistricting

It has been said that redistricting is the exercising of raw political power, occasionally sprinkled with doses of public input. Well, yesterday in the other body we saw raw political power in full bloom, in a process that violates our traditions in the House.

As most know, on the floor of the other body, without any notice or opportunity for public comment, a substitute for a house bill – our house bill – was introduced which dramatically alters certain districts. Our bill – sponsored by the gentleman from Spotsylvania – was called “technical adjustments’ in re-districting plan. What the Senate did, however, was anything but technical adjustments. It made fundamental changes in the redistricting lines. It put Senators into the same district. One change shifted a Senator’s district by two-thirds.

This action by the other body subverts the will of voters who elected their Senators in 2011. If this bill passes – it will come over to the House as a substitute – many citizens will have their Senator changed, not by their vote, but by ours. That is not what democracy is all about.

Unlike our House procedures, this action was rammed through with no hearings, no public discussions, and no analysis.

It is probably unconstitutional, in that the constitution requires that we re-district “in the year 2011 and every ten years thereafter.” But even if it is not, the ramifications of this action are far reaching for this body and for the General Assembly. And I am talking not simply about the ramifications for this session and the various challenges we face, in taking on educational reform and the Governor’s transportation plan, both of which may now be at risk as a result of this action. The action simply interjects chaos into the redistricting process. If this is allowed to stand, we can redistrict every single year. Think about that for a moment – every single year.

That is not the House of Delegates way.

That is not the Virginia way.

This body is the only group who stand in the way of a bill that has implications far beyond what has been imagined previously.

When the bill comes over from the Senate, I urge us to reject this substitute, and send a message to Virginians that we support transparency and fair play.

Toscano Responds to the State of the Commonwealth Address

January 10, 2013 by David Toscano

David Toscano (D-Charlottesville), the Democratic Leader in the Virginia House of Delegates, delivered the Democratic response to the State of the Commonwealth address on January 9, the first day of the 2013 session of the Virginia General Assembly.

Ending Political Gridlock

January 4, 2013 by David Toscano

Deeds and Toscano Introduce Redistricting Commission Bill

(Charlottesville, VA – January 4, 2013) – Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds and House of Delegates Democratic Leader David Toscano are introducing a bill to reform the redistricting process. The bill will amend the Virginia Constitution to establish the Virginia Redistricting Commission, a bipartisan group that would create Congressional and State legislative districts which are contiguous, compact, and respect city and county boundaries – and specifically be drawn without favor to a political party or legislator.

“The main reason for political gridlock is legislative districts that have been gerrymandered to overwhelmingly favor an incumbent’s party, resulting in hyperpartisan legislators unable to work together for the common good” said Senator Deeds, who has been championing non-partisan redistricting since 2003. “This bill would result in much more competitive elections, and revive an endangered political species, the political moderate”.

Stated Delegate Toscano, a co-patron of the measure, “Redistricting has become a way by which those in power maintain their control – and both parties have done it. We are in a unique position right now. The next redistricting will occur after the 2020 census. Hopefully this will make it easier for incumbents to put aside narrow self-interest and make a change to help the Commonwealth’s interest.”

Senator Deeds noted how partisan redistricting has resulted in Charlottesville and Albemarle being part of a congressional district that runs from Danville to Fauquier County, a result of incumbent protectionism driving redistricting. “Instead of voters choosing their legislators, legislators are choosing their constituents. That must change.”

The Virginia Redistricting Commission would have 13 members, none of whom could be sitting legislators or employees of the US Congress or the Virginia General Assembly. Six would be appointed by Democrats, six by Republicans, with an independent member appointed jointly, to serve as Chairman.

The Commission would redistrict according to specific criteria to create districts that are contiguous and compact, with an aim of avoiding the division of cities and counties into more than one district. Districts could not be drawn for the purpose of favoring a political party or incumbent legislator or member of Congress, and would not use election results or demographic information except as required by federal law.