“Our exclusion from this process demonstrates misfeasance, and I would be derelict if I did not express that the next chancellor should be aligned with the governor” on issues of workforce development, transparency and expanding educational opportunities. “I am writing to express my concerns about the search process and your unwillingness to collaborate with our administration on our priorities in workforce development,” Youngkin wrote to Nathaniel Bishop, chair of the State Board for Community Colleges and the head of the search committee. The specific language, courtesy of reporter Eric Kolenich: The Richmond Times-Dispatch broke this story March 7, reporting that Youngkin had sent a strongly worded letter to the community college board chair in which he “demanded he be involved in the hiring of next head of the Virginia Community College System, expressing concern over declining enrollment and jobs going unfilled.” The third most important thing that Youngkin has done is to get involved in the selection of the next chancellor of the state community college system – and that’s something he’s been able to do on his own. Notice that both those things are dependent on the whims of the legislature, which illustrates the limits of executive power. Doug Wilder tried and failed to do three decades ago when he tried to get the Washington team to build a stadium in Alexandria. The General Assembly is going to enable the construction of a National Football League stadium on Virginia soil – something then-Gov. Both the House and Senate have approved different versions – the differences may be important but the basic philosophy seems settled. The legislature seems on the verge of approving this, my skepticism notwithstanding. Second, Youngkin has endorsed a state authority that will help build a stadium in Northern Virginia for the Washington Commanders – a proposal that hasn’t gotten nearly enough scrutiny, from my point of view, but that’s beside the point. Mills Godwin will be part of Youngkin’s legacy. Joe McNamara, R-Roanoke County) prevails, undoing the work of former Gov. Of course, the repeal isn’t a done deal yet – the House and Senate are at odds over whether to repeal all of it or just part of it. True, some future governor and some future legislature could undo that, though I suspect that won’t happen anytime soon. By that measure, Youngkin has done at least three important things in barely two months in office.įirst, he’s pushed for repeal of the state tax on food. The most important things any governor does are the things that will outlast his term. That’s not to say those things aren’t important, be they good or bad, but they are all things that some future governor can reverse. That’s why I dismiss much of what Youngkin has done so far – the teacher tipline, the purging of any mention of “equity and inclusion” policies from the educational system, not renewing the state contest for students to nominate historical markers as part of Black History Month.

Those of you who follow my columns know that I tend to discount the silliness of the politics of the moment and try to put more emphasis on long-term policy. Mask mandates were going to come to an end anyway, as virus rates went down, so years from now, nobody will remember exactly when they came to an end or how. That was undoubtedly important, but only of temporary importance. Glenn Youngkin has done so far?Ĭeremonially ban critical race theory? Oh, please, let’s be serious here.Įnd the mask mandate? Nah.

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