Roanoke— The Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission has announced its legislative priorities for the 2025 General Assembly session. The commission said the priorities represent areas of critical investment needed to support infrastructure, economic and community development, and education in its 11-member region. Highlights of this year’s legislative agenda include a special focus on the Roanoke Blacksburg Regional Airport, Route 220 and career and technical education needs.
Legislative Committee Chair Phil North said, “We worked closely with the commission’s member governments as well as our General Assembly delegation to develop a set of regional priorities that are targeted, impactful, and would lift up the entire Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Region.” North added, “The commission focused its efforts on those areas that would complement our member governments’ current priorities while filling in the gaps for our smaller, rural members.”
This is only the second year the commission has developed a legislative agenda, having been directed by its board in 2023 to explore developing and promoting new legislative action to support the region. This year, commission staff and legislative committee members have already met with several of the region’s elected representatives to discuss these priorities.
“We believe that part of planning for the region’s success is working with our leaders in Richmond to educate them on our needs,” said Commission Executive Director Jeremy Holmes. “The greater Roanoke region is already a major economic driver for the Commonwealth, and we hope major investments from Richmond in infrastructure, workforce, industrial site development, and other projects continue to support our growth.”
Roanoke County’s Phil North chairs the Commission’s Legislative Committee which includes Jim Wallace of the Salem City Council, Lorie Smith of the Franklin County Board of Supervisors, Peter Volosin of Roanoke City Council, and Debbie Laudermilk of Clifton Forge Town Council. The full legislative agenda can be found on the commission’s website at https://rvarc.org/policy/regional-legislation/.
-The Salem Times-Register