11/16/11: Are you ready for some campaigning?

This op-ed appeared in The Virginian-Pilot on the date shown.

WITH THE 2011 elections in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look forward to what 2012 will bring.

First up is the General Assembly session. Already, localities and various groups are coming up with their legislative agendas, reflecting issues that they consider important. But the dominating concern will be the budget.

The General Assembly adopts a biennial budget in even-numbered years. For this reason, the session is scheduled for 60 days, rather than the 46 days needed in odd-numbered years.

While the budget is tweaked in the shorter session, the heavy lifting is done in the first year of the budget.

This will be the first budget introduced by and reflecting the priorities of Gov. Bob McDonnell, despite the fact that he took office in 2010.

Last week, McDonnell noted that October revenue collections increased 3.1 percent over the same month last year. Although this was the 19th month of the last 20 in which revenues exceeded those of the prior year, he urged caution amid concerns about slowing growth and the uncertainties regarding federal funding and the national economy.

Notwithstanding those concerns, the governor has been consistent on what his administration’s priorities will be, saying that the 2012-14 budget “will continue our commitment to responsibly reducing government spending, spurring private-sector job creation and economic development, eliminating burdensome regulations on businesses and local governments and focusing government on its core functions.”

One thing he has not mentioned lately is changing the budget cycle. As it stands, Virginia’s governor essentially gets to introduce and implement just one budget during his single four-year term. Gov.-elect McDonnell made that an issue in 2009. When he was in the state Senate, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli introduced legislation to change the cycle.

Interestingly enough, a bill in the 2011 General Assembly session to move the budget to the even-numbered years passed the Senate — with Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling casting the tie-breaking vote — only to die in the House of Delegates. With the top three Republicans in state government expressing support for a change in the cycle, will the legislature follow their lead?

About the time the legislative session is over, campaigns for local seats should be heating up. Norfolk will elect its superward members on the City Council in May. Incumbents Barclay Wynn and Angelia Williams have said they will seek re-election.

Right now, Wynn has no announced opposition, but I expect that will change. Williams, who won a special election last November with the support of the establishment, finds herself being challenged by Sonya Smith, reportedly this year’s establishment choice.

In June, Virginia voters will once again take to the polls, this time for party primaries for U.S. Senate.

Many consider the nominations of George Allen for the Republicans and Tim Kaine for the Democrats to be foregone conclusions, but it’s up to the electorate to choose among Allen, Tim Donner, E.W. Jack-son Sr., David McCormick and Jamie Radtke on the Republican side and Kaine, Courtney Lynch and Julien Modica on the Democratic side. The winner of each primary will be on the ballot in November.

Also on November’s ballot will be contests for the U.S. House of Representatives. (The General Assembly will spend part of its session redrawing those lines, as required.) Rep. Scott Rigell, who represents the 2nd District, already has opposition from Virginia Beach businessman Paul Hirschbiel.

In the 3rd, there is talk that Chuck Smith will once again challenge Rep. Bobby Scott. Rumors of a candidate in the 4th to challenge Rep. Randy Forbes abound, although no one has committed at this time.

Oh — and yes, there is a presidential election in November.

For an observer of politics and policy, Virginia is the place to be. There’s never a dull moment around here.