A new session of the Virginia General Assembly kicks off this week and it appears legislators are intent on making bipartisan progress on two important issues.

One is the elimination of the state sales tax on food, championed by Suffolk’s own, Del. S. Chris Jones.

It’s a regressive tax akin to taxing the air we breathe and if the funding is available, they should by all means accelerate the tax’s elimination.

The other is transportation. There is no more pressing problem in the Commonwealth and after cravenly trying and failing to shirk their responsibilities by putting improvements up for a referendum, it appears that all parties are prepared this year to do something.

It won’t be enough, but it will be at least something which is at least a step in the right direction and certainly shows progress.

It will be pleasant to see our representatives working together for a change to move the state forward rather than the partisan bickering that dominated the last session.

– AP