In a surprise announcement last Wednesday, Gov. Bob McDonnell proposed allocating $2.69 million in state bond funds to replace the roof of the Rotunda. The proposal was part of McDonnell's amendments to the General Assembly's 2011 budget, which was passed unanimously Feb. 27. This Wednesday both houses of the General Assembly will reconvene to debate and vote on McDonnell's proposed amendments.
"The University was very pleased - you could say thrilled - by this news," University spokesperson Carol Wood said in an email. "It was a much-welcomed surprise. We are grateful to Gov. McDonnell for his support of the Rotunda renovations and his understanding of its importance in both Virginia and American history."
The effort to replace the roof is part of the University's comprehensive $50.6 million renovation plan which is expected to last through 2016. The project to replace the roof costs $4.69 million, and "the remaining $2 million will come from private gifts to the University," Wood said.
The University previously had asked McDonnell and the General Assembly to provide funds for the restoration of the Rotunda in February, but its request was not granted. The governor made an earlier proposal, but it died in conference because members of the House of Delegates were reluctant to issue bonds in the face of debt.
Del. David Toscano, D-Charlottesville, found McDonnell's newly proposed funding encouraging given the state's budget concerns. "There was considerable interest in including this appropriation last month, but the feeling was there wasn't enough money," Toscano said. "It is very good news that the governor is suggesting that there is enough money.
Including the Rotunda repairs, McDonnell proposed $43.8 million in spending amendments for the House of Delegates to approve.
McDonnell explained that in this economic climate, the state would remain diligent in controlling spending. "Budgets are about setting priorities," McDonnell said in a press release. "In tough budget times we must have the will to determine what government must fund and what it should not, and act accordingly."
McDonnell spokesperson Jeff Caldwell explained in an email that the governor viewed Rotunda renovations as a necessary expense for the state.
"[McDonnell] felt that, despite our need to reduce spending during this time of tight budgets, the Rotunda is a significant historical structure that required maintenance investments to keep it for future generations," Caldwell said.
In addition to determining the outcome of the proposed Rotunda repairs, Wednesday's vote marks the end of the debate about the state budget for the upcoming year.\n"We're right at the end game," Toscano said. "This is the last thing that needs to happen before the budget is approved."
As delegates throughout the state prepare to vote on the proposed amendments, Toscano said he is confident they will recognize the importance of the Rotunda and approve the spending amendment.
"It's a very good project that benefits not only the University but the whole commonwealth, and it leverages other private money that would be going to the Rotunda," Toscano said.
Wood expressed similar sentiments about the importance of the Rotunda. "The Rotunda is more than the symbol of the University of Virginia," she said. "A World Heritage site designed by one of our nation's greatest presidents, it ranks along with only the Statue of Liberty and Independence Hall [as] an American icon. It has become a much revered - and often copied - symbol of higher education."
The design phase of the roof project is expected to take place in the fall, Wood said. Work on the project is slated to begin next January and will take about one year to complete.
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