For Immediate Release
September 22, 2026
Press Contact: Jeremy Holmes, Executive Director
Phone: 540-343-4417
Email: jholmes@rvarc.org
Regional Commission Announces FY27 Legislative Agenda Focused on Transportation, Workforce, Recreation and Regional Capacity
Roanoke, VA — The Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission has adopted its FY27 Legislative Agenda, outlining state and federal priorities intended to strengthen transportation infrastructure, expand workforce opportunities, support outdoor recreation, and reinforce the region’s capacity for coordinated planning and economic development.
Adopted August 17, 2026, the agenda reflects priorities shared by the Commission’s member local governments and regional partners. It calls for strategic investments that help the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany region compete for jobs, talent, visitors, and public and private capital.
“This agenda reflects the issues our local governments are hearing every day: the need for reliable transportation infrastructure, a skilled workforce, strong community amenities, and the regional capacity to turn shared goals into results,” says Regional Commission Advocacy Committee Chair Hunter Holliday, who represents the City of Salem on the Commission. “These are targeted investments that will help communities throughout the Roanoke Valley and Alleghany Highlands compete and prosper. The Advocacy Committee looks forward to working with our legislative delegation and statewide partners to advance these priorities.”
The Regional Commission’s FY27 legislative priorities include:
- Investments in terminal improvements and a runway study at the Roanoke-Blacksburg Airport
- Increases in rural and secondary road funding.
- Greater investment in career and technical education (CTE), especially at the eighth- and ninth-grade levels.
- Investments in outdoor recreation infrastructure.
- Increase the base funding for planning commission districts (PDCs) statewide.
“Regional priorities are most effective when they are developed collaboratively and advance practical solutions across jurisdictional boundaries,” said Jeremy Holmes, Executive Director of the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission. “This agenda is focused on investments that will improve mobility, prepare residents for in-demand careers, enhance quality of life, and give our local governments the capacity to pursue opportunities together.”
The Commission will share the FY27 Legislative Agenda with the region’s state and federal legislative delegation, state agencies, local governments, and partner organizations during the upcoming legislative and budget cycles.
About the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission:
RVARC serves as a forum for regional collaboration among local governments and partners in the Roanoke Valley and Alleghany Highlands. The Commission supports coordinated planning, economic and community development, transportation, grant development, and intergovernmental cooperation. Learn more at rvarc.org.
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