The City of Virginia Beach has the most aggressive and successful intergovernmental relations program of any jurisdiction in Virginia. This includes the pursuit of a pro-active Community Legislative Agenda that supports the City and region needs at the regional, state and national level. Our City staff is in Richmond on a daily basis during the General Assembly Session which lasts two months during the first quarter of each year promoting the Community Legislative Agenda. The agenda is produced in concert with the citizens and civic organizations of Virginia Beach and adopted by City Council.

The City is also a leader in the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, the Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Southeastern Public Service Authority, the Hampton Roads Mayor's and Chairs Organization and the Chief Administrative Officers group. At the national level, the City's lobbying efforts have produced over $60 million in earmarks for City projects in the last five years, including 65 percent federal funding for the Hurricane Protection Program at the Oceanfront, the nourishment of Sandbridge beach, $7 million in appropriations for the Southeastern Parkway and Greenbelt Project through the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century and many other smaller appropriations. We have also been successful in having several federal laws changed that benefit the City.

We work on a daily basis in pursuit of the city's efforts with our Congressional Delegation, the General Assembly Delegation, and administrators at the regional, state, and federal level. We also work closely with the military bases in Virginia Beach, including the Naval Air Station Oceana, Naval Training Center Dam Neck, Little Creek Amphibious Base, Fort Story Army Base, and the National Guard Camp Pendleton Reservation, along with the various commands and activities associated with these military installations.

These activities are managed by Robert Matthias, Assistant to the City Manager, and administratively supported by the City Manager's Office Support Team. We contract with two lobbying firms that assist us in our efforts, one located in Richmond and the other in our Nation's Capital, as well as a military consultant.