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Transportation was the main topic when Gov. Robert F. McDonnell's (R) Commission on Government Reform and Restructuring had the first of six scheduled public input meetings Thursday in Tysons Corner.

The 30-member commission of academic, business and political leaders is slated to release its first set of recommendations for making state government more efficient and customer-friendly on Aug. 16.

The commission, which had its first meeting June 4, is reviewing everything from consolidating agencies to reducing the number of toll-free numbers the state operates, said Mike Reynold, McDonnell's deputy director of policy.

Although Virginia recently was called the best-managed state in the United States by Governing Magazine, "there's always room for improvement," Reynold said.

Other concepts under review include McDonnell's campaign suggestion to privatize state liquor stores, offering additional state services at Department of Motor Vehicles buildings and smaller reforms, such as requiring state agencies to print materials on both sides of a sheet of paper. The commission also is reviewing the relationship between the state and other levels of government, Reynold said.

The commission has met with representatives of state agencies, as well as private sector experts, to collect ideas about streamlining state government, said Heather Cox, a commission member and a senior vice president at Capital One. The commission also is looking for ideas from the public, via town hall meetings and the website, www.reform.virginia.gov.

Several transportation advocates at the meeting spoke in favor of a transportation reform bill proposed by Centreville Del. James LeMunyon (R-Dist. 64) earlier this year that would require the Virginia Department of Transportation to rank Northern Virginia projects by how much congestion relief they would provide.

"Our single greatest need is identification and prioritization of transportation projects," said Bob Chase, president of the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance.

During the General Assembly session this winter, LeMunyon's bill was referred to the reform commission for review.

Fairfax County Supervisor Jeffrey McKay (D-Lee Dist.) said the county welcomes a review of the relationship between the state and local governments. He said county leaders are better suited than state officials to make decisions about local matters, such as taxation and land use. Fairfax wants more flexibility and "freedom from the General Assembly," McKay said.

"We are not given the flexibility from the state to enact things in a quick time frame," he said. "We go down to the General Assembly every year and fight for more local government freedom."