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Candidate News: Final Round of Responses to VBT's Candidates Questionnaire
Virginians for Better Transportation (VBT) recently reported the first round of results from our transportation specific questionnaire to all candidates running for the House of Delegates as well as all of the candidates running for Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General.
The following is an update of our most recent responses
The following candidates rated the importance of finding a transportation funding solution(s) as a 10 or higher on a scale from 1-10 (10 being highest):
Jody M. Wagner (Democrat Lieutenant Governor Candidate)
Richard P. "Dickie" Bell (Republican 20th District)
Matt A. Carson (Independent - 30th District)
Del. Vivian E. Watts (Democrat 39th District)
Susan S. Conrad (Democrat 40th District)
Del. Mark D. Sickles (Democrat 43rd District)
Del. David L. Englin (Democrat 45th District)
Joshua F. Ruebner (Green 47th District)
Gary R. Reinhardt (Independent 65th District)
Peter W. Schmidt (Democrat 82nd District)
Del. Joseph D. Morrissey (Democrat 74th District)
Del. Robert H. Brink (Democrat 48th District) and John A. Cox (Republican 55th District) rated the importance of finding a transportation funding solution(s) as a nine.
E. Carter Turner III (Democrat 8th District) and Del. Thomas Davis Rust (Republican 86th District) rated the importance of finding a transportation funding solution(s) as an eight or an eight and a half.
Del. C. Chuck Caputo (Democrat 67th District) rated the importance of finding a transportation funding solution(s) as a one.
Del. Edward T. "Ed" Scott (Republican 30th District) received our questionnaire and responded with the following statement, "I have received your request that I complete your organization's survey. While I understand and appreciate the interest that you and your members have in these topics, I simply receive more surveys than constituent service and campaign requirements allow me to fill out. I would encourage you to review my record over the past three terms. As always, I welcome your input on matters before the Virginia General Assembly."
Breakdown of supported methods of generating revenue for transportation funding by candidate:
Jody M. Wagner wrote, "In the future, I believe all options should and must be on the table when it comes to funding transportation. Due to the economic environment, I don't believe right now is the time to raise taxes. However, as the economy and employment returns to normal growth levels, we should consider all of our options."
Richard P. "Dickie" Bell would support tolls (in certain situations). He also wrote, "More private capital is needed to help solve transportation problems. Some roads should be leased to private companies for tolling operations. A statewide program could produce thousands of jobs and billions of dollars. I also believe we must pursue a multi-modal system that includes rail. I also support safe offshore drilling and exploration by lease agreement, and designating the revenue from those leases to transportation improvements and maintenance."
Matt A. Carson would support Public Private Transportation Act (PPTA) funding. He also wrote that he would support privatizing more state projects because studies have shown that other states save money by doing this and the money ends up in communities across the state.
Del. Vivian E. Watts would support PPTA, tolls, gas tax, sales tax, bonds, vehicle titling tax, authorization to enact local taxes dedicated to regional transportation authority and a constitutional amendment to bar the Transportation Trust Fund which by law (Va. Code) passed as part of the 1986 Special Session is supposed to be used for construction from being used for maintenance, as has occurred since 2001 through budget language. She also wrote that, a fix must include new statewide tax revenue and optional regional tax revenue supplemented any or all of the other means of finance.
Susan S. Conrad would support PPTA funding, tolls, gas tax, sales tax, General Fund allocations and bonds. She would also propose tax credits for businesses that encourage teleworking and alternate work hour schedules as well as Federal funds to compensate Northern Virginia from gridlock caused by massive relocation of Department of Defense employees from Arlington County to Fort Belvoir and Fort Meade under BRAC.
Del. Mark D. Sickles would support PPTA funding, tolls, gas tax, sales tax (only for regional plan) and bonds. He also wrote, "I voted for Saslaw bill without the gas tax. Am willing to vote for a similar bill with a regional plan that stays in region, and statewide maintenance fix."
Del. David L. Englin would support PPTA funding (with better transparency and oversight then currently being used), gas tax, sales tax and bonds.
Joshua F. Ruebner would support General Fund allocations. He also wrote, "I support greatly increasing taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations to pay for needed transportation funds from General Fund allocations."
Gary R. Reinhardt would support PPTA, gas tax, bonds and a dedicated transportation fund to fix roads and expand passenger and freight rail.
Peter W. Schmidt would support PPTA funding, tolls, gas tax, sales tax, bonds, congestion (value pricing), gas guzzler taxes tied to cafe standards, more HOV lanes and rail (light and high speed). He also wrote, "Any funding sources must be dedicated and lock boxed."
Del. Joseph D. Morrissey would support gas tax and bonds. He also wrote, "I am a strong proponent of a gas tax user fee. It (i.e. user fee) is the fairest and best way to pay for our roads and rail service. If we were to issue bonds, I would want the debt service on said bonds to be paid from the gas tax revenue."
Del. Robert H. Brink would support PPTA, tolls, gas tax, sales tax and bonds.
John A. Cox would support PPTA funding (for new construction with voluntary usage), General Fund allocations and bonds. He also wrote, "I support much of Bob McDonnell's transportation plan and ideas but I am eager to study the specifics and Im certainly open to other ideas and creative ways to solve this growing problem with our aging transportation infrastructure."
E. Carter Turner III would support PPTA funding, tolls, gas tax and bonds. He also wrote, "Virginia should look into designating Hampton Roads as a Federal Expansion zone due to congestion. It would require redefining the nature of these zones, and is a long shot, but worth pursuing."
Del. Thomas Davis Rust would support PPTA funding, tolls, gas tax, sales tax, General Fund allocations and bonds. He also wrote, "All options must be on the table!"
Del. C. Chuck Caputo would support gas tax, sales tax (on vehicle sales), auto insurance premium taxes, DMV fees and taxes on rental cars. He also wrote, "I will continue to vote for sustained, dedicated revenue for NoVa transportation that does not take money away from education."
To read more from what the candidates wrote on their completed questionnaires, click here.
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What the Candidates are Saying
- Smithfield Times: In an article that addresses the race for the 64th District House of Delegates seat, Democratic candidate Del. William "Bill" Barlow said, "If transportation is not solved, industries will be tempted to leave and others will be reluctant to come in. Its such an important and overriding issue that we cant quit on it."
In the same article, Republican candidate Stan Clark said, "If we do not move on transportation, we're going to lose port business, we're going to lose our edge and our military facilities, we will lose our economic viability and that means jobs and that's our future." To read the entire article, click here.
- Burke Connection: In an article that addresses a recent debate between the candidates for the 41st District House of Delegates seat, Democratic candidate Del. David Marsden said, "We need to put all possibilities on the table [to solve the transportation problems]. When the economy recovers, I will vote to bring revenue to transportation, but the economy cannot take it right now. We've got to do it when the time is right."
Republican candidate Kerry Bolognese said, that if elected, he would push for the state to earmark a certain amount of new revenue for the transportation budget. He also said that he favors the formation of private-public partnerships in order to get projects completed, and decried Marsden's support of the gas tax.
Independent/Green party candidate Monique Berry, on the other hand, disagreed with both candidates on how to solve the transportation issue. She said that instead of raising taxes or securing funding from revenue, she would favor the increased accountability of the government in regards to taxation, saying that enough money is being brought in to build more roads, but that too much of it gets wasted in the bureaucratic process. To read the entire article, click here.
- Loudoun Times Mirror: In an article that addresses both gubernatorial candidates' positions on the issues facing the commonwealth, Republican candidate Bob McDonnell said, "If we dont improve our transit networks, we're not going to be able to keep our reputation as the most business-friendly state."
In the same article, Democratic candidate Creigh Deeds proposes looking at a multimodal approach to unlock Virginia's transportation gridlock, he also sees the need for repairing the states existing infrastructure, including expanding the traffic capacity of water crossings in the Hampton Roads area. To read the entire article, click here.
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For more information about the transportation funding crisis or Virginians for Better Transportation, call 804-237-1399 or click here. to visit the It's Time Web site.
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