Thursday, August 20, 2009

Time for Truth on Transportation

A Real Issue in Virginia,
that a Governor and Assembly can actually
Do Something About...


VIRGINIA HAS not raised statewide taxes for transportation since Ronald Reagan was president, leaving it with one of the nation's lowest gas taxes and a rapidly deteriorating road network. Twice in the past three years, Republicans in the General Assembly have balked at increasing rates for road and transit improvements. In keeping with that stance, Robert F. McDonnell, the Republican candidate in this year's gubernatorial campaign, has ruled out future tax increases for transportation.

So it was no great surprise last week when Virginia Republicans howled with delight after state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, the Democratic candidate for governor, answered "yes" when asked whether he would sign a bill, if one were presented to him, that raised taxes to pay for new roads. Treating Mr. Deeds's statement as akin to a felony confession, officials for the party and for the McDonnell campaign trumpeted it in an instantly produced video.

Read the rest

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

If transportation is a Real issue in Virginia that a Governor can actually do something about then why haven't the last two governors fixed the problem ? The problem the Democrats have is they have all the answers until they get elected then they don't have any answers.

Anonymous said...

Why? The House of Delegates...
More specifically, the Republicans in the House of Delegates.

Anonymous said...

Well why did they claim they could fix it then ?

Anonymous said...

Had cooperation taken place, the plans each governor put forward would have been a great help. Our govt is designed to require building to consensus but when one group (majority in this case) is so set on doing nothing that during one recent special session they took blankets and sunglasses and beach chairs to the session to show their contempt by pointedly sitting with said blankets and sunglasses like they were on vacation, it's virtually impossible to get anything out of committee and onto the floor so at least the constituents can see how their representatives vote.

Anonymous said...

I think that what the people of Virginia are seeing now is how little Kaine is getting done in Virginia thats why they will put a Republican in office in Nov.

Bubby said...

Virginia Republicans have purposely blocked any progress in Richmond to make Governor Kaine look bad. They are hoping to convince Virginians that he failed. Apparently there are some gullible voters. This is why we will clean out the House of Delegates.

Anonymous said...

Bubby good luck with that one, thats not going to happen this year. Would you care to make a little bet on this years elections ? Fulk you can get in on this one if you would like to. thanks Tom

Anonymous said...

"Apparently there are some gullible voters."

Yep. Last Nov. proved that beyond any shadow of a doubt.

Anonymous said...

No, last year proved that people are beginning to wake up.

Lowell Fulk said...

No Tom, I don't bet, I work. The bottle neck lies here in the Valley. We as a state could address transportation if not for the intransigent Valley delegation.
I will work to get reasonable business minded individuals elected here in the Valley, the result which will help the state.

Anonymous said...

Well Fulk please do not forget i said Deeds would not win. Thanks Tom