I wanted to take a moment and respond to Del. Landes’ recent press release regarding transportation funding. It is quite telling that Del. Landes is asking me for ideas on how to fund our current transportation crisis since he has no plan of his own. For four of the last six years we have not had a transportation budget to adequately fund our roads. And now, Virginia was faced to close our rest stops throughout the state.
This is a problem that has been ignored by our House of Delegates and has lead to a crisis. We now find ourselves searching every idea possible. For the record, as a business man and disciplined fiscal conservative, I do not support tax increases. I would prefer that revenue come from more positive efforts in raising the tax base through job creation and bureaucratic audits and efficiency.
This is why I have been fighting to bring clean-energy manufacturing jobs to Virginia. More revenue can be added to fund our transportation midnight by increasing our tax base through high paying jobs; jobs that have been lost during Del. Landes’ incumbency.
This latest press release by Del. Landes spreading fear about tax increases is a desperate attempt by Landes to use tired, old rhetoric to misinform and scare voters in District 25. As Ronald Reagan once said, “Here we go again.”
Landes writes, “This year Creigh Deeds has made it clear that he supports additional taxes for transportation,” and, “he [Deeds] unequivocally states his support for tax hikes, including a gas tax. ‘And I’ll sign a bipartisan bill with a dedicated funding mechanism for transportation – even if it includes new taxes.’ “
Landes’s cut-and-paste attempt to smear Sen. Deed’s attempt at bipartisan resolution is not only dishonest, but juvenile. Here is the real quote in it’s entirety.
” I will sign a bill that is the product of bipartisan compromise that provides a comprehensive transportation solution. As a legislator, I have voted for a number of mechanisms to fund transportation, including a gas tax. And I’ll sign a bipartisan bill with a dedicated funding mechanism for transportation – even if it includes new taxes.”
Sen. Deeds’ comment is all about two important things, one, solving the transportation problem versus ignoring it, and two, coming up with a bipartisan solution. Deeds has said over and over that “all options are on the table.” Hardly an endorsement for taxes and hardly “unequivocal” as Landes claims.
Greg Marrow is the Democratic Party nominee for the 25th House District seat.
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