Deeds' Transportation Plan

One of the critiques of Creigh Deeds has been the perception that he doesn't have plans for Virginia. Now, this isn't true, but perceptions matter. So, in answer to these criticisms, Creigh has written an editorial in The Washington Post summarizing his plans. Unlike his opponent, whose funding solutions are based on wishful thinking and raiding the education budget, Creigh Deeds has an actual plan to finance our roads based on what has worked before.

The day after I'm elected, I will begin assembling a bipartisan commission to craft a comprehensive transportation package. Like Gov. Baliles did, I will appoint Republicans, Democrats and independents along with private-sector leaders and transportation experts. The commission would begin work in December and issue its report early next year.

There must be a nexus between funding and those who use our transportation system -- Virginians and those from other states. Virginia needs a bipartisan plan that must have enough funding to deal with our multibillion-dollar backlog and make the needed investments for our future. All funding options are on the table except taking money from education and other obligations met by Virginia's general fund. - Creigh Deeds

Unlike his opponent, Sen. Deeds has the courage to admit our transportation funding crisis will not be alleviated by gimmicky solutions. He is willing to risk his election to speak the truth about transportation to Virginia.

Bob McDonnell? As is his wont throughout his career, he will exploit circumstances to advance an ideological agenda.

Bob McDonnell has pledged not to sign a transportation bill with new revenue. His approach is to pay for transportation with money from the general fund. As The Post's Frederick Kunkle has reported, "general funds are raised from a variety of sources, such as individual and corporate income taxes. These funds can be spent . . . at the discretion of the General Assembly and the governor. The majority of the money in the general fund goes to education (45.9 percent), with the rest to health and human resources (24.2 percent) and public safety (11.1 percent)."

I do not support taking funds from these critical priorities to pay for roads. More important, neither will the General Assembly. Republicans and Democrats are on record opposing McDonnell's funding proposals.

McDonnell's idea of using general funds for transportation is not new. In 2007, an editorial in the Daily Press of Hampton Roads said that McDonnell urged "the General Assembly to exploit the gap in state road funding as a rationale for reducing state spending on education, public safety, health care and conservation. That such an ideological purpose lies behind the Republican transportation proposal has been implied all along. McDonnell made it explicit." - Creigh Deeds

Creigh Deeds knows how to make this work because he has already made solutions like this work as a Senator in the Assembly. He is the candidate for all Virginia, because he believes in the things that unite us, rather than divide us.

Vote Creigh Deeds for Governor on November 3.

P.S. Go read Vivian's latest post analyzing Bob's plans for Virginia.