Va. gubernatorial hopefuls spar over budget, transportation
By William C. Flook
Examiner Staff Writer 12/3/08
The discussion held for reporters sat in the shadow of a looming budget crisis the next governor of Virginia likely will inherit when he takes office in 2010. Gov. Tim Kaine later that afternoon estimated the two-year shortfall at about $3 billion, a revision from the $2.5 billion figure he proposed in October.
Only one of the four hopefuls, former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe, remains officially undecided on whether he will seek the governor’s mansion in 2009. Should he run, McAuliffe would compete in a Democratic primary with Alexandria Del. Brian Moran and state Sen. Creigh Deeds of rural Bath County. The winner of that primary will face Attorney General Robert McDonnell in the November general election.
None of the four candidates said they would raise taxes amid the economic downturn, and none would challenge Virginia’s “right-to-work” laws.
“I will look at everything we need to do to continue this climate of low taxes and limited government,” McDonnell said.
Each promised to seek ways to fund needed road and rail projects, though they quickly descended into recriminations over the largely failed state transportation funding package of 2007, much of which has been repealed or ruled unconstitutional.
McDonnell touted his support for the tax package, prompting Deeds — who voted for it — to say he was “pleased and surprised” the attorney general was taking credit for “that monstrosity.” McDonnell defeated Deeds by a small margin in the 2005 attorney general race.
Earlier in the day, the heads of Virginia’s Democratic and Republican parties hotly debated the results of the 2008 presidential election and what they meant for the state’s political future.
Del. Jeff Frederick, the Virginia Republican chairman, refused to apologize for a now-famous comment that likened Barack Obama to Osama Bin Laden because “they both have friends who bombed the Pentagon.”
He did, however, say the comment damaged some of his personal relationships and “didn’t need to be said.”
1 Comments
Reader Comments:
POSTED Dec 3, 2008
Peanuts: "Every country has to have a slave state Right to work, and get blown out for no reason, ther than a cheaper worker? I always said it, take the fed government out of the state and you would have slaves and tobacco,oh sorry and peanuts More promises and lies, fromboth sides At least Jeff is honest he did get in trouble with so-called friends. Bottom Line he was correct Macacca that !"