EXPECT REALISTIC TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS

When I was first elected, Transportation spending was a mere 14% of Virginia’s entire budget. Since then, under Republican leadership in the House, we have increased transportation funding by 50 percent since 2004. The 2003-2004 Biennial Budget included $6.3 billion in transportation funding--a total exceeded only by education spending. And in 2005-2006 we increased transportation spending to $8.1 billion, a 27 percent increase over the previous budget--far outstripping the rate of population growth and inflation.

But we must do more, which is why I supported House Bill 3202, the Comprehensive Transportation Funding and Reform Act, the only comprehensive transportation plan to be approved by either house this session. It includes components that will

1. Give Virginia’s fastest-growing localities more authority to combat sprawl and traffic congestion;

2. Enact significant reforms to the state’s delivery of transportation services; and

3. Inject meaningful and dedicated revenues—as well as a $2.5 billion statewide bond package—into the Commonwealth’s network of roads, railways, and public transit. That’s above and beyond the $9.5 Billion we have in the budget for transportation right now.

We don't need more taxes to fix transportation - we need different priorities! This will take leadership, and I am ready to do my part to make the case for our community.

We need safer roads, smarter planning by VDOT, tele-commuting initiatives, and yes, realistic mass transit options. But no matter what direction we take in solving transportation problems, we can't go it alone. Our region contributes enormous revenues—almost 50 percent—to the Commonwealth and we deserve our fair share of funds to meet our transportation needs. We need to stop seeing regional transportation problems as northern Virginia problems and seeing them for what they are - Virginia 's problems. I will

• Fight to ensure funded transportation projects are completed.

• Fight to put the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) “off-limits” to spending in non-transportation areas.

• Fight for an equitable apportionment of transportation funds across the Commonwealth.

• Promote realistic transportation solutions that provide adequate infrastructure through transportation planning that is responsive to our regional growth goals.

• Support and promote reliable mass transit for our area as well as tele-commute centers that take advantage of the technology available to us.
  

CONTROLLING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
The laws of the nation concerning immigration MUST be enforced. America is a nation of immigrants. Having immigration is NOT the issue. Immigration into our nation must be legal. What does it say when the first act a person takes when coming to America is illegal; that coming here in such a way is a clear violation of our laws? How can we be a nation of laws that respects the laws and stand by while those very requirements to enter this land legally are thrown to the wind? The answer is simple. We must enforce our immigrations laws.

The Federal government is NOT doing its job. But the State must step up and do what it can. That’s why I have supported laws that would crack down on illegal immigration in Virginia, including denying your tax dollars in the form of “benefits” to illegal aliens. Sadly, there are some in government who have opposed rational enforcement of immigration laws. I will continue to support efforts to

• Deny in state tuition for illegal aliens;

• Punish employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens by denying them state contracts;

• Punish people who produce false identification to foster the activities of illegal aliens; and

• Prohibit the issuance of a business license to any individual who cannot provide legal documents proving such individual is legally eligible to be employed or to work in the United States.

Either we will be a land of laws or a land of anarchy. There is no in-between on this issue. We must enforce the law.

DEMAND EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE
We've made real progress through the leadership of Republicans in embracing the standards of learning. Yet we must do more. My wife teaches in a public school and my kids are public school students and graduates. I am committed to improving public education, but we must recognize that as long as there are forces that oppose reform, our efforts to make things better for our kids will be restrained. Therefore we must innovate, using market forces to encourage reform. That's why I support tuition tax credits for families sending their kids to private and religious schools or electing to educate their children at home. It is time to move beyond "one-size-fits-all" education and see public, private, religious, and home schooling as a basket whickered neatly together to contain valid alternatives we can use to educate our children. It is time to stop the “bickering” and start the “whickering.”

Tuition Tax credits are a fair and simple way to offer educational choice to hard working Mom's and Dad's. The Virginia Educational Opportunity Act would have done that. But liberals and the VEA/NEA fought that reform. It would not only have been largely revenue neutral, this act would have resulted in more money per pupil for public school students while reducing our crowded public school classrooms - getting our kids out of trailers - thereby helping to create a better teacher to student ratio. We can win reform for all parents by returning a conservative to Richmond to fight for educational reform. I will

• Promote a core value system for our children…the future leaders of our country.

• Support providing tuition tax credits and school choice initiatives, like Charter schools.

• Continue to improve Virginia's Charter School Act in a bi-partisan effort and advance Charter school initiatives.

• Advance educational excellence through establishing relevant and clear standards of learning (SOL) while demanding feed-back mechanisms that make sure SOLs have "front-line teacher input" to ensure standards are high and doing what they are designed to do.

• Work to hold school systems accountable for their performance.

• Fight to ensure adequate funding for education that has a direct impact on quality teaching.

PROTECTING LIFE AND HEALTH CARE

Sanctity of Human Life

Thomas Jefferson was right when he said,

That's why I will:

• Protect pre-born children, help the sick, the elderly, the handicapped, and those who can't care for themselves with policies that make sense and honor the right to life.

People are concerned about their basic access to health care. They want to be sure that when it comes to major health care concerns, they and their doctors are the primary decision-makers as to what course of action must be taken. I will stand up for patients and doctors to ensure that in Virginia - the cradle of freedom - people are free to make health decisions that are best for them and that save them money.

• I support managed health care choice where doctors and patients decide the course of action, not government
  

I also support reform to end “junk” lawsuits that are forcing health care costs through the roof and driving doctors out of Virginia. No sick person was ever healed by a jury award.

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