Fixing our transportation system
Whether you’re driving to work every morning or doing errands on Saturday afternoon, it’s abundantly clear that there is a transportation crisis in our community. Northern Virginia alone needs more than $10 billion over the next decade to address transportation needs. While I commend legislators for taking a first step toward solving the problem, a hodgepodge collection of fees and taxes is not the way to address the problem, as witnessed by the outrage over traffic “abuser fees” that have put Virginia in the national spotlight.
Repealing those fees – or at least making them apply to a Californian as much as a Virginian – is the essential first step. And using traffic control as a revenue tool is counterproductive anyway. I believe we should treat the outrage over these fees as an opportunity, not a problem, and revisit the funding needs that brought them about.
Improving education
An excellent education must be the right of every child in Virginia. Thomas Jefferson, perhaps America’s greatest believer in public education, showed us that. We must honor Jefferson’s legacy by improving – not just maintaining – Virginia’s nationally recognized education system. Not only must we pay our teachers well, but we must maintain and grow our physical infrastructure, making sure that our elementary, middle, high school, and college campuses are safe and free islands of creativity and learning.
We must also realize that college is not for everyone, and continue with initiatives to promote technical education in everything from computer science to auto repair, so that Virginia’s educational system produces the kind of workforce that makes it America’s best state in which to do business.
Protecting the environment
Few people deny that preserving and protecting our environment should be a priority for all of us. When Governor Mark Warner appointed me as a Trustee of the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, he knew I would work hard and devote my energy toward preserving thousands of acres of open space for future generations of Virginians. As I have traveled throughout this Commonwealth, I’ve come to know its essential beauty, so as an elected official, I will work even harder to keep our water clean and our air pure. By doing so, we will earn the thanks of generations to come.
Solving problems, not picking fights
Our General Assembly is saddled with too many delegates more interested in pushing their ideological agenda than finding solutions. Too many legislators are too interested in taking credit at the expense of achieving results. I will be a thinker, a listener, a consensus builder, and a problem solver. Problems don’t always present themselves in black and white, and solutions are often found in shades of gray.
I am a transaction lawyer. My law practice is not about litigation. It’s about making business happen. More than two decades of making transactions happen has taught me much about how to keep business moving forward. I’ve learned the importance of brokering creative compromises and finding common ground. And I’ve learned the importance of never saying never.
