All four representatives of the Historic Triangle in the General Assembly participated in a panel discussion Friday morning, sharing their visions of transportation priorities, education reform and several other topics.
The discussion and accompanying breakfast was sponsored by the Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance. Business leaders from throughout the Historic Triangle attended Friday’s event for a chance to hear what their representatives plan on doing in Richmond when the next session begins Wednesday. On the panel was Sen. Tommy Norment (R-3rd District), Sen. John Miller (D-1st), Del. Brenda Pogge (R-96th) and Del.-elect Monty Mason (D-93rd).
The discussion opened with moderator Mark Duncan from the Alliance’s government affairs committee asking the panelists about transportation and how it factors into the upcoming session.
Duncan said the number one legislative priority of the Alliance is to continue to bolster the area’s transportation grid. He then asked Pogge why she voted against last year’s sweeping transportation bill that stands to raise billions of dollars for transportation projects in the state.
Pogge said she had issues with the taxes and fees that targeted specific areas of the state, including Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia. She also said she had issue with a special real estate transactions tax created by the law for Northern Virginia.
Mason said he supported the new law and that he wants to see Interstate 64 widened all the way to Richmond, a project that will cost billions of dollars. He also mentioned rapid transit lanes and other mass transit as potential solutions to the transportation issues in Hampton Roads as well as a system of signs for Interstate 295 that will point travelers to U.S. 60 as an alternate way of reaching the area.
Sens. Miller and Norment both expressed their support of providing bonding authority to help accelerate large transportation projects. Norment said expanding I-64 to Route 199 at the Marquis at Williamsburg (exit 242) is something that’s possible with “persistence and passion.” Funding currently exists to widen I-64 from Jefferson Avenue (exit 255) to about 1,000 feet west of Fort Eustis Boulevard (exit 250).
In the Alliance’s legislative priorities, widening I-64 from Jefferson Avenue to I-295 is a major priority, as is improving rail service between Newport News and Williamsburg.
“Current levels of congestion outside and within our community are already placing visitor experience at risk, thereby threatening the future of our tourism economy. The congestion on regional roadways is also affecting current and future business development in the Historic Triangle. This congestion will only get worse over time,” according to the Alliance’s legislative priorities document.
Duncan then asked the panelists how they feel about Gov. Bob McDonnell’s proposed budget for the next two years. Though McDonnell proposed the budget, the General Assembly will take a stab at modifying it after McDonnell leaves office. It will then head to the desk of the next governor, Terry McAuliffe.
Pogge said McDonnell’s budget is “well thought out” and that it is predicated on “realistic terms of growth.” Norment said he is concerned with the rising costs of Medicaid and other mandated spending from the federal government and how that may affect the budget.
Miller said he expects a big shift in priorities when McAuliffe takes office. He said he expects McAuliffe to focus on workforce development, pre-kindergarten education and community colleges.
Duncan also asked the panelists about the expansion of Medicaid. A decision from the U.S. Supreme Court allows states to opt out of the Medicaid expansion formerly prescribed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. The federal government has said it will pick up 100 percent of the costs of expansion for the first three years in each state. After three years passes, it will cover 90 percent of the costs.
Norment and Pogge were both skeptical of accepting the expansion.
Norment said there isn’t a guarantee that the federal government will honor its promise. He said the expansion has the potential to be a huge hit on Virginia. When asked how she would bring insurance to the estimated 400,000 people without health insurance in Virginia, Pogge said the numbers of uninsured are growing due to Obamacare and that “none of the bill has looked very promising.” She added that until there is consensus on Medicaid reform, Virginia should not take any money.
Mason and Miller, along with McAuliffe, support an expansion of Medicaid.
“Everyone is assuming the feds won’t honor their promise,” Mason said. “This is a great test of Democracy.”
He said Virginia needs to ensure the money its sending to Washington doesn’t go to other states. Miller said $5 million per day is now going to other states that could go to Virginians were Medicaid to be expanded. He said any bill to expand Medicaid in Virginia could include legislation that would allow Virginia to opt out should the federal government not honor its promise regarding payments.
When asked about whether they support keeping the school start date after Labor Day, all four panelists agreed — it’s the right thing to do. The Chamber firmly supports keeping the status quo for school start dates.
“Any effort to begin the school year earlier would affect traditional family vacations and the tourism season,” according to the legislative priorities document.
Duncan also asked each of the lawmakers to share their individual legislative priorities.
- Pogge said she wants to see the state help ease the plight of small farmers. She said they have been “left out of the equation” in many localities.
- Mason wants to look at putting Virginia companies first for state contracts, though he noted that sentiment is not a new one in the General Assembly and that it has been shot down in the past. He also mentioned wanting to create legislation to try to prevent people attempting to defraud the elderly via computer crimes and telephone scams.
- Miller, echoing comments he made at a town hall meeting in December, said he wants to work on changing the Standards of Learning tests so they don’t test for science and history in the third grade and instead focus on reading and math. He also wants to see legislation that addresses concussions in youth leagues and recreational sports leagues. Another piece of legislation he has already filed seeks to make it illegal to sell electronic cigarettes to minors.
- Norment wants to shepherd higher education reform. He also plans on supporting ethics reforms and legislation dealing with hazing and bullying.
Duncan closed out the conversation by saying many of the written questions submitted by the audience had to do with the expansion of Medicaid. He selected a question from the audience asking the panelists for their initial impressions of McAuliffe.
Miller said he is “very impressed” with McAuliffe’s appointments to cabinet-level positions. Norment said he likes to start out with “a very positive attitude.” He mentioned McAuliffe’s reputation as a dealmaker. He also said McAuliffe never should have said he would not sign a budget unless it featured an expansion of Medicaid. Norment referred to that as a “freshman mistake.”
Pogge said she is optimistic for McAuliffe and that she thinks he should govern the state in the same style President Bill Clinton used to govern the nation during his presidency. Mason also praised McAuliffe’s appointments, saying he has chosen a great inner circle.
The lawmakers are finishing up last-minute business in their home districts before heading to Richmond next week for the start of the General Assembly session. The session runs into March before the legislators adjourn until April 23.
The Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance features more than 900 members who represent businesses, educational institutions and nonprofits throughout the Historic Triangle. Friday’s breakfast was held at the Fort Magruder Hotel and Conference Center in Williamsburg.
