WYDaily sent an identical questionnaire to each candidate running for the 96th House of Delegates district.
Brenda Pogge, a 60-year-old retired realtor, is the incumbent Republican candidate for the seat. The district represents most of James City and York counties.
Pogge’s answers are unedited and presented below.
The election takes place Nov. 7.
Read a completed questionnaire from the other candidate for the 96th House of Delegates District, Kelly DeLucia.
What’s the one sentence that properly describes the 96th House of Delegates District?
Virginia’s 96th District is a historically significant region of quiet suburbs, forests, rolling farms, and revolutionary battlefields, rich with access to the Chesapeake Bay and two major rivers.
What are the two biggest opportunities in the 96th House of Delegates District?
- Education—Three state universities are located nearby, as well as a state-of-the-art community college with two campuses and a strong workforce development program. All of these institutions are assets to our community.
- Employment—Opportunities include military, shipbuilding, light manufacturing, college and K-12 education, health care, tourism, service, and entertainment industries.
What are the two biggest challenges in the 96th House of Delegates District?
- Affordable housing is one of the larger challenges facing the 96th House district.
- Public transportation routes are a challenge, and Interstate 64 must be expanded all the way to Interstate 295.
In 2010 James City County’s population had roughly 13,800 people aged 65+. In 2016 that number increased to more than 18,000 people aged 65+. How are you going to help the county and Greater Williamsburg to prepare for a rapidly aging population? What are you going to do to help bring younger folks here?
- To prepare for a rapidly aging population, we need to train more healthcare professionals. I have worked with Thomas Nelson Community College on budget amendments to facilitate their workforce development programs. As a member of the Health, Welfare and Institutions committee, I have participated in the discussions of reforming our Certificate of Public Need regulations (COPN) to reduce the bureaucratic red tape hindering the establishment of nursing, rehabilitation, memory care, and assisted living facilities.
- To attract and keep younger residents, we must expand workforce development programs with an emphasis on high paying skilled labor and technical programs.
- Encourage affordable housing and attract light manufacturing facilities into the area.
Williamsburg’s poverty rate is estimated to be about 1 in 4 residents, according to estimates from the U.S. census. More than 12,000 people in Greater Williamsburg are living in poverty. How are you going to help bring better paying jobs to the city and to the area?
Businesses seeking a location consider many factors: skilled workforce, right to work laws, free flowing transportation network, great education system, low tax rates, and a business friendly regulatory climate. I have been and will continue to be a strong advocate of all of these issues in the General Assembly. I have consistently earned the endorsement of the Hampton Roads and Virginia Chamber of Commerce, and the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB).
How do you intend to move transportation projects forward on the Peninsula? What do you think your role will be in improving transportation throughout Greater Williamsburg?
The Hampton Roads delegation has advocated for and received additional funding for important projects in our area, such as the widening of Interstate 64 and the proposed expansion of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel .I intend to turn my attention to the further expansion of I-64 all the way to the I-295 interchange. This is very important to the economy of the Upper Peninsula and affects tourism and job creation.
What sort of experience are you going to bring to the area?
Having served in the General Assembly for ten years, I bring a wealth of experience to the 96th District. I serve on the Finance Committee; Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee; Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Chesapeake Bay Committee, and I am Vice Chair of the Education Committee. Additionally, I serve on five subcommittees related to the aforementioned committees. I also serve on the Federal Block Grant Commission, the Civics Commission, the Indian Commission, The Centennial Commission of the Women’s Right to Vote, and I am Chairman of the Disability Commission. I have absorbed a vast amount of institutional knowledge and seniority that is important to my district and to the Peninsula.
The military and federal government are preparing for sea-level rise and increasingly volatile weather. Should the state government do more to prepare such as increasing environmental regulations?
The Commonwealth is working with the military to prepare for sea level rise. Legislation was recently passed to create a center in conjunction with Old Dominion University to study the effects of sea level rise in Hampton Roads. Additionally, a current study is assessing whether the depletion of water from the Atlantic Aquifer System could be related to the sinking of coastal lands in relation to sea level.
Should recipients of social welfare or tax relief be tested for drugs? Why or why not?
Yes. Supporting a drug addict’s addiction is not an efficient use of taxpayer dollars. It only encourages the addiction to continue.
Should the state increasing taxes on its wealthiest residents to pay for more social programs? Why or why not?
No. The state should not be creating more social programs, but should instead foster more economic opportunities through job creation. Education and economic opportunity are the gateway to greater individual freedom and personal prosperity.
Should property rights ever trump an individual’s gun rights? Why or why not?
Yes. With rights come responsibility, and the abuse of Second Amendment rights constitutes grounds for the restriction of those rights.
Should there be more restrictions on the current process of purchasing a gun? Why or why not?
No, the current laws and restrictions are sufficient.
Should there be more restrictions on the current process of procuring a concealed carry permit for handguns?
No, we already have a rigorous process that requires training, fingerprinting and a criminal background check.
Do you support the legalization of marijuana?
No, I do not support the recreational use of marijuana. I do, however, support marijuana’s legitimate medicinal use.
Should a voter be required to have a valid photo ID to vote?
Yes. The intent of our democratic republic is “one person one vote.” Photo identification is important to protecting the integrity of our electoral process and ensuring the policy of “one person one vote.”
Should convicted criminals have the right to vote?
Let me clarify: being convicted of a crime that is considered a misdemeanor does not result in the loss of voting rights. If the crime is a felony, Virginia law currently allows for a convicted felon to have their voting rights restored after they have been individually vetted and approved by the Governor.
Should gerrymandering or political redistricting be made into a non-partisan process?
The Virginia Constitution provides that political redistricting is the duty of the House of Delegates or the “Peoples House,” which is held accountable to the voters every two years. I support the current system. There are criteria by which districts are determined. Criteria include consistent population count as well as requirements that districts be concentric, contiguous, and comprised of communities of common interest. These parameters can be challenging due to shifting populations and changing economies. I am not convinced there can be “a nonpartisan process.” Last year the process was unconstitutionally handed over to the judicial branch, and we were given newly drawn gerrymandered districts.
What are your top three policy goals?
- Improve reading scores in K-6 grades by increasing the use of phonics in the lower grades.
- Expanding workforce training programs in community colleges and re-introducing shop electives at the high school level.
- Reforming COPN regulations to introduce competition into healthcare in order to reduce costs.
Are you a member of any political organizations? Which political organizations are you a member of and what have they taught you?
I am a member of the Republican Party. I have learned to appreciate the Republican Creed, which states the following:
We believe:
That the Free enterprise system is the most productive supplier of human needs and economic justice,
That all individuals are entitled to equal rights, justice and opportunities and should assume their responsibilities as citizens in a free society,
That fiscal responsibility and budgetary restraints must be exercised at all levels of government,
That the Federal Government must preserve individual liberty by observing Constitutional limitations,
That peace is preserved through a strong national defense,
That faith in God, as recognized by our Founding Fathers is essential to the moral fiber of the Nation.
What recent policy changes in the current federal administration do you agree or disagree with? Why?
I agree with the current policy proposals to strengthen our national borders and to lower taxes on the middle class. I also support the repeal and replacement of Obamacare as well as lowering the corporate tax rate to bring American jobs back from overseas.
Will you be participating in any forums or public debates? When and where?
Delegate Pogge accepted the York County Chamber of Commerce’s invitation to participate in the September 12 candidate forum; however, the organizer canceled the event, according to Pogge’s legislative assistant Amanda Batten.
What is a question you wished had been asked?
Why are you running?
What is the answer?
As an American, a Virginian, a mother and a grandmother, I want to leave to my children and future generations the nation in which I grew up—a nation that loved its history, learned from its mistakes, cherished and defended its freedoms and lived by the rule of law. “America is great because America is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” (Alexis de Tocqueville). I want to see America restored to goodness and greatness.
