Reactions to the governor's speech

By: Times-Dispatch Staff | Times-Dispatch
Published: January 13, 2011

"The governor's speech tonight was filled with a number of priorities — funding for transportation, higher education and job creation. Those are goals that Virginia Democrats share. Where we have serious differences is how to pay for them. …

"The governor has a long wish list of expensive items but no sound plan on how to pay for them. For example, he wants to take on over $3 billion in new debt to pay for transportation projects. The end result could be that we wind up stacking more government debt on top of Virginia families at a time when many of them are having trouble paying their own bills."

— House Minority Leader Ward L. Armstrong, D-Henry

"I think he basically says what we all understand: People send us down here to do something, and not to bicker and quibble. They want things done. That's the whole tone of the last two elections. ... And he laid out a very ambitious agenda. ... That's a good thing."

— House Majority Leader M. Kirkland Cox, R-Colonial Heights

"He was going to drill offshore — that didn't happen; put tolls on the interstates — that didn't happen; sell the ABC stores — it didn't happen. There are no magic bullets."

— Senate Majority Leader Richard L. Saslaw, D-Fairfax

"I liked his extending the hand of bipartisanship in an election year and a redistricting year. That may be a little altruistic on his part."

— Senate Minority Leader Thomas K. Norment Jr., R-James City