Candidate Q&A: Lieutenant Governor

Jody Wagner (Democrat) Bill Bolling (Republican)

Q. If elected, how would you help put people back to work?

Bolling: I have put forth a detailed Jobs for Virginians program . . . that focuses on providing additional tax incentives for businesses creating jobs in Virginia, reducing the regulatory burden on Virginia businesses and investing in proven economic development and job-creation programs. In addition, my More Energy, More Jobs program is designed to make Virginia the East Coast's leader in developing traditional, renewable and new and emerging energy technologies. Finally, I will stand in firm opposition to tax increases and misguided federal policies like "card check" and cap and trade, which will kill jobs and drive our economy deeper into recession.

Wagner: As a small-business owner, I understand the hardships faced by employers across the commonwealth. Creating new jobs and growing Virginia's economy will be my top priority as lieutenant governor. While serving as [state] treasurer and secretary of finance under Governors [Mark R.] Warner and [Timothy M.] Kaine, I helped the commonwealth become the "Best State for Business" by maintaining our AAA credit rating, keeping taxes low, and making record investments in education. Going forward, we need to invest in the high-growth industries of the future, such as renewable energy production and biotechnology, and utilize our colleges and universities as incubators of research and development. I'll work with members of both parties and the business community to provide incentives that will attract small growth businesses and help them grow.

Q. How should Virginia fund transportation?

Bolling: I have put forth a detailed transportation plan that will increase funding for transportation by $1.4 billion a year without raising taxes. The plan includes more than a dozen specific funding proposals, including the issuance of previously authorized transportation bonds, an expanded use of public/private partnerships and the dedication of 1 percent of future revenue growth to transportation. . . . My plan also includes a number of proposals to make certain that we are spending our transportation resources wisely.

Wagner: Fixing transportation is critical to the commonwealth's economic future. Along with Governors Warner and Kaine, I worked across party lines over the past seven years to find a long-term funding solution for transportation. I don't believe we should raise taxes in the middle of a global recession. Instead, we need to focus on growing the commonwealth's economy so that we have the revenues necessary to fund transportation over the long term. In the meantime, we should continue to pursue public-private partnerships that can help defray the costs of new and upgraded infrastructure; focus on smarter growth patterns that encourage Virginians to live and work in the same community; and incentivize telecommuting and alternative work schedules to reduce congestion. My opponent, after four years of silence on this issue, has proposed raiding $5 billion from education and health-care funding to pay for transportation, which I believe is the exact wrong approach.

Q. What, if anything, would you protect from state budget cuts?

Bolling: Given the magnitude of the budget shortfalls we face, we are going to have to reduce spending in most areas to bring the budget into balance. Efforts should be made to exempt core responsibilities like public education and public safety from budget cuts, or at least minimize cuts in these areas. Going forward, we have to restore fiscal integrity to the budget process. To do so we must make certain that we base our budgets on realistic revenue projections, eliminate budget gimmicks and reduce spending to bring it in line with available revenue. We have proposed a number of specific budget reforms that can help us accomplish this goal.

Wagner: I know how difficult it can be to balance competing financial priorities, having to do so as a small-business owner and a mother of four. Over the past seven years, I worked with Governors Warner and Kaine to make tough choices, cutting state spending to help us through two national economic downturns. We've won plaudits from Democrats, Republicans and many independent evaluators for our efforts in keeping Virginia financially sound, and have been named the "Best Managed State" and "Best State for Business." . . . In the event that cuts must be made, I strongly believe that we should avoid reductions to education and public safety spending.

Q. What would you do about rising college tuition costs?

Bolling: In the past eight years, tuition for in-state students at our four-year colleges and universities has increased by 95 percent. In large part these increases have come about because the state is underfunding its commitment to higher education. At present, we are underfunding our own base adequacy formulas for higher education by $200 million a year. However, Governor Kaine recently recommended additional higher-education budget cuts of $200 million, which will bring the total amount of higher-education funding deficits to $400 million a year. We must reverse this trend and give higher education a higher priority in the budget process . . . Until we do this, our colleges and universities will be forced to increase tuition and admit more out-of-state students to make up these lost dollars.

Wagner: Virginia is in the bottom half of the country in higher-education funding on a per-pupil basis. As we create jobs and grow the economy, more must be invested in our colleges and universities to offset rising tuition costs. We absolutely cannot afford to cut current education funding levels to finance transportation as my opponent proposes. I've taken a leading role in promoting and investing in post-secondary education in the commonwealth. I negotiated the landmark 2008 Higher Education Investment package, which provided $1.6 billion to colleges across the commonwealth to build and improve the facilities that will train Virginia's workforce of the future. . . . Beyond simply funding tuition aid programs better, we should also improve college guidance programs in high schools so that students are fully aware of the resources and funding options available.

Q. What is your position on offshore drilling?

Bolling: I support the exploration and development of Virginia's off-shore energy resources and this is a key component of my More Energy, More Jobs program. I support proceeding with the lease sale for offshore energy exploration that is scheduled for 2011 and I have actively opposed Governor Kaine's efforts to defer this lease sale. The development of our offshore energy resources can help the nation achieve a greater degree of energy security, while helping Virginia achieve a greater degree of financial security. For example, Old Dominion University has estimated that the offshore development of natural gas alone can produce 25,000 new jobs, $8 billion in capital investment, $271 million in state and local tax revenue and $170 million per year in royalty payments to the commonwealth -- money we want to use to help pay for our transportation needs. The equation is simple -- "more energy = more jobs for Virginians."

Wagner: I believe that we need to take immediate steps to ensure Virginia is more energy-efficient and energy-independent. Becoming greener can create thousands of new, good-paying jobs, by establishing the commonwealth as a leader in wind, solar, and biomass energy production -- innovations which will drive further private investment in our colleges and universities. While I'm open to the possibility of exploring for oil and natural gas offshore, more information is needed before we move forward. Specifically, we must ensure that there will be no negative impact on the local environment or economy, particularly the Hampton Roads military installations that provide hundreds of thousands of jobs and the valuable space flight industry on Wallops Island.

Q. What is your position on abortion?

Bolling: I am pro-life. During my 14 years in state government I have supported responsible pro-life initiatives like parental notification and consent, a ban on partial-birth abortion and higher patient-safety standards for abortion clinics. These common-sense measures are supported by pro-life and pro-choice Virginians. I will continue to support such common-sense proposals to protect the right to life, while . . . working with pro-choice Virginians to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and the number of teen pregnancies.

Wagner: I strongly support a woman's right to choose. While we should always work to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and abortions in Virginia, we should not do so by criminalizing women or doctors. I believe we must provide adequate support to women who are pregnant and cannot afford medical care, and I'm proud that during the Kaine administration we increased the number of pregnant women who have access to health care under FAMIS MOMS.