McDonnell says he would not raise taxes for roads

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell said yesterday that he would not sign a bill that would seek to increase taxes to pay for road improvements.

In an online chat at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, McDonnell said: "In this economy, I don't think people can sustain more taxes." He added: "I think it's unlikely the General Assembly passes a significant tax increase."

McDonnell also said the refusal of his Democratic opponent, R. Creigh Deeds, to spell out what he would do about transportation is a "subterfuge" for a tax-increase proposal.

"His plan is 'elect me'" and that he will call a special session and work with the legislature, McDonnell said. "That's not leadership. That's not a plan."

McDonnell's proposals to raise money for transportation include shifting some revenues, privatizing Alcoholic Beverage Control stores, applying revenue from offshore drilling, and imposing tolls on drivers entering Virginia from North Carolina along Interstates 85 and 95.

The transportation proposals would fund more than $1 billion in new revenue for roads, the Republican said.

On another issue, McDonnell called for "a wholesale look" at the structure of the Virginia Information Technologies Agency.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has said a structural problem is key to the difficulties with the $2.3 billion privatization of the state's computer technology. Kaine says the head of VITA should report to the governor and not to an independent oversight board.

"It may be one part of the problem," McDonnell said. "I think we need a wholesale look at VITA, at the organization," he said. McDonnell said he wants to defer judgment until he sees the outcome of legislative inquiries.

Asked whether Virginia should reopen the Virginia Tech investigation, in light of the discovery of killer Seung Hui-Cho's mental-health records, McDonnell said he favors "full and fair disclosure." But with litigation pending, he deferred to the current governor and attorney general.

McDonnell said that as a state delegate early in this decade he voted to reduce funding for the Governor's Opportunity Fund -- a pool of money to attract industry to Virginia -- because "we were in a lot better shape when it came to our unemployment rate."

Now, with an unemployment rate of 7.2 percent, the money is needed, he said. He has proposed increasing funding for the fund, as has Deeds.

McDonnell also explained why he has changed his position on the Virginia law that restricts purchasers to one handgun a month. McDonnell supported it in 1993 as a delegate from Virginia Beach. He said he now thinks the law "probably is not -- may not -- be needed anymore."

McDonnell said there have been "tremendous advances" in instant background checks and in the law on straw purchases since the law was enacted 16 years ago.

His earlier support hurt him with the powerful National Rifle Association.

"If the General Assembly passes a bill [to repeal the ban] and sends it to me, I'll sign it," he said.

Asked whether he believes President Barack Obama was born in the United States, McDonnell said: "President Obama is a citizen. He's the president of the United States."

As to whether he would ask former Alaska Gov. and GOP vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin to come to Virginia to campaign for him, McDonnell said: "Anybody that wants to come here and help Bob McDonnell win, I think is a good idea." He added that he does not know her plans.

Deeds will appear in his own 30-minute online chat at The Times-Dispatch next Wednesday, Aug. 12, at 12:45 p.m.

Readers were able to submit questions for McDonnell on TimesDispatch.com and NBC12.com. Ryan Nobles, the station's political reporter and blogger, also wrote about the online chat in his Decision Virginia blog.

Contact Tyler Whitley at (804) 649-6780 or .