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its suburbs.
His plan would allow cities and counties to reject a development if it were too much for the local transportation network to handle or if improvements were not on the imminent horizon. Would it stop all development? No. But what it would do is finally force public- and private-sector leaders to step back, take a deep breath and sit down together to figure out where to put and how best to prepare for the growth that we cannot stop from coming.
In terms of funding, Kaine’s plans might not offer as much as we would hope, but his initial commitment to make sure all dollars that ought to be going to transportation actually get used for that purpose before considering additional resources is reasonable.
Independent Russ Potts did lay out a rather inspiring vision for improving transportation across the commonwealth, but he has clearly been an also-ran in this race.
Kaine has pledged to honor the state’s commitment to public and higher education above all else—not to mention the fact he wants to make a year of preschool available to every child whose parents want them to attend. Whether you have school-aged children or not, everyone can appreciate the value of investing in education.
Let’s also not forget about Kaine’s proposal to assist local governments in addressing the pleas of homeowners buckling under the stress of skyrocketing property assessments. In order to target relief to those least able to afford the steep increases, the former Richmond mayor is proposing local supervisors be allowed to provide tax exemptions to certain groups of homeowners— those whose assessed values are at or below the countywide average, for example.
And finally consider the fashion in which Kilgore has taken a serious community challenge, that of day laborers, and twisted it into an issue for political gain. While not such an issue here. Northern Virginia has a plethora of immigrant workers, legal and illegal in many cases unfortunately, drawn to the area because of the strong economy and jobs that might otherwise go unfilled if not for them.
It is yet another instance in which he is working against and not partnering with the local government, which is why Tim Kaine’s experience and success, in both local and state office, should win your confidence.
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