GOP Plan Takes Funding Away From Education

There is no denying that transportation is one of the major issues that must be addressed by our leaders in Richmond. Nonetheless, the partisan agenda pursued by many Republican lawmakers has caused the General Assembly to be filled with as many delays as Virginia’s highways. That is why many Virginia residents were hopeful that last November’s elections might result in the General Assembly coming together in a bipartisan manner to solve our transportation woes.

As the Richmond Times-Dispatch put it, however, the plan that was supported by many of the most partisan Republicans would take $350 million dollars away from the general fund. In other words, it would take millions of dollars away from programs such as public education and public safety.

“Republicans hope to finance Virginia transportation improvements with the government credit card, by siphoning significant dollars from schools, police and the poor and raising taxes and fees for drivers and homeowners.”

As a sign of the changes that must be made to this legislation, there were even some members of the Republican Party who were not fully satisfied with the bill. The Free Lance Star, for instance, quoted Sen. John Chichester (R-Northumberland) as stating that the plan was “a very unhealthy initiative”.

He called the use of general fund money “a very unhealthy initiative, for it will impact every public education system, health and human services organization, and public safety organization in the state.”

Chichester said. “The confrontation that many of us have foreseen, should this come to pass, is now apparent, as transportation competes with public education, higher education, and public safety for a finite number of dollars.”

Although having a plan put forward is a step in the right direction, I believe it is safe to say that many Virginians would like to see a solution put forward that doesn’t take funding away from education and public safety. The transportation agenda promoted by Republican lawmakers doesn’t accomplish that goal.