Here are some observations from a well-traveled Virginian, for what they are worth. I have driven I-81 / I-64 several times a year for the last 13 years since Michael joined the Navy in 1998. When Tim Kaine was governor (2006-2010) and { the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011}, he went to the legislature every year asking for tax increases. When the recession hit Kaine did one of the most profoundly stupid things a governor of a high volume tourist state could do, he closed almost all of the state's interstate rest areas, put up yellow caution tape at the entrance and let the weeds grow. He might as well have put up a sign at the state lines announcing "CLOSED FOR BUSINESS." Unbelievable how ugly and depressing it was to see this as I traveled the roads. Another 'unavoidable' budget cut Kaine put in place, when it was decided there must be some minor cuts in the multi-billion state education budget, the first thing Kaine cut was approximately $250,000 in abstinence funding for state schools. When Bob McDonnell took office in Jan 2010, one of his first directives was to reopen ALL of the interstate rest areas within 90 days. This was done without a request for a tax increase and today the rest areas are once again being well used by travelers and tourists, they are better maintained and cleaner than I have seen them in years. Gov. McDonnell used common sense and understood this needed to be a priority. McDonnell has reinvigorated the Commonwealth of Virginia in very tough times, current unemployment rate 5.8%, and understands that increasing taxes is not the way to prosper.
Here are some observations from a well-traveled Virginian, for what they are worth. I have driven I-81 / I-64 several times a year for the last 13 years since Michael joined the Navy in 1998. When Tim Kaine was governor (2006-2010) and { the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011}, he went to the legislature every year asking for tax increases. When the recession hit Kaine did one of the most profoundly stupid things a governor of a high volume tourist state could do, he closed almost all of the state's interstate rest areas, put up yellow caution tape at the entrance and let the weeds grow. He might as well have put up a sign at the state lines announcing "CLOSED FOR BUSINESS." Unbelievable how ugly and depressing it was to see this as I traveled the roads. Another 'unavoidable' budget cut Kaine put in place, when it was decided there must be some minor cuts in the multi-billion state education budget, the first thing Kaine cut was approximately $250,000 in abstinence funding for state schools. When Bob McDonnell took office in Jan 2010, one of his first directives was to reopen ALL of the interstate rest areas within 90 days. This was done without a request for a tax increase and today the rest areas are once again being well used by travelers and tourists, they are better maintained and cleaner than I have seen them in years. Gov. McDonnell used common sense and understood this needed to be a priority. McDonnell has reinvigorated the Commonwealth of Virginia in very tough times, current unemployment rate 5.8%, and understands that increasing taxes is not the way to prosper.
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