| Referendum winners
and losers
It
was a defining moment in current Virginia politics.
On Nov. 5, voters rejected referendums in Northern Virginia
and Hampton Roads to raise sales taxes regionally and
pay for big road projects. On the same day they gave
a resounding thumbs up to a $900 million bond issue
for higher education, and another issue to boost state
parks.
To
sort this out, let’s look at my own list of winners
and losers. Bear with me, because I believe the issue
is a bit more complicated than many politicians want
to admit. Here goes:
Winners:
Anti-tax hardline GOPers such as U.S. Sen. George
Allen and former Gov. Jim Gilmore. Both stayed true
to their populist stripes, showing once again that they
have an excellent understanding of what voters in fast-growing
suburbs want. What few mention is that both men played
significant roles creating the messes that the road
referendums, however flawed, tried to address.
Loser:
Gov. Mark R. Warner. He put his political reputation
on the line by strongly backing the road referendums.
It’s a shame that this bright and energetic man
can’t move ahead because he’s been so hamstrung
by inherited disasters. What the naysayers don’t
mention, however, is that the bond issue to improve
higher education was a big win and Warner backed that,
too. Ditto park bonds.
Winners:
Environmentalists such as the Coalition for Smart Growth
and the Piedmont Environmental Council. The smart growth
mantra is that simply building more roads in congested
suburban areas leads only to more congestion and bad
land use. They spent lots of money campaigning against
the road referendums and won, showing that they are
becoming a more powerful political force.
Losers:
The state’s business establishment, such as the
Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the Virginia Port Authority.
The state Chamber urged all referendums cementing their
long-held view that roads, schools and a decent quality
of life are critical issues if the state is to stay
economically competitive. The VPA has ambitious plans
to boost the port, but that depends on a third crossing
across Hampton Roads to move freight containers by truck,
thus keeping its competitive edge. The crossing will
eventually be built, but the referendum would have sped
things along.
Winners:
Ordinary voters. It’s amazing how they can cut
to the chase and distrust big interests that will only
benefit from more roads, such as developers and their
crowd.
Losers:
Ordinary voters. Wanting to keep taxes low is understandable.
But going too far is self-defeating and could eventually
cost Virginia her economic strength and fine quality
of life.
Return
to Virginia Business - December 2002
|
