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Bruce Roemmelt
Published: March 10, 2008
Sunday evening I received an e-mail from Del. Robert Marshall, R-Prince William. He was, refreshingly, succinct and direct. “Well, Bruce, do you now believe me about HB 3202 being unconstitutional?”
In 2007, I agreed with Governor Tim Kaine, Attorney General Bob McDonnell, Deputy Attorney General Bill Mims and Sen. Charles J. “Chuck” Colgan, D-Manassas, that the 2007 transportation compromise was constitutional.
This year, the Supreme Court of Virginia chose a rare day to make a giant leap backward for our regional transportation crisis.
If I were to do as Delegate Marshall does when he is faced with a court decision he does not like, I would launch into an invective about the dangers of activist judges who disregard the views and needs of the public. However, unlike Delegate Marshall, I’m not interested in playing a game of “gotcha.” I’m interested in seeing our transportation problems solved.
On May 29, 2007, I wrote on these pages that the transportation compromise was “not perfect.” However, I believed then and I continue to believe that “given the severity of gridlock, doing nothing is not an option.”
The Virginia Supreme Court decision has not changed this reality. The General Assembly is now back at the drawing board when it comes to solving our transportation problems — exactly where it was in March 2005, when I first announced my candidacy for the House of Delegates and focused my campaign on this issue.
Delegate Marshall chose to save us from an unconstitutional law, whether we necessarily wanted to be saved or not.
Unfortunately, he still has done nothing to save us from the hundreds of hours each of us lose every year due to gridlock.
This is time we could spend with our families, a constituency Marshall claims to support.
I can now believe Marshall that HB3202 was unconstitutional. I still do not believe his priorities match those of the long-suffering residents of the 13th District. Let’s hope Delegate Marshall can take some time from his U.S. Senate campaign and play a constructive role solving this problem.
BRUCE ROEMMELT
Prince William County
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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on March 13, 2008 at 1:51 am
Phdee i like and dislike aspects of both parties, so that automatically makes me an Independent. Are you a left wing democrat since i assume you support the Governors “pet projects” thankfully he relinquished his Pre-K ridiculosity. He needs to make cuts elsewhere. Will he make them? Only time will tell. If he figures out a more sensible solution to the budget and transportation and makes any effort on illegal immigration then he has my vote if he endorses a replacement. He is no Mark Warner. Chris Cummings
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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on March 11, 2008 at 7:49 pm
I am glad he shelved his Pre-K plan and expanded the existing program, somebody talked some sense to him. Now will they come to their senses on the transportation budget. I hope they won’t raise our taxes. Cut spending, they need to continue to cut spending. Chris Cummings
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Posted by ( phdee ) on March 11, 2008 at 10:13 am
And what spending would you suggest cutting zcx? The Repubs think they can spend wildly and cut taxes. Sorry. Just doesn’t work. Since you mentioned the governors “pet projects”, I assume you are a right wing republican.
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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on March 10, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Mr. Roemmelt what is your solution other than raising taxes? Should we not cut spending? Why won’t the Governor shelve his pet projects? Does he not care about the poor disadvantaged legal citizens of Virginia? Chris Cummings
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