VB House candidates talk transportation

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Virginia Beach politics was front and center Wednesday as six candidates for the House of Delegates took questions at the Central Business District Association of Virginia Beach.

WAVY.com took the transportation issue to see how the candidates differ on how to finally solve what has been an unsolvable problem.

The question we posed: Who plans to raise taxes to build new roads?

Republican Delegate Bob Purkey, representing the 82nd district, said taxes must be part of the solution.

"We've got to have jobs to produce. Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, Portsmouth tunnel and 460...will have tolls. [And] you will have private roads," said Del. Purkey.

His opponent, Democrat Peter Schmidt, says you are intellectually dishonest if you propose fixing roads without raising taxes like the gas tax, which Schmidt supports and had a few numbers for evidence.

"If you look at what the average commuter pays, it's $96 a year in gas tax. We add a nickel that would fund $700 million a year. I think that's a very modest price to pay for trying to catch up on 23 years of neglect," said Del. Schmidt.

Democratic Delegate Joe Bouchard, 83rd District, says raising taxes won't fly. He called it "beating a dead horse". Bouchard says funding must be comprehensive that doesn't attack one sector of the economy.

Republican challenger Chris Stolle supports borrowing money in bonds to build roads even if it means waiting until the economy gets better.

"Tax increases are not the way to go. Even if we borrow money we're going to have to wait for revenue from a better economy to pay back interest on those loans," he said.

Democratic Delegate Bobby Mathieson thinks the answer is to narrow the focus on one priority like building a new Midtown Tunnel.

Republican challenger Ron Villanueva supports borrowing money too, and said the federal government needs to step up more.

The candidates also spoke out on campaign ads and negative campaigning, and how much it takes to run for political office.

There weren't any knock out blows, but generally speaking and not surprising, the incumbents running seemed to have more indepth knowledge on the issues, especially transportation. But the challengers were also very aggressive and mounting very credible campaigns.