1. How does Virginia’s transportation funding formula benefit Loudoun County and what, if anything, should be done to improve the current process?

This answer depends on which formula is being referenced. Loudoun gets its funding through two primary sources, NVTA and CTB. Most of our projects have been funded through NVTA, courtesy of the 2013 transportation bill. I believe we have received our fair share of funds from NVTA because their formula is primarily based on congestion relief. The CTB, which is how most roads have been funded for years statewide has not been as kind to Loudoun. In the last round of funding, only one project qualified for less than $2 million, out of more than $600 million available. CTB’s funding formula, is not public but does not factor in congestion relief nearly as much as NVTA. That’s what I hope will change. In this round, Loudoun sent our tax dollars to Arlington and downstate. The CTB, which is made up of political appointees, needs to have transparency with their metrics and to prioritize congestion relief.

2. How would you more effectively align the Commonwealth’s and the County’s sources of revenue with their respective service responsibilities?

The answer to this question lies in service delivery and which level of government, state or county, is best suited to deliver these services. In certain instances, It may be more cost effective for the state to simply give funds to localities to ensure a certain level of service. K-12 Education, for example, is better administered at the local level. In other instances, it is more cost effective to have the state deliver a service. Snow removal and road maintenance in VA is administered by VDOT in most jurisdictions. I contend that funds for that service are better kept at the state level.

 
3. With Virginia facing a teacher shortage crisis, what current or future measures will you support that will have an impact on this challenge?

When elected, I would improve the profession’s pipeline by offering incentives to go in to teaching, through scholarship opportunities, expanding the career-switcher program, which would bring professional experience in to the classroom. In essence support “adjunct professorship” at the k-12 level. This increases diversity of teaching pool and addresses our shortage issue. Teachers have always been underpaid, but they once loved their jobs. Teaching has become unfulfilling for many...the experiment in test-based accountability has not been successful. It is time to move away from that model. Lastly, the state and county governments can help school districts advertise a teacher’s effective income by actually advertising the benefits such as pensions, insurance plans, and short 9 -10 month work year, and not just salary.

4. How can the Commonwealth become a more effective partner in addressing Loudoun’s housing affordability challenge?

First and foremost, housing affordability is a function of supply and demand. Currently, supply of housing has been limited, and one of major factors has been lack of infrastructure. Tax revenues from Northern Virginia have been re-distributed to other parts of the state, that would naturally go toward addressing our own infrastructure deficiencies. If Loudoun County can not keep up with the demand for infrastructure, we can not keep up with demand for housing. If we can not keep up with demand for housing, then affordable housing will not happen with regular market forces. We have 3 options: 1) Create more subsidised housing wherein the state sends funds to NoVA specifically to subsidise affordable housing. 2) Use the regulatory power of the state and local governments to manipulate or force developers into creating affordable housing. I do not believe that either of these non-market solutions are ultimately sustainable or ethical, and would instead endorse the following; 3) Improve infrastructure to facilitate efforts to meet demand for new housing, and remove regulatory barriers at the state and local level to encourage a greater diversity of housing solutions.

5. Do you support Virginia’s Right To Work laws? Why or why not? If not, what superior solution would you propose?

I support Right to Work Laws 100%, and would not pursue or support any changes to those laws.

6. Please describe what best qualifies you to hold the office you’re seeking.

I have a demonstrated record of being a problem-solving pragmatist, capable of collaborating across party lines for the good of our community and constituents. I believe that same pragmatic approach is oftentimes lacking in th often hyper-partisan environment we have in Richmond.

Source: BizVotes Candidates Questionnaire