Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
This Week in Richmond is made possible in part by:
Alpha Natural Resources, an energy company dedicated to respecting the land. Alpha Natural
resources - we power the world through the energy of our people.
Haley Buick GMC. The place for a new Verano or Terrain Denalii, in Richmond and online
at haleybuickgmc.com
Everywhere there are lighting poles, there's one more opportunity to save money. Intelligent
Illuminations provides cost-effective, wireless lighting solutions for roadway or area outdoor
lights.
Kanawha Valley Arena, Virginia's Cowboy town, hosts an array of events from Civil War re-enactments
to diesel truck pulls. More information online at Virginiarodeo.com.
The Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the voice of the Virginia business community, working
in legislative, regulatory and political arenas to promote the free enterprise system.
Additional support is provided by these sponsors.
[MUSIC]
and by the members of Virginia's Public Television Stations.
Thank you.
[ MUSIC ]
>> Welcome to This Week in Richmond This Week in Richmond and welcome do Senator Tommy Norment,
the senator majority leader and elected in 1991.
>> It is nice to be with you and every now and again I am reminded that is 21 years too
many for some. >> That has to be a minority by far.
We appreciate you being on and we are having the conversation at the end of April, and
some people see this in the first few days of may, session ended on the first Wednesday
of April. And as you have had time to look back, we
are most interesting on your perceptive on major issues and ones that people are not
aware of. We are delighted to have you here to talk
about the issue. >> That is kind, David.
It is nice to visit YOU. I am not much of an art person, but I have
learned one of the best pictures of my world is Richmond in the rearview mirror in March.
After you have spent 45 or 60 days in Richmond, there is a certain amount of exhaustion.
And I wish more people same during this time of the year as they would develop a better
appreciation of the decision we make. You were talking about how it is much more
of a demanding situation. And it takes every once of energy and time
that you do have. And some of that, David, is due to the complexity
of issues woo are dealing with. I try to remind people about what a special
place Virginia is and I think it is a good backdrop to about about the issues in the
state. Virginia is as a lovely place and live and
I think most people that live and call this home appreciate it.
We have been recognized as the best place in America to do business because of your
right to work law and a good public education and the finest higher education system in
America. Even some of my fiscally conservative friends
question it, but we have the 43rd lightest combined tax responsibility.
And corporate magazines says if you want to relocate your headquarters come to Virginia and people
have. We have several new companies here.
So we are doing that and I mentioned about our public education system, K-12, we have
been recognized as producing the best qualified and prepared students to enter the work place
or higher education in America. So we are doing some amazing things in Virginia.
But as you know, last year we slipped from being the best place in America to do business
to number three. And I think a lot of visitors and viewers
are not aware of that and that was due to the transportation infrastructure.
We have the 33rd best transportation infrastructure in America.
And I have been to a lot of sporting events, but I have never heard the cheerleaders get
out there and scream we are number 33. And that alone dropped Virginia from being
determined the best place to do business in America to being in third place.
And I think it just points out the crisis we are dealing with.
We are doing well in other areas, but so much goods and services are moving cross the highways.
And you may not know, but Virginia has the second highway movement and we have the responsibility
of the state and trying to get that taken care of is a challenge.
>> So some of the other states, that is out of the world we were that close to the top.
And now we are third. >> I know we have two companies that take
care of the roads, and also I think it is arlington that maintains their own roads as
well. And it is not uncommon in other parts of the
country to service your own roads. >> Before we talk on transportation, because
there were success on that issue, I think most people see it as successful.
Going backward about the time that people spend who are serving in the senate or other
chambers. Joe Johnson, one of the retiring members of
the house, and some of his closing remarks when he had the privilege of having him, I
asked on your exit interview what would you change?
And he said we don't have as much time and the compensation isn't what it needs to be.
$18,000 is the base salary for senators and hopefully that is minimum wage for the number
of hours spent. But the question I have to you Senator Norment,
is can you see a time when the two cham Baton Rouge -- chambers -- agree and get the salaries
up? They have not been addressed, even transportation,
wasn't addressed since the 1980's, and a salaries are the same.
>> Joe Johnson is someone I had the privilege of working with and he has never uttered an
unkind word and always asks how your day is. I agree with delegate Johnson.
It is sensitive subject and I think too many senators and the house of delegates are pre-occupied
with their next election. But staying on the commitment and compensation,
it doesn't come out to minimum wage. I spend almost twice the hours in the general
assembly business than I do with my law firm. And I am pleased they are tolerant with that,
and I don't say it for sympathy and we don't enough time.
We are are rushing to get finished. And we will stretch out the time and fill the
voids but that is ridiculous. We criticize the United States Congressman
for not having read the pages of the affordable care act and they say we will pass the law
and then read it. Out of 140 in the general assembly, that are
not 20 that read the budget before they vote on it.
They vote on it on a leap of faith. And that is because it is impossible, it is
one of the last pieces of business we take up.
And when it is printed and put on the senator's desks, and yes they have briefing, not there
is a lot of nuances in the budget. And that is one thing that annoys me: The
inability time wise to read the things. You don't come to the public service world
with the expectations of making money. I have seen a number of delegates and senators
who were committed to public service, but were put in the position financially where
they could not continue the process. It is a vetting process before running for
senate or delegate, they must ask them can I afford to this because it is going to take away from your career.
I am a big supporter of increasing the compensation, but the problem is people are like I am going
to vote to increase my salary and the voters are going to be angry.
So we are a part-time legislation and we rush to get things done and everyone isn't informed,
and the compensation, and I don't mean this respectively, but many legislation members
would make more money passing burgers outside McDonalds.
>> We are going to talk about transportation, and I was thinking about the parallel of the
decline in 1986 and the gas tax, there is that same declining value of the doctors of
the compensation that we the citizens of the common wealth provide to those willing to
serve. It goes down every year that inflation goes
up as you and your colleagues are well aware. But we will not fix that issue today.
But transportation did have a significant fix to it.
Lay out, if you will, some of the your perceptive on how you see that going forward and how
it will help us move back to number one. >> Some of the fiscal conservatives and I
don't say that in a critical way, but they were upset about increasing taxes to pay for
transportation. We had a infrastructure that is deteriorating.
And the goods and services transported against the highways in the state are slowing down.
The tourism is congested and we had to do something.
Nothing had been done since Jerry bly was and there are people that are watching that
don't even know who that is. I have said it is an absolute folly for someone
to say, and I have heard it from a number of candidates, saying raise the gas tax.
Don't do something news. We couldn't raise the gas tax enough to fund
the transportation's needs in individual. We are at 17 and a half cents and been stuck
there for 13 years. And that had buying power in the 1980s, but
not in 2013. We went through a litany of funding options
and I have said many times to groups I have spoken to, if you can tell me how to build
one foot of highway with no money, I quit and you take my job.
I don't know how to do it. I am not that smart.
And they start to get the picture. So we knew the gas tax was a declining source
of revenue, what they call the cafe standards. It is declining source of revenue.
People are conscious of trying to drive less because when you go in and the price of gas
is down now, but you go in and fill up $60 in gas, someone making minimum wage at $10,
they have to work six hours to fill up their car or truck.
It is a declining source of revenue and those of us involved in it, and I was on the conference
committee of that, we looked at sources of revenue that were growing.
And the sales tax was the one source of reoccurring revenue that is growing.
It goes up and down with the goods and services, so it is a sustainable source of revenue.
And there were positive things. We picked up the sales tax and it eliminated
the discussion that the governor was discussing about toling the interstate highways.
I didn't think that was a good business proposition. That is how we got to the sales tax, though.
And Hampton Roads in northern Virginia have the most critical challenges, with central
Virginia not too far behind. So we knew that the folks in southwest Virginia
were not too concerned about the roads. So that is why we came up with the regional
packages. And every dollar that is raised in Hampton
and in northern Virginia will stay in those area and not send to Richmond and it must
be used for new construction. Can cannot be barrow or shift and shafted
somewhere. We decided to do a state-wide plan and we
would impose an additional taxing responsibility on the citizens of the most congested areas.
Was it perfect? And I said no.
My -- sometimes when you are in public service, you have to do what is right and stand up
and being a statesman and you don't make excuses for what you have done.
And this was a critical time. We could not continue to kick that can down
the road because transportation is not like public education or public safety.
If you put a billion dollar in K-12 in Virginia, we would see a result within a year.
If we put a billion dollars into public safety, you would see a result.
It takes years to see the results of transportation. You have to do environmental impact statements,
acquire right-away, and lease contracts. I don't like paying taxes anymore than you
do, but I like less watching Virginia continue to slide from being one of the best states
in America. I don't make excuses or amends for what we
did. It wasn't the simplest thing, but it will
change the infrastructure in Virginia. And it is historical and significant piece
of legislation to the citizens of Virginia that I have seen in my 22 years.
>> Thanks for that explanation. Will it be a couple years?
Three or four years before -- we -- see the impact?
>> That is a good point, David. With the cost of transportation projects,
we will have to gather the money and bank it.
In Hampton Roads, in my area, one of top projects is a third crossing into Virginia Beach.
The last figure was in excessive of $3 billion. Adding a third lane, whether the shoulder,
$3 billion. We thing of a 1-10 ratio.
So if we get that money, up there, we figure a 1-10 ratio.
That is $300 million dollars every year just for the debt service on that one project.
So the costs are enormous and we have to get that money so we have the ability to go to
the market, barrow it, and start seeing the progress.
Every transportation planning organization, TPO's, they have priorities and they know
what they are. In Hampton Roads is the third lane.
And northern Virginia has their six-year plans and public hearings.
>> It is outstanding, I think, what was accomplished in the short session, that you got that done.
We are about out of time, but before we lose that last minute, is there another issue that
wasn't so outstanding and major you would like to comment on?
>> There has been no shortage of people taking credit for that transportation plan.
When something historical gets passed people want to take more credit.
Chris Jones from Suffolk deserves the most. He is the catalyst that made it happen.
There were other things that we worked on, obviously one of them was the great text bill
and curbing texting in Virginia. And I promise you as you are driving home,
and you look right and left, someone is probably texting.
And that is a primary offense starting July the first, meaning a police officer can stop
you if they see you are texting. >> And I am sorry for having to stop the program.
We will look forward to having you later in the year.
Senator Tommy Norment; thank you very much.
[MUSIC]
This Week in Richmond is made possible in part by:
Alpha Natural Resources, an energy company dedicated to respecting the land. Alpha Natural
resources - we power the world through the energy of our people.
Haley Buick GMC. The place for a new Verano or Terrain Denalii, in Richmond and online
at haleybuickgmc.com
Everywhere there are lighting poles, there's one more opportunity to save money. Intelligent
Illuminations provides cost-effective, wireless lighting solutions for roadway or area outdoor
lights.
Kanawha Valley Arena, Virginia's Cowboy town, hosts an array of events from Civil War re-enactments
to diesel truck pulls. More information online at Virginiarodeo.com.
The Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the voice of the Virginia business community, working
in legislative, regulatory and political arenas to promote the free enterprise system.
Additional support is provided by these sponsors:
[MUSIC]
and by the members of Virginia's Public Television Stations.
Thank you