Pass the Buck Bob costs Virginia in national rankings

July 11, 2012

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports, "Virginia is no longer the top state for business. The state fell to third place in CNBC's sixth annual listing of the best states in the nation in which to do business, the financial news cable network said Tuesday... The state's biggest drop came in the infrastructure and transportation category. With delayed highway improvements and a commute that is among the worst in the country, Virginia dipped to No. 33 in that category, down from 10th a year ago, CNBC said. Infrastructure -- specifically the state's perpetually clogged highways -- has long been an issue in fast-growing Virginia, CNBC said."

Progressive Point: The nation's business community is finally commenting on what Virginia families have known for years--failing to invest in our communities has had a negative effect on our economy. Fixing these failures means focusing on making--not waiting for--things to get better. But Bob McDonnell has only passed the buck on providing solutions.

The business community has finally noted the toll that failure to invest in our communities has taken in Virginia and joined the rising chorus of Virginians demanding solutions. Businesses and families alike know that investment is vital to the economic success of our communities--not passing the buck on fixing roads, refusing to find revenue to pay for it, and taking a cuts-only approach that stymies economic growth. Bob McDonnell hasn't listened to Virginia families' demands for solutions but perhaps now he'll listen to business. The consensus is unanimous that it's time to do something about Virginia's infrastructure.

Get the Facts:

• This year, Virginia dropped from 10th to 33rd place in CNBC's ranking on state infrastructures and transportation, causing Virginia to lose it's position as the best state in the country to do business. "Infrastructure -- specifically the state's perpetually clogged highways -- has long been an issue in fast-growing Virginia, CNBC said." (Richmond Times-Dispatch, July 10, 2012)


• The president and CEO of Virginia's Chamber of Commerce called the lack of investment in infrastructure an "area of concern for business and policymakers" and that "We have to find a formula that will provide the funding that will keep up with the fast-paced growth of Virginia's economy." (Richmond Times-Dispatch, July 10, 2012)


• Virginia has not provided new funding for transportation since 1987. Within five years, "No state funds will be available for new highway construction projects; The state will be unable to provide the required matching funds to bring to Virginia all the federal transportation revenue it is otherwise eligible to receive; and Virginia won't have enough money to keep its existing roads, bridges and tunnels up to proper maintenance standards." (Richmond Times-Dispatch, June 8, 2012)


• Out of Virginia's 2012 nearly $4.8 billion transportation budget almost $1.3 billion of it is borrowed money. (Richmond Times-Dispatch, June 8, 2012)


• Bob McDonnell's own Secretary of Transportation has admitted that, "without additional revenue, all transportation money will be used to maintain existing roads, leaving none for new highway construction." (Richmond Times-Dispatch, May 23, 2012)


• VirginiaFREE reports, "At a bare minimum, new money is required to meet basic maintenance needs, restore viability to the construction budget and ensure that Virginia is a viable partner with the private sector on (public-private transportation) projects." (Richmond Times-Dispatch, May 23, 2012

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