Toddy Puller Wants to Continue Rt. 1 Corridor Improvements

Editor's Note: This Q&A has been re-featured for readers as the election is Nov. 8. 

Candidate provided profile:

Toddy Puller was elected to the House of Delegates in 1991 where she served for eight years. In 1999, she was elected to the Virginia Senate’s 36th District and was re-elected in 2003 and 2007. Senator Puller represents parts of Fairfax and Prince William Counties, and now with redistricting, part of Stafford County. She chairs the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services and is a member of the Committees on Commerce and Labor; Courts of Justice; Local Government; and Rules. For years, Toddy has been a forceful advocate for veterans’ benefits to ensure veterans receive the support they deserve when they return home. Her Wounded Warriors’ legislation is helping veterans with brain injury and mental health concerns and their families. She introduced legislation that was voted into law as a Constitutional Amendment that will exempt 100 percent service related disabled veterans and their surviving spouses from property taxes.

A long-time supporter of transportation improvements on Route 1, her passed this year and is funded for the next two years to include the entire Route 1 corridor from Fairfax County to Quantico. This is a huge step to revitalize and redevelop this major transportation corridor. She has also supported job creation bills to bring more jobs to the area.

As Vice Chair of the Joint Commission on Health Care, she is working with the Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources to plan for a health benefit exchange to meet new federal health care law requirements. Her Newborn Health Screening legislation expanded the number of tests to identify and treat genetic disorders, saving lives and preventing disabilities.

Toddy continues to be a strong advocate to create jobs, improve education, transportation, health care, mental health, veterans’ concerns, the environment, and ensure a fiscally responsible future for all Virginians.

Toddy Puller's Official Campaign Website

Question 1: What is the top issue facing the residents of the 36th District and how do you plan to address it?

Jobs, the economy, and transportation.

• The Route 1 Transit Study that I worked on and got funded this year is a major step forward in helping with the revitalization of the Route 1 corridor from Fairfax County to Quantico bringing more businesses and creating jobs. Without the completion of the Rt. 1 Transit Study, no federal funds can be forthcoming.
• Legislation to speed up the transportation bond funding to help with transportation, and create more jobs was passed this year.
• We continue to work on economic development and job creation incentives. This has helped make Virginia  the best state to do business for a number of years. Funding for economic incentives has more than doubled in the past 10 years. A Return on Investment (ROI) model is used to “ensure that the cost of incentives does not exceed expected returns.”  Major programs include the: Governor’s Development Opportunity Fund; Virginia Investment Partnership Grants; and Virginia Jobs Investment Program.      
• Other tools to attract businesses to Virginia include: industrial development bonds, economic development loan fund, loan guaranty program and capital access program, and economic development related tax credits. For example, tax credits are provided as a corporate income tax credit for each new job created; qualifying “green job” credits; credit for recycling equipment; day care facilities; and worker retraining.

Question 2: Should Virginia stop being in the business of selling alcohol? Why or why not?

Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) stores were initiated at the end of prohibition. Virginia brings in well over $120 million annually in revenue for the General Fund (GF). I don’t think we want to give up that much money. Most of it goes to mental health care and substance abuse programs.  The ABC stores are well run, efficient and some people believe they make it more difficult for underage drinkers to obtain alcohol. I serve as chair of the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services that oversees the ABC stores. The Governor’s bill to privatize the ABC stores was not brought before either the House or Senate this year. Most people I heard from on this issue did not want the privatization of the ABC stores for several reasons that include loss of revenue, the proliferation of neon signs and billboards advertising liquor, public safety and health issues, particularly if the number of liquor stores were greatly increased.

Question 3: Would you support an increase in the gasoline tax if it went to fixing transportation problems only? Why or why not?

It would depend on the amount of the increase. I believe the gasoline tax should be a percentage per gallon rather than so many cents a gallon. That way it would increase over time. I do believe that gasoline tax should be used for transportation.

Question 4: There has been a lot of discussion about revitalizing the Rt. 1 Corridor. How would you support this initiative if elected?

I hope that some if the improvements such as the widening of Rt. 1 and Rt. 123 in Woodbridge will go a long way in encouraging businesses to locate and reinvest in the Rt. 1 corridor. State and local economic initiatives may also be helpful to attract businesses and to improve existing ones. Transit and continued transportation improvements to this corridor would also be helpful. Another idea is the Enterprise Zone (EZ) Program administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development that can be an economic revitalization tool in designated economically distressed areas. Some of the areas along Rt. 1 might qualify. With the addition of the employees at Ft. Belvoir and Quantico, more people will be coming to the area. That makes transportation and transit improvements even more crucial. We must be able to keep people moving.

Question 5: Unfunded mandates cause big problems for local governments. Just like some candidates sign a no-tax pledge, would you ever consider signing a pledge to not approve unfounded mandates? Why or why not?

I don’t like to sign pledges because one never knows what set of circumstances may arise. I do believe that we should be very careful to avoid sending unfunded mandates to the local government. It is not fair.