The planners meet the purse strings....

The regional leaders who set Hampton Roads' road building priorities are going to sit down with local lawmakers next week to talk about the potential for expanding the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel.

In the complex sausage-making of upgrading Hampton Roads' strained transportation network this breaks down to a simple equation. The folks who set the region's priorities are sitting down with the people who hold the state's checkbook. Both sides are getting together in Chesapeake next Wednesday.

Transportation has been a top issue for state lawmakers for years, but despite the intense focus and lofty rhetoric the General Assembly has gotten very little accomplished in gridlocked Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia - where traffic problems are a constant plague.

One of the major problems hamstringing the debate is the fact that leaders are fractured on a wide range of issues making the complex problem murky and difficult to digest. No one can agree on what to build, where to build it, and in what order or what combination of taxes and tolls should be used to pay for the problems.

Perhaps the most volatile and geographical disagreement centers on the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel - the arch-nemesis of Peninsula drivers and politicians. For folks on the Peninsula the HRBT is the be all and end all of major traffic problems. Interstate-64 narrowing to two-lanes each way south of Williamsburg is a solid second place - but if you ask about traffic around here the HRBT gets top billing. 

That's what makes it so hard for many locals to understand why regional planners at the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission set up a priority list of projects that doesn't include any upgrades at the HRBT. 

The argument is that projects like the third crossing and upgrading the Midtown and Downtown tunnels and widening U.S. Route 460 - help make Hampton Roads transportation network function properly as a whole system. Sure the jams are long at the HRBT, but any upgrades built there would cut deeply into neighborhoods in Norfolk and the extra lanes would probably be gobbled up in short order anyway. 

Meanwhile, efforts to fund the existing priority list in Richmond have consistently fallen flat. Peninsula lawmakers insist that any solution must include the HRBT - that list includes among others Del. Phil Hamilton, Del. G. Glenn Oder, Del. Tom Gear and Sen. John Miller.     

It was a letter from Oder and Hamilton that pushed the Virginia Department of Transportation to pay for a high-level study of what could be done at the HRBT. The study lists a variety of options at the crossing and was presented on both sides of the water in December by state Transportation Secretary Pierce Homer.

On the Peninsula - residents were encouraged to see the HRBT back on the table. In Norfolk, citizens were furious that the plan could carve up Willoughby Spit and Commodore Park. Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim submarined the study when he said that the city's leaders would work against a wider HRBT. 

Now the table is set with Fraim and other regional planners like Newport News Mayor Joe Frank ready to hear how the crossing could be upgraded. In the same room, state lawmakers are probably going to try to make the case that the HRBT is the center of our traffic hourglass.

Add in the fact that there is plenty of bad-blood between these two groups stemming from the creation of the financially gutted Hampton Roads Transportation Authority and there's bound to be plenty of tension.

This is not a new debate, so don't expect folks to be won over by arguments they have been having since the 1990s. But the back-and-forth between lawmakers and mayors around the same table is unique and could be a significant window into the potential for upgrading the region's road network.

Then again it could just turn out to be a day full of passive aggressive posturing.   

Sen. John Miller sets up a pre-session listening tour....

Sen. John Miller has set up a four-stop Peninsula tour next week as lawmakers prepare to head to Richmond to deal with budget cuts.

So far, the preseason political wrangling indicates that the 2009 General Assembly session is going to be dominated by looming cuts to core services. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine released a budget with a series of cuts to basic services like health care and an increase in the state's cigarette tax. Leading lawmakers from both political parties have said that the tanking economy is going to force them to pore over everything that the state does to search for places to save money.

Miller, a Newport News Democrat, said he is going to open up the floor to the public in Poquoson, Hampton, Newport News and York County. Miller said that it's important litmus test to gauge how the public feels about specific issues and he uses that input to help guide his decisions.

"This session of the General Assembly will be dealing with many difficult issues," Miller said. "In addition to making hard decisions on where to cut the budget, legislators will deal with whether to increase the cigarette tax, ban smoking in restaurants and how to fund transportation." 

Are you a smoker worried about higher taxes and new restrictions on where you can light up?

Are you a parent worried about cuts to school funding?

Does your commute drive you crazy? 

If you've got something on your mind, check out these times.

Poquoson - Tuesday, Jan. 6 - 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Public Library - 500 City Hall Ave.

Hampton - Wednesday, Jan. 7 - 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Booker Elementary - 1600 Apollo Drive

Newport News - Thursday, Jan 8 - 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Ferguson Center for the Arts - Christopher Newport University.

York County - Saturday, Jan. 10, 2 p.m. to 3;30 p.m. at Tabb Library - 100 Long Green Road.

A Shad Plank Christmas greeting

Here's hoping that you all have a safe, happy and healthy holiday season.

And here's a cute little, absolutely apolitical Christmas video for you, circa 1898:

Peace.

More hard hitting Tribune Company news...

The chase is on and Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is not going to outrun this camera man.

As rumors swirl about the fate and future of the embattled governor, this camera man has a question that must be answered. A question so powerful and insightful that it just might trigger an epiphany. With film rolling the man takes off after Blagojevich on a ice-slick Chicago street. 

And that's when he lobs the hardball - "What the heck?" 

On the brightside we do end up finding out that Blagojevich enjoys a morning job because it "keeps love in your heart."

Full disclosure - the man apparently works for the Chicago Tribune, which owns the Daily Press. Otherwise the video has no real Virginia political angle - but is a bit to TMZ not to get laughed at.  

Whack-a-mole? How about bop-a-prez?

It had to happen, right?

So here it is, a link to "Sock and Awe," the online game that lets you throw shoes at President Bush.

Two warnings:

1. You have to watch an ad.

2. He's hard to hit!

Here's the link.

Democrats continue to pick sides...

U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher is the latest Democrat to choose sides in the escalating battle for the party's nomination to run for governor.

On Thursday, Boucher, D-Abingdon, endorsed Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath. From the release:  

"It is with great pleasure that I announce my endorsement of Senator Creigh Deeds for the Democratic nomination for Governor. Virginia's next Governor must possess the experience and vision to create high paying, 21st century jobs across the Commonwealth. Creigh Deeds possesses that experience and vision. In the General Assembly, Creigh worked to deliver the largest investment in our public schools in state history, and he is working to expand pre-kindergarten education throughout the Commonwealth. For the past two decades, I have considered Creigh a friend, and I am pleased to endorse his candidacy for Governor today."

Boucher is the longest-serving member of Virginia's Democratic Congressional delegation, elected to 14 consecutive terms in Congress from the Ninth District, and a leading voice on Capitol Hill on issues related to energy and information technology. He serves as chairman of the House Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee and co-chairman of the House Internet Caucus. His "Showcasing Southwest Virginia" program created more than 4,800 jobs.

So far the endorsement wrangling has been between Deeds and former Del. Brian Moran with Terry McAuliffe waiting in the wings. McAuliffe still hasn't officially entered the race, so it would probably be difficult to ask for an endorsement just yet. But clearly a lot of Democrats are willing get suited up for this inter-squad scrimmage.     

HRBT improvements may not be dead quite yet

Smoothing backups at the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel continues to float around the local political scene, despite some strong opposition from officials in south Hampton Roads.

State Transportation Secretary Pierce Homer is trying to get local planners and regional lawmakers together around the same table to talk about efforts to expand and upgrade the main link between the Peninsula and south Hampton Roads.

A transportation consultant just finished a $500,000 study of potential upgrades at the crossing. The study was greeted with cheers on the Peninsula - where the HRBT remains the most obvious and consistent traffic headache. But Norfolk officials came out against all the plans - fearing the new construction would cut significantly into neighborhoods like Ocean View and Commodore Park. 

So the study is sort of hanging in limbo - with General Assembly lawmakers from the Peninsula encouraged but lacking any avenue to advance the issue. Regional planners set the region's road building priorities, so if the Metropolitan Planning Organization - MPO - doesn't do anything with the study nothing happens at the HRBT. Norfolk holds sigificant sway over the planning board, which has consistently backed other transportation priorities - like the third cross and upgrades at the Downtown and Midtown tunnels. 

But lawmakers hold the purse strings - making quite the tangled web. Add in the fact that there is still bad blood between state lawmakers and local elected officials over the Hampton Roads Transportation Authority and you've got a serious soap opera.

Local elected officials blasted the 2007 plan to pay for transportation upgrades with regional taxes as - cobbled together, unfair and inadequate. Then they voted for it anyway, in large part because the region is so desperate for road funding. But state lawmakers were steamed. And when the state Supreme Court gutted the plan, lawmakers weren't exacly eager to stick their necks out again. So you got a 2008 special session on transportation that went in circles. 

The interesting thing was, it was upgrading the HRBT that brought lawmakers from across the political spectrum together on transportation for the first time in recent memory.      

Most folks think that state lawmakers are going to balk at doing anything major on transportation during the 2009 General Assembly session, thanks to sapped state coffers and looming re-election campaign for members of the House of Delegates and the race to suceed Gov. Timothy M. Kaine. 

But now the MPO is trying to scramble and put together a joint meeting with state lawmakers to talk about the HRBT before legislators return to Richmond on Jan. 14. It's unclear if the sit down is going to come together, but it would certainly make for high drama. 

Why so early in a primary?

When it's not even technically election year yet, a political endorsement seems a little bit early.

But Newport News Mayor Joe Frank said that the group of mayors who came out to support former Del. Brian Moran's bid for the governor's office weighed their options and decided to weigh in. But Frank acknowledges that the move raised eyebrows.

"Why come out so early and why endorse in a primary?" Frank asked himself. "The fact of the matter is that Virginia faces a number of challenges." 

Frank said the looming budget cuts, tanking economy and the leadership of former Gov. Mak R. Warner and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine convinced him to throw his support behind Moran, over state Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, and former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe. Frank said the other hopefuls are qualified for the seat but Moran is the best candidate because he works from the center and knows the issues in Hampton Roads.

"He has been all over our state already. Not just tallking about issues but listening," Frank said. "There's a Virginia solution, not a Democratic solution or Republican solution. He understands what needs to be done."

Frank, Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim and Virginia Beach Mayor Meyera Oberndorf came out behind Moran on Wednesday, and Hampton Mayor Molly Ward sent along a letter of support. Fraim called Moran a "real friend of Hampton Roads" and said that Moran understands the vital local issues such as upgrading transportation, taking care of veterans and military families and making sure military bases - and aircraft carriers - have a good local home.

Oberndorf thanked Moran for making frequent visits to Virginia Beach and said that Moran has "the right experience to be a chief executive." 

Moran said understanding Hampton Roads is essential because locals face problems that echo statewide - including traffic gridlock, global trade and military issues.   

"I appreciate the support, and recognize that it's early," Moran said. "With these men and women behind me I'm pretty confidant I'm going to win this."

Moran went into his legislative background - talking about his time as an Arlington County prosecutor and his work in the General Assembly to make tougher laws against drunk driving, sex offenders and Internet predators. Mora said he "100 percent committed to keeping our aircrat carrier at the base."

Moran went on to sketch a brief personal history of how he got into politics starting with his decision to run for office in 1995. Moran also explained how he's played a roll in the string of statewide Democratic election victories - culminating when Virginia voters helped elect Barack Obama  - and beefed up Democratic power bases in the House of Delegates and the Senate. Moran said that Virginia Democrats have set a new standard for leadership.  

"It's been a decade of elections building that reputation," Moran said. "I know how to win in every corner of the commonwealth."  

Now you can call him "Dr. Bobby Scott"

U.S. Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, a Democrat from Newport News, received an honorary doctorate from Virginia Commonwealth University over the weekend.

The citation that went along with his Doctor of Humane Letters degree reads:

Robert C. Scott, through your resolute and exemplary service to the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States of America, as a distinguished member of the Virginia General Assembly and the U.S. House of Representatives for over three decades, you offer an inspiring model of leadership for tomorrow’s leaders to emulate.

Through your elected positions and your service in the military, you have dedicated a majority of your life to the improvement and safety of our nation. Your outstanding academic record, as well as your unwavering commitment to protecting the rights and civil liberties of all Americans throughout your career, make it a distinct honor for Virginia Commonwealth University to have you as a partner in providing vital educational opportunities.

Robert C. Scott, by the authority vested in me by the Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth University, I hereby confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, with all the rights, privileges and emoluments thereunto pertaining.

Hamilton issues statement on Kaine's budget proposals

State Del. Phil Hamilton, R-Newport News, just released this statement on Gov. Tim Kaine's proposed budget cuts and cigarette-tax increase:

The Governor was faced with challenge of balancing the state's budget in the face of ever-declining revenues in a manner that he believed would best preserve funding for the core services of state government."

While I believe the shortfall will be closer to $3.5 billion, the Governor's reductions to public education, health care, public safety, and other state expenditures will be closely examined and considered by the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Finance Committee before each committee submits their balanced budget proposal in February. The Governor has defined his priorities and the General Assembly must now do the same and reconcile any differences in funding priorities.

In reconciling such differences, I will stress the need to maintain adequate funding levels for the mandated core service functions of state government and the need to maintain a positive economic environment through responsible job growth, tax, and regulatory policies.

While challenging, the economic downturn provides an opportunity to examine all current state expenditures against the core service functions of state government and make any necessary structural changes to the budget so that when the economy improves, Virginia will be well positioned to retain its recognition as the "Best Managed" state in the country.