Well, well, well…it was only a matter of time before Creigh Deeds would have another outburst, and this time, it happened on public radio.
Here’s the transcript:
Q: Mr. Deeds two weeks ago you discussed at the Chamber of Commerce event here in Fairfax about the possibility of raising taxes and you waffled on what that tax would be. Since then you’ve continued to refer to the possibility of raising the gas tax and you keep sounding like a furniture salesman by talking about all these option on the table. My question is this how can you explain to Virginians the possibility of raising taxes in a period of economic turmoil where the government should be making it easier on Virginians not harder by allowing us to bring home more of our money?
A: David I guess you like sitting in traffic an hour and a half every day more than everybody else in the state. What I said is that my general fund priority is to be paid for without a tax increase. I’m going to have performance reviews of every agency in state government, I’m convinced we can squeeze more money out of the state budget that way. I’m convinced we can go to zero based budgeting and make our general fund priorities easier to be met. With transportation we have to have a discussion of the issue. We’re going to need an excess of a billion dollars a year. Now I’ve not proposed any tax increases and frankly all I’ve said is we’re going to have a commission take a look at the issue and we’re going to do that because it’s the only approach that’s worked in the last 30 years. Governors have proposed lots of specific ideas over the years and they’ve been shot down. The other candidate has a series of ideas that are rehashed and worn out and they’re not gonna and democrats and republicans have said they’re not going to work. The Washington Post said I’ve got the only honest approach to transportation. The Daily Press in Newport News endorsed Bob McDonnell but said I’ve got the honest approach to transportation. Bob McDonnell’s got signs in Hampton Roads that say Hampton Road’s Own but the Virginia Pilot, the largest newspaper in that region endorsed me saying I’ve got the only honest approach to transportation. I mean I don’t know how I can be more clear.
