AGE: 58
FAMILY: Wife, Deborah; children, David and Eliza
CAMPAIGN MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 7516, Arlington Va. 22207
CAMPAIGN PHONE: 703-531-1048
E-MAIL: info@bobbrink.org
WEBSITE: www.bobbrink.org
OCCUPATION: Legislative Consultant
EMPLOYMENT: EB&T Strategy Group LLC
EDUCATION: B.A., Monmouth College (IL); J.D., College of William & Mary
QUALIFICATIONS: Professional career in legislative policy formulation and implementation; eight-year record as member of House of Delegates
1. What is your top public service accomplishment?
Working with the Warner Administration to expand access to the FAMIS children’s health insurance program.
2. What is one thing you promise not to do if elected?
To make promises that I cannot keep.
3. What is the biggest issue facing your district? What should be done to address it?
Maintaining the quality of life that Arlington and Northern Virginia enjoy. That means being willing to provide adequate resources for elementary, secondary and higher education, protect the environment, and upgrade our transportation infrastructure.
4. Is there any additional legislation in regard to abortion that you would support? Would you make any changes to the current laws and regulation about abortion in Virginia?
I oppose attempts to infringe on a woman’s right to make reproductive health choices, in consultation with her family and medical and spiritual advisors.
5. In Virginia, local governments have limited control of revenue and taxing authority. Should they have more? Less? What changes would you propose?
Local governments should be given the ability to raise revenue from additional sources (including the possibility of add-on income taxation), reducing those governments' overreliance on real estate taxes.
6. In Northern Virginia, property taxes have increased dramatically in recent years. What role should the state play in this?
I support Tim Kaine's proposal (similar to a constitutional amendment I sponsored during the 2005 session), to provide homeowner tax relief by giving local governments discretionary authority to exempt up to 20 percent of the value of an owner-occupied residence from taxation.
7. What do you believe the role of the state should be in determining the status of same-sex couples in Virginia?
State law should not be used as a tool to discriminate against individuals, irrespective of their sexual orientation.
8. What are your views about public-private partnerships and other mechanisms to privatize Virginia's highway system? What are the caveats you would identify as we move forward with this process?
Public-private partnerships in highway and other construction projects should be supported if they truly provide benefits to the Commonwealth as a whole.
9. Do you believe that illegal immigration is a problem in Virginia? If so, why, and what should be done?
Illegal immigration is a nationwide problem. Protecting our borders is a federal responsibility, and the Bush Administration has failed miserably to carry out its responsibility. That failure should not be used as a pretext to discriminate against individuals on the basis of their national origin.