Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce members asked Del. Thomas Rust (R-86), Delegate-elect David Poisson (D-32) and Delegate-elect Chuck Caputo (D-67) questions about education and transportation over breakfast Tuesday, Jan. 3.
"Transportation is the No. 1 concern, closely followed by education," said Caputo. "We will have to have a specific session on transportation."
RUST SPOKE BRIEFLY about transportation and land-use coordination.
"There is no question in my mind that transportation and land-use are linked," Rust said. "We need to keep focusing on what is good for the economy and for the quality of life."
Caputo agreed that transportation and land-use coordination is important to alleviate the traffic problem, but something needs to be done immediately, as well.
"Land-use and transportation coordination looks to the future," Caputo said. "We need to do something to fix the transportation problem now."
Poisson believes the traffic problem should be solved by the General Assembly, not individual communities.
"We need to solve the traffic problem on the floor of the General Assembly," Poisson said. "We have to fix the problem in Richmond."
THE OTHER MAJOR issue chamber members brought up was education.
Some members were concerned that the House of Delegates might divert funding from education to transportation.
"The governor has taken money from the general fund and put it into transportation," Rust said. "Yes, I think it will happen. It has been done before and it will be done again. It will be a major discussion."
Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Edgar B. Hatrick said he hopes the state will begin to explore ways to help with school construction.
"It is the budget killer," Hatrick said. "The debt is piling up and the kids are going to keep on coming."
The General Assembly session runs from Jan. 11-March 11.