My anger at McDonnell has nothing to do with his endorsement of Romney and everything to do with local issues. If you do back, you will see I have been critical for over a year. In all honesty, I think McDonnell has done an excellent job of bringing companies and jobs into the state and I think he is solid on social issues, so I don’t think he is all bad either, I just don’t think he is a solid all around conservative.
I on my third job since 2009. I live in Newport News in a house I bought in 2007. i got laid off in December of 2008 literally on the week my son was born. Out of necessity of being a productive citizen and paying my mortgage, I took a job in Virginia Beach as a complete career change. I was there until May 2011, when I voluntarily left and took my experience in my new career and got a new job with more money 4 miles from my house. Frankly, I don’t use the tunnels anymore anyway unless I am going to an ODU basketball game (I am a big fan and season ticket holder). The tolls won’t affect me much at all unless I am forced to find a new job again, but I am still against them. The people that use them pay the same gas tax as the people who commute to Williamsburg and don’t pay tolls and it will isolate and ruin what little of Portsmouth is still decent.
That Newport News to Virginia Beach commute could be troublesome.
One time, a while ago now, I had a job on the naval base just around the corner (east) from the tunnel. They put us in a hotel in Newport News, because some other guy liked to stay there when working on a ship at the commercial shipyard on the west side of the tunnel.
So we had to commute through the tunnel. We left early in the morning, and then ate dinner on the other side after work, so we came back through late.
Most of my drives down to your area stop at Busch Gardens. On the other hand, my new state senate district almost makes it to your area....
Let me put my 2 cents in here, as an “outsider.” I’ve been following the toll fiasco on the Pilot even though I don’t live in Hampton Roads, I also get my “local” TV news from there. I live on the Eastern Shore and rarely venture to the other side of the Bay.
However, traffic and congestion, and yes even tolls in the Hampton Roads area, do effect me because it is amazing just how much stuff has to cross the Bay to get here.
A few weeks back, before this “tolling authority” plan came up I suggested a small increase in the gas tax, but ONLY if the distribution formula was changed. Considering the amount Hampton Roads generates for the Commonwealth in gas taxes, the percentage of it returned to the region is disgraceful. The lion’s share always goes to NoVA.
I hate taxes, and toll is just another name for tax, as much as the next gal, but the Hampton Roads infrastructure is important to all of us and something has to be done.