Today’s Virginian Pilot features op eds from the 6th Senatorial district candidates: Republican incumbent Nick Rerras and Democratic challenger Ralph Northam. The topic is the so-called abuser fees.
In his piece, Rerras takes pot shots at Northam, the Governor and Senate Democrats, while offering no solutions of his own.
I will work to improve this transportation plan. I will support the repeal of many of these bad-driver fees, except for the DUIs and the most serious offenses. The penalties need to be adjusted so the punishment fits the crime.
I found it quite funny that Rerras calls out Northam for negative campaigning and then proceeds to do the same thing himself. He actually referred to Northam by name four times.
In contrast, Northam’s piece never refers to his opponent and lays out not only his opposition to the fees, but his solution for attacking the worst of it.
The [abuser] fees must be repealed by the General Assembly, ot they will go down in Virginia history as one of the most discriminatory and impractical measures ever instituted.
However, it would be irresponsible to get rid of the fees without finding a realistic solution. I favor a small increase in the Virginia gasoline tax to replace the abuser fees.
I hope this is not the last of the op-ed pieces printed by the Pilot from these two. The differences between the candidates – one offering “to work” on an issue and the other offering solutions – is significant and with the cost of campaigns these days, the Pilot would be doing a great public service to provide a place for the voters to learn something about the candidates other than the soundbites.
Technorati Tags: Ralph Northam, Nick Rerras, VA Senate
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Soon the Richmond Times-Dispatch is going to be doing the same thing with all of the local candidates here. On Friday they had an editorial calling for statements on the abuser fees from all candidates, due this Friday. Should see some fun stuff in those.
wow, did rerras vote for the fees? If so, he is in deep trouble.
I was on the eastern shore all of last week and all I saw was rerras sign everywhere and saw only 3 northam signs on 13 highway.
they need to get some signs up there folks.
I’m sure they’ll be up in the next 2 or 3 weeks. It’s still only late August.
Nick Rerras was a member of the Transportation Committee, not just the Senate. He now wants to change the offenses that the fees apply to because of the bad press that he and the other knuckleheads in Richmond have gotten. That still will not solve the problem of paying for road improvements. How does Nick propose to do this?????
15 cents a gallon tax is a hell of a lot better than being nickle and dimed to death. And if the oil companies see a drop in usage even if caused by a higher gas tax, they will lower their cost of gasoline in Virginia, Both parties could put this issue to bed, but they pander to the no tax folks
the no tax folks. want the spoils of the tax that is collected.
all nick has left is to attack, this means he has nothing left in the tank for the long hall to to the end.