The planning for this historic celebration two years from now has given me a thought-provoking lens as I consider the presidential election only two months away. Our next president will preside over the festivities associated with this momentous achievement.

I am reminded of the French historian Alexis de Tocqueville, who wrote “Democracy in America,” a prescient, perhaps even uncomfortable, analysis of the great potential, as well as the fragility, of the fledgling political system he observed in the United States during the 1830s.

Tocqueville admired Americans for their courage and energy, but he found room for improvement with both the people and their leaders, particularly in their adherence to the scourge of slavery. Still, he was hopeful that Americans’ true character — steeped in their love for liberty and fairness — would guide them to fully realize the principles that bound them together as a nation.

Despite stumbles along the way, our overall trajectory for nearly 250 years has moved us closer to that vision of a uniquely American democratic republic. We have achieved progress by choosing leaders with the character and the ability to bring out the best in the American people. During my lifetime, President John Kennedy’s call to public service and President Ronald Reagan’s “morning in America” come to mind.

It is my conviction that character still matters today.

As a fiscal conservative, I have voted for both Republican and Democratic candidates. I am a political independent who has worked closely with governors from both parties on transportation and state financial matters.

Each governor I have served faced a crisis during his term that could not have been imagined at the time of his election. Whether the crisis was related to their official duties or personal in nature, there were no partisan playbooks or talking points to fall back on. History will record each man’s response as a reflection of his character.

The next president will face consequential challenges, including life-and-death decisions. And yet, too many Americans are likely to cast their votes this fall without thought to the character of the individual who would confront these critical issues.

Why is it that character no longer seems to matter in today’s electorate? There is no single answer. Gerrymandering has generated a bleak cynicism. Social media spreads coarse insults, distortions and outright falsehoods. Fragmented news media are drowned out by ideologues peddling fear and paranoia.

Many of us are disturbed by the erosion of civility that permeates our political narrative. But we must not let divisive discourse alter our reasoning and judgment. Therefore, I am committing to ask myself one crucial question as I consider the presidential candidates: Is this the type of person I want to lead this nation?

I measure the candidates’ character based on whether I consider them to be trustworthy, honorable and responsible. Our Founding Fathers would have referred to these characteristics as virtue. They considered virtue and honor as key to being a qualified public leader.

To be honest, I find fault with both major-party candidates and believe many of their policies are pandering for votes. Tocqueville contemplated this situation. In the publication of the first volume of “Democracy in America,” he wrote, “It is not the conditions of candidacy, but the number and the capacity of the candidates that often limit the choice of voters.”

For Tocqueville, the ultimate test for America’s democratic republic rested on whether its citizens would reflexively vote for the lowest common denominator candidate who told them what they wanted to hear or whether they would select candidates with the character to lead.

Consequently, I suggest we consider voting for the candidate who more often demonstrates the characteristics that give our nation the best chance of continuing our uniquely American journey of becoming a “more perfect union.”

Aubrey Layne is a member of the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission. He is a former Virginia secretary of Transportation and Finance. He serves as executive vice president and chief administrative officer for Sentara Health.

My roots in this region cause me to be strongly invested in our collective future. I take pride in the successes we have realized over the years, but I also experience frustration when I see opportunities missed.

In my roles as a former state Cabinet secretary for transportation and finance, chair of the Virginia Port Authority Board of Directors, and in my current position as a leader with Sentara Health, I’ve observed a clear pattern. When we work together as a united community of interest, we make remarkable advances from a position of strength. When we are divided, we undermine our economic prosperity.

Our local independent governments, as defined in the Code of Virginia, breed parochialism. But we don’t have to be defined in narrow legalistic terms that can become an excuse for hampering progress. Creative minds and a commitment to the greater good can prevail.

Regional transportation opportunities offer both positive and not-so-positive examples.

As numerous news accounts have detailed, the Newport News/Williamsburg Airport is struggling to maintain commercial air service. Passenger counts have deteriorated from 1 million in 2012 to 150,000 in fiscal year 2023. As a result, expenses have exceeded revenues for the past five years. A study commissioned by the Hampton Roads Alliance found persistent operational deficits, an unsustainable financial model and a critical need for a strategic shift in approach.

Appropriate discussions about diversifying the airport’s focus are underway, but more is needed if Hampton Roads is going to enjoy the exceptional air travel services our residents and businesses need to thrive. We must stop competing against each other and start behaving in the way that commercial airlines already see us: as a single market.

We don’t need to look far to see the benefits we can achieve from consolidation of our regional airport facilities under common oversight.

The Port of Virginia is strong because of consolidated operations of all the local terminal facilities with the Port of Richmond. Thanks to strategic investments made in recent years, we have modernized our terminals and built capacity for the future to support our regional and state economy. Operations are profitable and sustainable.

As a result of the collaboration of all stakeholders in the region, we have a unified, efficient port system that is growing its business and building trust across the global maritime industry. If regional leaders had not made this important decision years ago, individual local ports would still be consuming energy on internal rivalries and falling behind other East Coast ports.

Similarly, the creation of the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission (HRTAC) in 2014 has empowered our region to oversee historic investments in transportation projects that connect our region, improve safety and spur economic growth. The mayors, legislators and Commonwealth Transportation Board members on HRTAC are well-positioned to work with each other and the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization and Virginia Department of Transportation to advocate for our region.

My experiences echo in my new role in the health care field as well as other economic sectors in Hampton Roads. Each sector is grappling with rapid change and the need for diversification, growth and strategic planning. If we are going to meet the needs of our communities, make smart investments for the future and attract a quality workforce, we must work together, and we must celebrate the successes and accomplishments of our regional businesses and leaders. If we fail to do so, we stand to lose key contributors to our economic prosperity.

I urge leaders throughout the region to rise above the silos that hamper our progress and embrace a vision for a united Hampton Roads that empowers us all to achieve the excellence that is within our reach.

Aubrey Layne is executive vice president and chief administrative officer for Sentara Health and chair of the Virginia Port Authority Board of Directors. He served as secretary of transportation under Gov. Terry McAuliffe and secretary of finance under Gov. Ralph Northam.

One of the nation’s preeminent port complexes is right here in our backyard. During the last two years, while many North American ports have been struggling with congestion, the Port of Virginia has been thriving.

Throughout the most challenging trade environment in history, our port has efficiently handled record-setting amounts of cargo —- and continues to do so today. As a result, there are an increasing number of companies who want to do business with us and build locally to ensure access to global markets. In short, we are moving more cargo than ever before, doing so with increasing reliability and the industry, along with private investment, is responding positively to how we do business.

A little more than a decade ago we nearly leased our port to a private entity, a move that would have made the port more concerned about container throughput and profit as compared to helping Virginia businesses compete globally. Fortunately, the state instead chose to invest more than $800 million to renovate, modernize and expand our terminals. That decision was a critical step in securing the port’s future as a business generator. To this day, that investment is delivering significant economic benefits across the commonwealth.

Our record volumes, our growing competitiveness and the shifting of supply chains to leverage The Port of Virginia’s efficiency are all points of pride. In order to maintain our efficiency and our reputation as the port of choice, we must keep building capacity, preparing for new challenges to global trade, shifts in trade and manufacturing patterns and a rapidly-evolving industry.

With those issues in mind we are in the midst of a $1.4 billion expansion to improve our ability to handle rail cargo, widen and deepen our shipping channels and modernize an older terminal. Collectively, from 2016 to 2025, with support from the governor and Virginia General Assembly, we will have invested $2.2 billion to prepare for the future. No other U.S. East Coast port is making this kind of commitment.

The port’s growth is driving tangible benefits across Virginia. Since the beginning of the year, Gov. Glenn Youngkin has welcomed a number of new companies (and expansions) that are all port users: Celadon in Chesapeake; AutoZone in New Kent County; Multipack in Prince George County; Certified Origins and High Liner Foods in Newport News; RoadOne Logistics in Norfolk and Suffolk; Amazon in Chesapeake; and Lowe’s in Richmond, to name a few.

Our competitive edge is expanding and the effort is being supported with the kind of private investments that will drive cargo growth. More cities and towns are realizing the benefits of having port-users as members of their business community. The benefits come in the form of year-round good paying jobs, investment and a growing local tax base that provides a hedge to better handle economic uncertainty. It is this kind of collaborative commitment that says Virginia is open for business and preparing for the future.

Today, there are developers and companies considering projects in Hampton, Suffolk, Portsmouth and Norfolk, all of which would support our region’s growth. Each of these projects would bring new jobs, economic investment and a boost to the local tax base. These projects must be given serious evaluation because of the concrete benefits they bring to each community and the state. To dismiss opportunities without serious, thoughtful consideration will simply drive the benefits and the business elsewhere and reduce our overall competitiveness.

With the help of our political leaders, private investment and community support, this port is driving economic growth. It is important to understand the opportunities before us and continue to build upon our formula for success so that The Port of Virginia can help Hampton Roads and the state continue to thrive today and well into the future.

Aubrey L. Layne is chairman of the Virginia Port Authority Board of Commissioners.

Funding of the right projects using a data-driven system required by the Smart Scale process and investing $1.4 billion in historic highway and rail improvements on the Interstate 95 corridor — in addition to projects already under way in Hampton Roads — would result in a transportation network that should move commerce and people like never before.

In June, the Commonwealth Transportation Board voted to fund the first wave of infrastructure selected based on a process driven by data and facts. The CTB approved $1.7 billion to build 163 projects, including roads, bridges and public transportation that will benefit every region of the state.

For the first time, the state has a way to select the projects that generate the most benefit for the money. This approach demonstrates how Gov. Terry McAuliffe is putting good governance ahead of politics in transportation funding, with bipartisan support from the General Assembly.

Others are taking note.

The Southern Legislative Conference, representing 15 states, selected Smart Scale for the State Transformation in Action Recognition award because of its innovation and effectiveness. I recently participated on a roundtable panel at the White House. I was asked to describe Smart Scale to transportation officials from around the country.

“Smart Scale” stands for System for the Management and Allocation of Resources for Transportation and the factors used in evaluating a project: improvements to safety, congestion, accessibility, land use, economic development and the environment.

Here’s how Smart Scale works in Hampton Roads:

A scoring system was developed. Each locality weighed in. In Hampton Roads, projects that reduced congestion, such as the widening of Interstate 64 on the Peninsula, scored the highest.

Last fall, Hampton Roads localities, Metropolitan Planning Organizations and transit agencies submitted 40 projects to be scored and funded under Smart Scale. This objective prioritization process is critical because the funding requests far exceed the money available.

Projects were scored and screened, and were presented to localities, legislators and the public. The CTB had the final say and voted on funding nearly $400 million for road construction and transit improvements in Hampton Roads.

Some of the major projects include widening 21 miles of I-64 from Newport News to York County, expanding Indian River Road in Virginia Beach, increasing commuter parking and bus transportation, widening Atkinson Boulevard in Newport News and improving U.S. 58 in Suffolk, among many others.

All transportation proposals for Hampton Roads total $5 billion. All of them will be built, and some are close to completion.

The new Midtown Tunnel is open. Martin Luther King Boulevard is scheduled for completion at the end of the year. Interstate 264/I-64 interchange improvements in Norfolk are fully funded. Interstate 564 will be improved, providing better Port of Virginia access in conjunction with the construction of a new north gate access to the Norfolk International Terminal. Pavement rehabilitation, bridge replacements, safety projects, technology improvements to better manage traffic and smaller projects such as bike and pedestrian paths are part of the multi-modal program to keep Hampton Roads moving.

Just last week, McAuliffe announced that Virginia’s Atlantic Gateway project has been selected for a federal FASTLANE grant of $165 million, the largest awarded in the country. Resources for the project, including private investment and public funding, total $1.4 billion. It will address the worst bottlenecks on the I-95 corridor in Northern Virginia, transforming travel along the entire East Coast.

The impact to Hampton Roads is significant. With the $350 million committed to expand the NIT, commerce will be able to travel from ship to road to rail along a greatly improved I-64 and up the I-95 corridor.

The Atlantic Gateway will extend the I-95 Express Lanes and build 14 miles of new rail to improve reliability and capacity for freight, commuter and passenger service. Once improvements are completed on Interstate 66 inside and outside the Beltway, freight from Hampton Roads will have a much more expansive transportation network to move products up the East Coast, enhancing the region as Virginia’s gateway to the world.

Aubrey Layne

is transportation secretary for the commonwealth of Virginia.

Improving Virginia’s transportation system is really about making people’s lives better by easing congestion and driving the economy. Improving safety and protecting the environment are just as critical. With these basic priorities in mind, wouldn’t it make sense to invest limited public dollars in transportation improvements that yield the greatest benefits? Fortunately Governor Terry McAuliffe and the General Assembly thought so.

Come July 1, a new law goes into effect requiring transportation projects to be selected based on an objective prioritization process. The purpose of this new process is to invest public funding wisely and prudently by selecting projects that produce the maximum benefits for each dollar spent. When McAuliffe appointed me as transportation secretary, he did not give me a list of top construction projects to deliver. Instead, he instructed me, as Chairman of the Commonwealth Transportation Board, to invest in the right projects.

This past legislative session, my staff and I worked with the Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, William Howell, among other state legislators to implement significant reforms for the programming of transportation funds. The effort resulted in House Bill 2, which directs the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) to develop and implement a statewide prioritization process for transportation projects. There is no pre-judging of projects. Project funding will be determined through a fair and unbiased process fueled by local input and needs that is consistent with statewide logistical and transportation goals.

The process follows three key principles:

* Select the right projects — The prioritization process will be based on an objective, quantifiable analysis that considers the following factors relative to the cost of the project: congestion mitigation, economic development, accessibility, safety and environmental quality. Projects that reduce congestion will rise to the top in traffic-clogged regions in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. For rural and other regions, transportation priorities will be based more on stimulating the economy and job growth.

Candidate projects will be screened to determine whether they address a critical need for major transportation corridors that have statewide impacts, regional networks or improvements to promote urban development. An analysis of the screened projects will further refine which projects get funded. Beginning July 1, 2016, the CTB will use the prioritization process to select projects. These projects will be in the Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP), which allocates state and federal dollars to transportation improvements.

*Engage the public — The CTB will work in collaboration with localities, including metropolitan planning organizations and transit and transportation authorities, to set weights for key factors like reducing congestion and creating economic opportunities. This will help determine the most critical needs for project screening.

* Ensure transparency — The prioritization process will be open for public review and residents will have opportunities to provide input on selected projects.

Prioritization will consider projects currently in the SYIP as well as projects not in the program. Projects fully funded as of June this year and that have completed environmental review may be exempt from this process. Other exemptions include pavement and bridge rehabilitation projects, revenue sharing projects and some secondary road improvements. The current SYIP, to be voted on in June by the CTB, has been analyzed to identify those projects that will be required to go through prioritization. Further refinements will be made as we go through the prioritization process.

The statewide prioritization process will help to determine the most critical of transportation needs through a fair and clear cut process. Once this process is up and running, citizens will have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the benefits they will receive for their transportation dollars. Perhaps, over time, all of us may realize prioritization will protect the most precious of resources….our time and Virginia’s ability to keep the economy and jobs moving.

Layne is Virginia’s Secretary of Transportation

CBBT parallel tunnels are often times perceived by the public to be necessary only to handle traffic growth that the existing bi-directional tunnels cannot accommodate. This variable is only one of many that have been studied and enumerated by the Joint Legislative Audit Review Commission, both houses of the Virginia General Assembly, VDOT, as well as third party traffic engineering firms.

However, unlike all of the other marine crossings in the Hampton Roads region, users of the CBBT lack a viable alternative route in the event of a closure from catastrophe, vehicular or maritime accidents or mechanical failure. The CBBT is the sole roadway connecting the Eastern Shore and the rest of the Commonwealth . An extended interruption in that connection could be economically devastating to both Accomack and Northampton counties and would disrupt a critical travel link to the tourism dependent cities of Hampton Roads and the region’s military bases. Access to critical medical facilities for Eastern Shore residents could be cut off.

Both of the existing tunnels are 50 years old. With advanced age comes an increased maintenance need. Ordinary maintenance work in the tunnels creates an average of 1400 hours of tunnel lane closures per year, resulting in increased crossing times. This does not include closure hours for major repairs such as the tunnel roadway repair project scheduled for later this year.

A recent travel time analysis performed by the CBBT’s third party consulting engineers projected the impact on traffic conditions and the quality of the travel experience for motorists in future years. According to their analysis, the number of motorists experiencing delays and the total annual hours of delay will more than double by 2030.

One positive aspect of the United States’ slow economic recovery is that it has created an aggressive bidding environment for major infrastructure projects. Recently, projects across the Commonwealth have received bids that are significantly below the engineer’s cost estimate. At the same time, interest rates for municipal market debt remain near all-time historic lows. Importantly, a toll increase now would help the CBBT to establish the strongest credit rating possible further reducing borrowing costs.

What does this mean for motorists? The impact on local users is minimal with a proposed toll rate schedule that includes a 24-hour round trip rate that only increases by $1, preserves the previously approved commuter rate of $5 per trip and includes new levels of round-trip discounting for passenger vehicles towing trailers. Seasonal travelers will bear the majority of the rate increase.

Time costs money. The CBBT Commission intends to utilize three different initiatives in order to advance the construction timeline. First, the financing plan anticipates using the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan program to accelerate the project by several years and potentially save over $100 million in project costs. Second, the Commission intends to use a Design-Build procurement method which will hopefully allow for additional construction cost savings. Finally, the Commission has proposed increasing the current toll schedule which will generate additional revenue to advance the project by several additional years and potentially save another $100 million in costs.

Unfortunately, the CBBT cannot move forward with this project without a toll rate increase as we do not receive federal or state funding. Our financial models show that a financing plan without a toll increase leaves a future funding gap well over $400 million. Therefore, we want to hear from you before making the final decision. The CBBT will be hosting four public information sessions in Onley, Eastville, Norfolk and Hampton to educate the public about the facts behind this important decision. Please visit our website at http://www.cbbt.com/IS2013.html to learn more about the project and to find the date, time and location for a public information session near you. Customers wishing to submit written comments to the Commission may do so via email at marketing@cbbt.com.

Layne is Chairman, Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Commission

In leadership positions that I have held, this has been my experience. Whether it be business, civic or political engagement, the underlying problem must first be defined and comprehended. Next, a sustainable solution must be developed. Only then can real progress be achieved. However, this is easier said than done.

Even though I have been involved as a board member for 10 years, I have only been President of An Achievable Dream (AAD) for the last 90 days. One might ask how a professional person with a Bachelor of Science in business (accounting) and a Master of Business Administration (finance) is qualified to lead a school. After all, the only thing I really know about education is that I have one. Fortunately, that is the key to success.

An Achievable Dream is a public-private partnership with Newport News City Schools dedicated to the belief that children can succeed regardless of their socioeconomic background and that education can break the cycle of poverty. And, while we have excellent academic leadership on staff, our curriculum is the same as taught in every other Newport News public school. AAD’s mission is to raise the academic proficiency of disadvantaged students by extending the amount of time spent in school and through the implementation of our Social, Academic, and Moral Education (S.A.M.E.) model in a culture that emphasizes deep and continuous family involvement. We stress that college and the ability to support oneself is attainable by every child. AAD’s highly structured program includes Speaking Green, which takes its name from the color of money and teaches that standard English is the language of college and business; Etiquette; Conflict Resolution; Ethics; Living Healthy; and Financial Know How. By partnering with Newport News Public Schools, we provide both teachers and students with a positive atmosphere to teach and learn while leveraging the vast amount of federal, state, and local resources already being spent. The $2,200 annual per student funds needed to implement AAD’s program are raised through private donations. We believe that public schools hold the key to regionally reducing poverty through education by implementing the AAD model which involves the participation of law enforcement, military personnel, and the business community. The program is designed to enhance other efforts in early childhood education, summer enrichment and college access that may already exist in the community. We do not compete, but rather work with these organizations.

Walter Segaloff, the founder of An Achievable Dream, determined 20 years ago that the crippling cycle of poverty was keeping children from experiencing the American Dream of self-reliance and that education was the long term solution. Working with our partner, Newport News Public Schools, An Achievable Dream has data-proven results which demonstrate the model works within the public school system and is sustainable, both academically and financially. AAD serves over 1,250 students annually in its K-12 schools. We are celebrating our 13th graduating class this year. An on-time graduation rate of 98 percent has been sustained over the years. And, the past two years, the graduation rate is 100 percent, with 95 percent going on to college and 5 percent joining the military.

Many of the issues facing Hampton Roads are regional. As a member of the Commonwealth Transportation Board, I have experienced first hand the regional impact of our transportation problems. . I believe a regional solution is required to reduce poverty. It is the goal of An Achievable Dream to expand to more children throughout Hampton Roads. We are in negotiations with Virginia Beach City Public Schools to begin the AAD model in grades K-2 beginning in 2014. An additional grade will be added each year until a fully implemented K-12 program is established serving approximately 1500 students. We look forward to working with both Newport News and Virginia Beach and possibly other regional school districts.

Martin Luther King, Jr. said it best. “Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.” If someone were to ask me to compare eliminating poverty through education to a race, I would describe a marathon, not a sprint. I believe this is a race An Achievable Dream can win by partnering with regional public schools and the regional community. But, don’t just take my word. Join us June 1st and 2nd in Williamsburg as we “Run for the Dream.” I bet you will be a winner. You see, given a level playing field, anyone who finishes the race is a winner when it comes to education.

Layne is President, An Achievable Dream

Compare this to where the region finds itself today. Thanks to the leadership and transportation initiatives of Governor Bob McDonnell, and the reformation of the Hampton Roads Transportation Organization, Hampton Roads has over $4 billion in committed new regional construction projects including expansion of the Midtown Tunnel between Norfolk and Portsmouth, a new dedicated 460 Highway connecting the regions of Hampton Roads and Richmond, expansion of Dominion Boulevard in Chesapeake, expansion of the I-564 Intermodal Connector in Norfolk, and a new Lesner Bridge in Virginia Beach. Also included are a number of significant local projects.

Hampton Roads is programmed to receive approximately 30 percent of all statewide construction funding over the next five years, the largest amount received by the region in history. And, we are expected to receive an additional $200 million in regional monies each year under the new transportation funding legislation just passed the General Assembly.

While this turn around is primarily due to the courage of Gov. McDonnell, our local elected officials and regional state legislators played an important role. As former Chairman of the HRTPO, Mayor Will Sessoms of Virginia Beach led the effort to prioritize our regional projects and urged consensus among regional state leaders. Current Chairperson Mayor Molly Joseph Ward of Hampton continued this invigorated regional leadership and has been instrumental in aligning both Peninsula and Southside officials to speak as one regional voice. Further, Delegate Chris Jones and Senator Frank Wagner were key to sheparding the governor’s transportation funding legislation through the General Assembly. By working together, Hampton Roads has succeeded in attracting significant transportation funding to not only maintain our roads and bridges but also to build new projects that will meet the needs of our citizens, the military, the Port of Virginia, and the many tourists that visit our region.

But, even with all this new money, it is not enough to meet every need. We must continue to work together in allocating regional monies that will leverage state and federal funding. The widening of Interstate 64 on the Peninsula from Newport News to Richmond should be our first priority. Beyond that, projects that offer the most regional benefit should be first in line. Empirical data and consensus should drive these decisions and priorities, not political maneuvering. Our regional leaders have demonstrated leadership in the past four years. And, our region has benefited greatly. Politics will always be a part of transportation funding, but it should not supersede what is best for the citizens and business of the region.

We can no longer say our region does not receive its “fair share” of transportation funding. And, we now have control of a significant portion of our funding through the leadership of the HRTPO. Let’s hope our transportation future yields as much progress as we have experienced in the last four years. Whatever the outcome, we will only have ourselves to congratulate or blame. We control our own destiny.

Layne is Commonwealth Transportation Board Hampton Roads Representative

My reasoning to support all possible funding sources for transportation is based on two premises. First, transportation is a core function of government. Every citizen benefits either directly or indirectly from our transportation system. Our capitalistic society depends on the efficient movement of goods and services. Nowhere is this more evident that in Hampton Roads. Our regional economy is dominated by the military, the Port of Virginia and tourism. All of these economic drivers have been negatively impacted by our congested highways and the condition of our aging roads, bridges and tunnels. In fact, our military leaders have indicated that the state of our transportation system is not just a quality of life problem, but it also affects their readiness mission. This cannot be helpful in our effort to preserve military spending in light of deficit reduction being discussed in Congress.

Second, we have not raised sufficient revenues for transportation funding in over 25 years. As a consequence, we cannot adequately maintain our current road system, much less expand it to support economic growth. Gov. McDonnell’s previous transportation package generated funds to finance some key projects in the state through the issuance of bonds and the use of the Public-Private Transportation Act. Hampton Roads benefited significantly as the Downtown-Midtown Tunnel, Route 460 and Dominion Boulevard projects were fully funded. But much more needs to be accomplished.

Anyone who drives on I-264 between Norfolk and Virginia Beach knows all too well the sad state of our roads. Ask any driver on the Peninsula what it is like to travel west on I-64 past Newport News. Congestion around Ft. Eustis Boulevard is terrible as drivers merge from four lanes to two. Currently, there are no monies available for the widening of I-64 West to Richmond. And circumstances like these are all too prevalent throughout the Golden Crescent Corridor that includes Hampton Roads, Richmond and Northern Virginia. Do we really believe our state can continue to attract business without a commitment to fund transportation?

I do not believe our conversation on transportation funding should be dominated by “form over substance” rhetoric. To my friends on the right, increasing revenues for transportation should not be held hostage by a “no tax” pledge that abdicates responsibility for providing revenues for a core function of government. And, to my friends on the left, general fund revenues are also an acceptable source for funding transportation.

As incoming president of the Achievable Dream Academies, I am as passionate about education funding as I am transportation. The Achievable Dream model relies on transporting the most disadvantaged children in our community to our school where we are changing lives and breaking the cycle of poverty through education and moral teaching. Nothing is more important to me. Yet, our success is dependent upon a transportation network that is safe and reliable. I see funding transpotration as an important part of the education process.

Gov. McDonnell has proposed a bold plan that recognizes transportation funding as a core function of government, while identifying revenues that are dedicated and reliable. While there are many “right” ways to fund transportation, there is only one truly “wrong” way. Doing nothing is no longer an option. The cost of inaction is too high. The governor’s plan has shown us a way to a solution. All of us should encourage our legislators to reach a consensus on transportation funding. History has shown us that if we don’t hold them accountable, nothing will get done and we will all continue to suffer the consequences.

Layne is a member of the

Commonwealth Transportation Board

Governor Bob McDonnell’s newly proposed transportation funding plan can help solve our long-term funding needs. A restructured transportation funding program that eliminates the tax on unleaded fuel and ties transportation revenues to the sales tax is the right course. This plan ties transportation funding to revenues that will increase over time, not a source of revenue that will decrease in the future such as the gas tax.

A lot of discussion has centered around increasing the current state motor fuel tax. But new federal standards just put in place by President Obama significantly increases mandated fuel efficiency for all cars, not just hybrid and electric cars that currently have a very small market share. Larry Sabato at the University of Virginia Center for Politics has estimated that the state gas tax would have to increase by 71.5 cents per gallon (to 89 cents) by 2025 to match projected revenues to be generated by Governor McDonnell’s plan. Maybe the gas tax should have been raised over the past 25 years, but this will no longer work in the future. And, in terms of public policy, higher mileage efficiency is the proper venue for changing consumer behavior instead of increasing regressive taxes on fuel.

A common misconception of the proposed funding plan is that tourists will not contribute to funding transportation in our state even though they use our roads. Governor McDonnell’s plan does not alter the current federal motor fuels tax of 18.4 cents per gallon. Although initially remitted to the federal government, substantially all of this money is allocated back to Virginia for construction of transportation infrastructure. Hopefully tourists will also purchase goods in the convenience store when they fill up their gas tanks in our state. But nonetheless, every motorist who purchases fuel in the state of Virginia will help pay for our roads.

We have a significant deficit in transportation funding to overcome. The Governor’s bold transportation funding plan combined with the strategic use of Public Private Partnerships offers a 21st century solution for transportation funding. Over the next five years, approximately $5 billion in transportation projects will be built in the Hampton Roads region, the most significant investment in any five year period in our history. And still, we have much more to accomplish. Governor McDonnell’s transportation funding plan gives us the ability to continue the work we have begun.

Layne is a member of the Commonwealth Transportation Board as Hampton Roads Representative