Press Releases

New TV Spot: Adding Up the High Cost of Creigh Deeds

Ad Looks at Price Tag of Policy Ideas Creigh Deeds Has Supported, Approved Of or Lined up Behind during Campaign for Governor

Detailed Fact Sheet Below


RICHMOND- Bob McDonnell, Republican gubernatorial nominee and former Attorney General of Virginia, is up with a new television ad today detailing the high cost of various proposals and schemes Democrat Creigh Deeds has approved of, supported or lined up behind during his campaign for governor.

In the spot “$7800”, a narrator notes:


“Creigh Deeds has unequivocally committed himself to higher taxes.
(The Washington Post, Editorial, September 24, 2009)


Deeds supports tax policies that will cost families $7,800 over four years.


His billion-dollar gas tax increase would add twenty cents to a gallon of gas.


Cost to families: $1,000
VA Motor Fuels Tax Revenue Analysis 10/1/09


Deeds called for Washington’s “mandatory cap and trade” energy tax.
Sierra Club Survey - Virginia’s 2009 Democratic Gubernatorial Candidates
http://hrsierraclub.org/VirginiaGovernor.htm
Governor’s Commission on Climate Change - Final Report  (Dec. 2008) 
http://www.deq.state.va.us/export/sites/default/info/documents/climate/CCC_Final_Report-Final_12152008.pdf


Cost to families $6,800.
CBS News.Com (9/15/09)


Killing up to 56,000 Virginia jobs.
ACCF/NAM Study (8/09)


Creigh Deeds’ tax policies will cost $7,800.”

You Can View the Ad Here


$7,800: The Break Down


1)    Creigh Deeds has repeatedly voted for gas tax increases as a legislator. He has said he will sign a tax increase for transportation, but it cannot be a general fund tax. He has specifically noted the gas tax is NOT a general fund tax. And he talks often of the need for a “nexus” between transportation and the funding mechanism.

Creigh Deeds August 4, 2009: Hillsville

“There has to be nexus between…the sources of funding and transportation itself, and Suzie I can talk about them all day long but you know as well as I do what they are.”

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE



2)    The gas tax in Virginia produces roughly $50 million for every penny. It would take a 20 cent increase to produce $1 billion a year in new, annual revenue as Creigh has called for.



3)    Based on numbers from the Virginia Department of Taxation, a .20 cent increase in the gas tax would cost the average Virginia household, with 2 cars, an average of $300 a year. The $1000 cost to Virginia families of this gas tax increase is a LOW estimate of what Virginians would pay with such a gas tax increase over the next four years.



4)    While the Deeds campaign regularly uses a ten-year window for their fiscal projections when talking about McDonnell policies (Example: The Washington Post September 24, 2009) this ad merely projects out four years, the length of the next Governor’s term. If we had used the same window as the Deeds’ campaign this number would be, minimum, $3000.



5)    The Cap and Trade number comes from the Obama Administration’s own projections on the cost of a Cap and Trade scheme once implemented. The number was contained in a United States Department of the Treasury report. The report found a yearly impact of $1,761 per household.



6)    Governor Tim Kaine’s Climate Change Commission called on Congress to pass a Cap and Trade SCHEME. While the House Cap and Trade bill had an emissions cap of 17% by 2020, and the Senate bill introduced last week has a cap of 20% by 2020, the Governor’s Climate Change Commission actually called for a cap of 25% by 2020. A much more significant cap.



7)    As a candidate for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination Creigh Deeds told the Sierra Club that he served on the Governor’s Climate Change Commission, and he “endorsed the many measures undertaken through our work.” As shown below one of the most prominent measures, repeated throughout the final report, is calling for a Cap and Trade scheme.



8)    Creigh Deeds has, as a candidate for governor, supported calling on Congress to pass a Cap and Trade scheme, and one with a greater, and therefore more expensive, cap than the bills currently in the House and Senate.


Facts about: The Gas Tax

I. Deeds promotes raising $1 billion of “new revenue” (taxes) for transportation:

  • “It’s going to create a fund of new money in excess of $1 billion a year Bruce to fund transportation.  That money will be dedicated.  It will behopefully a growing fund of money that will be dedicated to transportation and allow us to move forward.”  - Creigh Deeds

    Fairfax Chamber of Commerce Debate(9/17/09)
    http://www.news8.net/news/stories/0909/659953.html

  • “Deeds said that the state must find $1 billion in new, annual revenues to pay for transportation.”

    The Roanoke Times September 19th
    http://www.roanoke.com/politics/wb/219539


II. Deeds supports tax increases to fund transportation:

“R.CREIGH DEEDS, the Democrat running for governor in Virginia, has now unequivocally committed himself to support higher taxes” The Washington Post September 24th:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/23/AR2009092304136.html

  • “The biggest difference came on the question of funding transportation infrastructure. McDonnell touted his plan, which includes a $4 billion bond package, the privatization of liquor sales, the dedication of offshore drilling revenues and the use of general fund revenues.


    Deeds said that the state must find $1 billion in new, annual revenues to pay for transportation. Deeds, who in recent days has repeatedly been questioned as to whether he would raise taxes as governor, was less specific about where that money would come from. He told the economic developers that he would ‘need to look at the right combination of sources that can get enough votes to pass’ and said he would consider anything outside of a transfer or tax increase linked to the general fund.


    In a conversation with reporters after his speech, Deeds said he would consider tolls or a gasoline tax increase.”
    The Roanoke Times September 19th
    http://www.roanoke.com/politics/wb/219539


  • “Deeds was asked: ‘If you’re governor and you get a bill that funds transportation in some form of either general or non-general fund tax increase, will you sign it?’


    Deeds responded by saying he is committed to working with the next General Assembly to ‘get past the obstructionist viewpoints that have blocked progress on the issue’ and build consensus ‘around a series of ideas that allow us to fund transportation. And [sic] yes, I will sign that bill.’


    ‘What I will do and what I’ll commit to do right now is work with whomever is in the General Assembly after January. Because we’ve got to get past the obstructionist viewpoints that have blocked progress on the issue of transportation. What I will do is work with Democrats and Republicans to build consensus around a series of ideas that allow us to fund transportation, and yes, I will sign that bill.’”
    Richmond Times August 12th
    http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/DEEDGATER12_20090812-141201/285537/


  • “And I’ll sign a bipartisan bill with a dedicated funding mechanism for transportation—even if it includes new taxes.”  - Creigh Deeds Washington Post Op-Ed: My Transportation Plan September 23 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/22/AR2009092202643.html


III. Deeds dismisses transportationrevenue options other than gas tax increase:


1.  ABC

  • “Deeds said McDonnell’s plan to privatize state-run ABC stores to generate revenue for transportation is not a viable option because proceeds from ABC sales are used to fund other programs. ‘How would those funds be replaced?’ he asked.’”

    Martinsville Bulletin August 9th
    http://www.martinsvillebulletin.com/article.cfm?ID=20025


  • “Now I can lay out a bunch of proposals like Bob has that have already been disavowed by Democrats and Republicans by papers all over the state…ideas like selling off the ABC stores that have been disavowed by the General Assembly time and time again.”

    - Creigh Deeds Fairfax Chamber of Commerce Debate (9/17/09) http://www.news8.net/news/stories/0909/659953.html


2. General Fund


3. Bonds

  • “‘It was disappointing when we met with Creigh Deeds that not only didn’t he have a plan, he also said he was not in favor of using any general fund money for transportation,’‘’ said lawyer Stuart Mendelsohn, chamber chairman. ‘He objected to even using bonds for transportation and I don’t know how you are going to do any of this without bonds.’”

    Washington Post Blog  September 23th
    http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2009/09/more_on_mcdonnells_fairfax_cha.html


4. Offshore Drilling


Facts About: Cap and Trade


I. As a Candidate for Governor Deeds Voiced his Support for the Idea of Cap and Trade

  • Survey Question:  “What Measures Would You Promote to Address Climate Change in Virginia?”


    Survey Answer:  “As a member of Gov. Kaine’s Climate Change commission, I have endorsed the many measures undertaken through our work.”  - Creigh Deeds


    Sierra Club - Virginia’s 2009 Democratic Gubernatorial Candidates Survey
    http://hrsierraclub.org/VirginiaGovernor.htm


WHAT WERE THOSE MEASURES?

  • “IV. Recommendation
      • A. Recommendations that affect GHG emissions . . .
        2. Virginia will advocate for federal actions that will reduce net GHG emissions.
          2A.The Governor should ask Congress to act as soon as possible to pass comprehensive climate change legislation that includes the following key provisions:
        • Establishes a mandatory economy-wide cap and trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;”


  • Achieves at least a 25% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020 and an 80% reduction below 1990 levels by 2050. (p. 14)




Governor’s Commission on Climate Change - Final Report  (Dec. 2008) 
http://www.deq.state.va.us/export/sites/default/info/documents/climate/CCC_Final_Report-Final_12152008.pdf

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