Carlos Del Toro (D)

Office Sought: Va. House of Delegates District 88
Age: 47
Residence: Hampton Oaks, Stafford Va.
Education: BS, electrical engineering, United States Naval Academy; MS, space systems engineering, Naval Postgraduate School; MA, national security studies, Naval War College; MA, legislative affairs, George Washington University.
Occupation: President, SBG Technology Solutions.
Web site:http://www.DelToroforDelegate.com
E-mail address: amy@deltorofordelegate.com
Offices and positions held: President, Capitol Region Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 2006; director, US Chamber of Commerce's Council on Small Business, 2006-present; member, Fredericksburg Military Affairs Council, 2005-present; Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce, 2005-present; White House fellow and special assistant to the director, Office of Management and Budget, 1998-1999; term member, Council on Foreign Relations, 1994-1999; scoutmaster and assistant scoutmaster, Boy Scouts of America, 1992-1997; member, St. Francis of Assisi Church, 1998-present.

Why should voters elect you?

Voters of the 88th District should elect me because I think we need stronger and more effective leaders in the General Assembly. We need a leader who can work across party lines for the best interest of our community.

In the past 6 years, I have watched our transportation mess get worse, our class sizes get bigger and our quality of life deteriorate. It is the responsibility of our public officials to engage with community members, understand the issues they confront, and work in a bipartisan manner to improve their quality of life, and I have seen a failure in leadership from our current Delegate in that regard.

What do you think is the most urgent problem facing your jurisdiction?

Transportation is one of the most pressing problems for our region because it is also a quality of life issue – the more time we spend stuck in traffic, the less time we spend with our families and friends. Stafford County is the 11th most affluent county in the nation, and yet we still have inadequate roads and public transportation for commuters. I believe we need to secure our fair share of transportation funding for this area – which is why I was disappointed to see our current Delegate oppose over $50 million in local transportation funding in 2007.

What is your plan to address the traffic problems in Virginia?

I support extending the HOV lanes to Massaponax, which will put fewer cars on the road and help to ease congestion. I also support a greater focus on secondary roads. Small improvements, like added turn lanes and better parking for VRE and commuter lots, can have a big impact at a lower cost. We must also commit to VRE, through more money for engines, more third track dedicated to passenger traffic, and second stations to improve usability and reliability.

Do you think current policies governing growth & development in your area are too restrictive, not restrictive enough or just right?

Not restrictive enough.

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