James Ronald Fisher (IG)

Office Sought: Va. House of Delegates District 49
Age: 72
Residence: South Arlington.
Education: BS, USNA; MA, bus. mgmt., Central Mich. U.; grad., ICAF; Navy nuclear propulsion, submarines, inertial navigation.
Occupation: Executive director, Defense Fire Protection Association; president, Vets Sales & Services; retired Navy captain.
Web site:http://wethepeoplenow.org
E-mail address: fisher@wethepeoplenow.org
Offices and positions held: Founder/chair, WeThePeopleNow.org; member, ACLU, Virginians Against Death Penalty; former member, Naval Academy class board of trustees; former chairman, Gift Committee, Naval Academy class; former board member, Pas Religious Education Teacher, Annual Fund Campaign; chairman, Unitarian Universalist churches; former board member, Charleston, S.C., Montessori school; former president, J.E.B. Stuart High School crew boosters.

Elected offices/civic activities:

Founder/chair, WeThePeopleNow.org; member, ACLU, Virginians Against Death Penalty; former member, Naval Academy class board of trustees; former chairman, Gift Committee, Naval Academy class; former board member, Pas Religious Education Teacher, Annual Fund Campaign; chairman, Unitarian Universalist churches; former board member, Charleston, S.C., Montessori school; former president, J.E.B. Stuart High School crew boosters.

Why should voters elect you?

I have the character, experience, knowledge, skills, intelligence, drive, perseverance and plans to make the improvements needed in our government, society and industries.

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

Unnecessary government spending, high prices and regressive taxes. Spending on the Iraq war, defense contractors, nuclear and other offensive weapons, earmarks, pork projects, prisons, millions to prosecute and execute prisoners, drain billions of dollars needed for health care, education (pre-kindergarten through college), adult training, job opportunities, physical infrastructure repairs, public transportation, prison reform/restorative justice, affordable housing programs, etc. This along with the high costs of food, fuel, housing, health care, transportation, college education, phone and cable services, combined with unemployment, low-wage jobs and regressive federal and Virginia taxes, contributes to despair, poverty, crimes, drug use and increasing wealth divide.

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

>Champion many more trains to lessen traffic immensely.

>Convince everyone that more trains will improve safety, reduce oil consumption, lessen energy dependence, reduce environmental impacts, enable travelors to read, do paper work, relax and rest and thereby improve productivity, improve emergency response times and speed up evacuations in emergencies.

>Push to keep public transportation fares very, very low if not free.

>Get more out of existing systems such as the DC area Metro network and school buses.

>Stagger work stop and start times.

>Encourage telecomputiong.

>Schedule events downtown during rushhours

>Include local officials, the people, and those who have already studied and worked on transportation planning to provide other solutions and help revise local, state and national plans, based on lesson learned and using a broad, forward-looking perspective, with consideration of the latest technologies and current conditions - the recent bridge collapse, the unstable Middle East and the changing economy.

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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