Vivian E. Watts* (D)

Office Sought: Va. House of Delegates District 39
Age: 69
Residence: Annandale.
Education: BA, English, University of Michigan.
Occupation: Retired executive director, Fairfax Court Appointed Special Advocates.
Web site:http://vivianwatts.com
E-mail address: vwatts@erols.com
Offices and positions held: Member, House of Delegates, 1996-present, 1982-85; Virginia secretary of transportation and public safety, 1986-90; member, Virginia Board of Veteran Services; board member, Arts Council of Fairfax County and Salvation Army; past president, Fairfax League of Women Voters, Wakefield Forest PTA.

Why should voters elect you?

"I work hard to listen to all sides, ask tough questions, seek critical information and think through the future results of any decision before me."

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

"Virginia, as well as Fairfax County, faces tough budget decisions to handle revenue shortfalls stemming from the housing market drop. Sales tax revenue, business-related income tax payments, recordation taxes as well as local real estate taxes have all dropped. Federal domestic spending cuts add to the problem. Our delegation's greatest challenge will be to ensure equitable state school funding for Fairfax County, while meeting the tragic need for mental health services and the growth in Medicaid. Hopefully, these dominant issues won't undercut the recently enacted environmental preservation tax credits or enacting a homestead exemption for real estate relief."

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

Virginia's transportation program is a business, not a political game. We must be willing to govern and to enact adequate, sustained dedicated funding to equitably fund the state's responsibility for maintenance, congestion reduction, transit, and safety, as well as economic development, trade, and commerce. The 2007 package is inadequate even in the short-term. (1) It relies too heavily on borrowing without a source of repayment that tracks inflation. (2) Abuser fees must be repealed as a source of transportation revenue and replaced with court fines aimed at the most flagrant offenses committed by any driver not just a Virginia resident. (3) The gas tax needs to be used to ensure that out-of-state motorists and truckers pay their share of road costs. (4) State construction and transit funds coming to Northern Virginia must be at least doubled to match the transportation funds we now will be raising locally.

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

decline to answer

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