January/February 2006

Dear Governor Kaine

By Michael John Khandelwal

Congratulations on your election as our new governor. You have big shoes to fill, and I’m not talking about Mark Warner’s. Both Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry once held your post.

Serving as governor of Virginia puts you in a unique place to affect positive change throughout the commonwealth. I will note you did better in Hampton Roads than any Democratic candidate since Chuck Robb. So whether we voted for you or not, we are with you now and wish you all the luck in the world.

I’m sure you don’t need to be reminded about this, but we are the East Coast’s second largest port. Nearly $16.2 billion in exports and $11.2 billion in imports pass through our region each year, and more than 58,000 workers rely on that trade for their livelihood. Nearly 318,000 military personnel, civilians and their dependents contribute $11 billion to our local economy each year. Tourism accounts for $2.5 billion in traveler’s spending in our area, and nearly 49 percent of visitors to the commonwealth visit here. Employment due to tourism totals nearly 41,000 workers for our region.

In the pages of Hampton Roads Magazine in September, you said, “I don’t think Hampton Roads has gotten the benefit of state government in proportion to the size of its population. Hampton Roads is the second largest metropolitan area in Virginia, and particularly because of the importance of the port and the military installations here as well as tourism, you’ve a got a claim to better treatment in the state.”

You are right about that. We are the state’s economic engine. And we have pressing needs to be addressed.

Let’s talk about our transportation issues. Last January, I wrote about how Hampton Roads as a region has received 20 percent less road funding per capita than Richmond over the past 10 years. In terms of funding from the state, we’ve received $1,346 per person over 10 years for new road construction and improvements, yet a citizen of Richmond received more than $1,687. If we crunch the numbers, Hampton Roads is owed nearly $423 million for road construction.

The roadways in Richmond are substantially better than the ones here in Hampton Roads. According to The Road Information Project (TRIP), it costs $1,000 a year to operate a car in Richmond and $1,300 a year in Hampton Roads due to poor road safety, increased congestion and vehicle wear.

Yes, you are a former mayor of Richmond, but we ask you to turn your focus to our region as governor. You said we are owed from the state and promised to present ideas to battle the transportation problem to the General Assembly in January. Make sure you remember that although needs are great throughout the commonwealth, we are the gateway for the rest of the world. We all know that solutions might require a combination of taxes, tolls, and public-private partnerships. Former Governor Gerald Baliles’ plan to put tolls throughout Virginia might work, but whatever is decided, our need is immediate. We can’t wait several years for constitutional amendments to pass. We need the money now.

The fate of Oceana is also a major concern. Governor Warner said in October that Oceana “is not just a Virginia Beach issue but one that affects the whole region.” He raised some concern that if the jets leave, perhaps the aircraft carriers and battle groups will be next. Oceana’s closing could bring about a mass exodus of the military from Virginia.

You said you are committed to keeping Oceana open as “the economic anchor for this community.” You served on the Virginia Military Advisory Council, and you are well aware of the military’s importance to Virginia and Hampton Roads. “The commonwealth has committed to helping Virginia Beach purchase property around Oceana in order to save the base, and as governor, I would continue to support that,” you said.

There are already rumors that the Navy will move one or more of our carriers to Japan, Florida or West Coast bases. According to an estimate by the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, the loss of a carrier would take $225 million from our local economy, and moving a battle group could drain upwards of $1 billion. Please join to fight these proposed moves. The first step may well be solidifying Oceana’s role as a Master Jet Base.

While building roads and keeping our military bases are priorities, the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its catalyst as an economic engine is also very important. This year, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation presented a dismal scorecard on the health of the bay. Based on its criteria, the bay’s health meter scored a 27 out of 100—a grade that in most schools would cause the student to repeat the year.

The bay is not only important from an ecological and tourism standpoint; it is a major revenue source for the commonwealth. Again, in these pages in September, you said, “This should be the most active port on the East Coast.” And you linked the port to both the economic and the transportation infrastructure of the area.

Restoring the bay will ensure the livelihood of those who make their living from its bounty. It will also bolster tourism—bringing more money to the state’s coffers through tax revenue—and help our port increase its attractiveness to international trade.

Governor Kaine, we’ve asked for a lot in this letter. This coming year, the General Assembly will have an extra $1.1 billion to spend over the next two years due to higher than expected revenues. A good place to spend that money is in Hampton Roads. The next time you’re at Roger Brown’s for a beer and a burger, listen to the folks sitting next to you. You’ll find that we all have the best interests of Virginia in mind. We just want to be recognized for what we are: the commonwealth’s economic engine—that needs to be tuned up.

Sincerely,
Michael Jon Khandelwal