New McDonnell ad: Deeds will cost you $$

Much of high-stakes politics involves money questions such as 'who's got it?' and 'how are they going to spend it?'

In his latest campaign ad, Republican Bob McDonnell wants viewers to believe Democrat Creigh Deeds will spend it, and more specifically, cost voters out-of-pocket cash.

The price tag the commercial attaches to Deeds is $7,800 over four years.

That's how much his plans to raise taxes to fund road improvements and support for federal legislation to cap corporate greenhouse gas emissions will cost Virginia families, the ad claims.

Like many political ads, this one is an interperative spot that both hews closer to, and further from, reality.

Deeds has said as governor he would support a bill to raise new revenue for transportation (which probably means some kind of new taxes, tolls, or fees), while McDonnell's road plan eschews taxes in favor of a mix of unproven new funding sources.

Deeds has previously voted in favor of gas tax hikes and the ad bases one of its calculations on that kind of levy.

The ad's characterization of Deeds' stance on the federal cap and trade legislation is more of a stretch.

Deeds supports reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but has said he opposes a House version of the bill working its way through Congress because of its potential costs to families and businesses.

Deeds' campaign fired off this response to the ad:

"Creigh Deeds has the only realistic plan to solve Virginia’s transportation crisis," said spokesman Jared Leopold. "Bob McDonnell’s dishonest ads are a desperate attempt to distract from his ‘phony baloney’ transportation scheme."

-- Julian Walker

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