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Lynwood W. Lewis Jr.
Democrat
Residence Accomac
Personal Born in Nassawadox, Va; age 47; married, one child
Education Bachelor’s degree in history and political science, Hampden-Sydney College, 1984; law degree, University of Richmond, 1988
Occupation Attorney
Experience Delegate since 2004
Other Now a member of the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the Governor’s Aerospace Advisory Council
Contact (757) 710-9756
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What will you do to ensure that a transportation plan can win General Assembly approval? What revenue sources should be used?
We need to move beyond rigid ideological posturing. There are many members of the General Assembly in both parties who are more than willing to work together to address this problem. I will continue to make the case for meaningfully addressing our transportation crisis and to look for any opportunities to advance real proposals – no matter their origin. We have to pay for transportation solutions and, given the magnitude of the problem and its ramifications, everything should be up for discussion. Certainly this would include, among many other things, new and innovative ways of expanding the use of public-private partnerships. However, I do not believe it is appropriate, for the first time in Virginia history, to put roads in competition with public education.
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What steps would you support to deal with an additional state budget shortfall? What specific areas would you cut, if any, and what revenue sources would you increase, if any?
Our current budget situation is the worst in many years, but I do not believe it is the result of some sort of permanent systemic imbalance. It is temporary and will pass, and Virginia, because of our sound management, is well poised to emerge from this crisis faster and more robustly than other states. As with families or businesses, the commonwealth must always look to cost-saving measures and efficiencies in times such as these.
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What are the biggest challenges facing Virginia’s elementary and secondary education systems, and how would you address them?
Making sure we attract and retain the best professionals to teach our children, and that means continuing to work to raise teacher salaries to the national average and hopefully beyond. Working to make sure that the requirements of No Child Left Behind do not impede our system’s ability to best educate our children.
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What is the biggest issue facing the Eastern Shore, and what should the General Assembly do about it?
Expanding economic development and opportunity while preserving our very special quality of life is the Eastern Shore’s biggest issue, but recently the General Assembly has done a great deal to help with that through significant investments in broadband infrastructure, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, our new seafood market, and work force training center. Continued support of our community college system and work force training are key to continuing the advance of opportunity on the Eastern Shore. Certainly more immediate concerns involve support and improvements for our public education system and finding adequate funds in these desperate transportation budget times for safety improvements to Route 13. The requirements for Route 13 are what make a statewide transportation solution imperative to the Eastern Shore.
Melody Himel Scalley
Republican
Residence Eastville
Personal Born in New Orleans; age 46; single
Education No college
Occupation Owner of a title and settlement company and a real estate company
Experience Served on Northampton County Joint Local Planning Commission for three years; also on Northampton Affordable Housing Committee
Other Now a member of the board of directors, Virginia Horse Council; served on board of directors, Eastern Shore Association of Realtors
Contact (757) 678-7200
melody.scalley@gmail.com www.melodyscalley.com
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What will you do to ensure that a transportation plan can win General Assembly approval? What revenue sources should be used?
We will accomplish bipartisan agreement again. The last measure failed when the governor demanded an amendment that removed voters and their local government officials from the process in favor of unelected regional officials. Before we talk about additional revenue, let’s guarantee funds we’re supposed to use for roads are not raided for other purposes. Let’s look at saving money before jumping to collect more from overburdened citizens. Government creates regulations that increase costs. Then the taxpayer is asked to foot the bill for government inefficiency. No business could operate in this manner and stay in business. Funding ideas: issue bonds already authorized; privatize state-run liquor stores; use revenue from offshore drilling, which will also add to our energy independence and create jobs for Eastern Shore citizens.
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What steps would you support to deal with an additional state budget shortfall? What specific areas would you cut, if any, and what revenue sources would you increase, if any?
First, get rid of the waste and hold government accountable for the money they spend. In these economic times it is not a responsible move to increase taxes and fees. Use attrition to shrink government agencies. Look at outsourcing and hiring more independent contractors. Instead of streamlining government at all times, we expand it when times are good and expect to continue with a bloated government when times are lean. The government should not provide any services that can be provided by the private market. Eliminating unnecessary duplication could save not only taxpayer dollars but taxpayer hassle and time.
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What are the biggest challenges facing Virginia’s elementary and secondary education systems, and how would you address them?
The federal government’s meddling in the education of our children is wrong. No Child Left Behind is another example that government does not know what is best. The state must re-evaluate the funding formula they use to fund schools because it discriminates against rural areas. If agriculture is important to Virginia as a whole, we as a locality need to be empowered by the state to retain our taxes within our localities instead of sending it to the state. The citizens in our localities know better what we need locally; Richmond does not. Don’t just use assessed value of property. Take into account the income in the area. While some of our property values are very high, many of our people are very poor.
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What is the biggest issue facing the Eastern Shore, and what should the General Assembly do about it?
There is no one issue. Jobs, taxes, education and highway safety are all important. Jobs: As a state we must keep taxes, regulation and litigation in check to attract more business to Virginia as a whole. Growing our spaceport and completing broadband while also exploring offshore exploration and drilling will add jobs in our region. The General Assembly must not further add to the burden of our citizens with higher taxes. Improving education will help attract more employers and residents to our area.
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