Question for Creigh Deeds September 25, 2009 Gerald Prante Gerald Prante This past week, Virginia candidate for Governor, Creigh Deeds (D), outlined his transportation plan in a Washington Post op-ed. Like all op-eds written by politicians, it contained a list of all the wonderful things he would do if elected. Here’s what he said: In the plan laid out on my Web site, I share my views that we need to: — Bring high-speed rail to Virginia. — Reduce congestion (and commute times) in Northern Virginia. — Expand freight and passenger rail. — Maximize economic opportunities linked to the Port of Virginia. — Utilize bus rapid transit. — Expand the capacity of critical Hampton Roads water crossings and emergency evacuation routes. — Reduce rush-hour traffic through telecommuting and flex-time tax credits. — Promote smarter land-use planning. — And expand road and rail projects in Southwest and Southside Virginia. Note his proposal to “reduce rush-hour traffic through telecommuting and flex-time tax credits.” Who is the biggest employer in Northern Virginia (where traffic is worst in the state)? The federal government. How can you give a tax credit to the federal government, which, by law, pays no taxes? Furthermore, a large fraction of Northern Virginia residents also work for non-profits (like me) who once again pay no tax. This is typical of politicians (both left and right): use tax policy to try to achieve some supposed goal because it sounds good, even though tax policy is a terrible and inefficient way to try to achieve the end. Stay informed on the tax policies impacting you. Subscribe to get insights from our trusted experts delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe Share Tweet Share Email Topics Virginia