Many thanks to Jeremy Hinton, who conveyed to Bacon’s Rebellion the file on the General Assembly website listing the “citizen members” of the Statewide Transportation Analysis and Recommendation Task Force (START). This is the group empowered by Senate Finance Chair John Chichester to develop a transportation action plan for submission to the 2005 General Assembly. Serving with 10 members of the state senate (whose names I will post as soon as I get them), these individuals will have disproportionate influence in shaping the senate’s legislative package next year. They include:
- Bob Archer; 2004 Chairman, Virginia Chamber of Commerce; General Manager, Blue Ridge Beverage; Salem, VA
- Ben J. Davenport, Jr; 2005 Chairman, Virginia Chamber of Commerce; First Piedmont Corporation; Chatham, VA
- Rocky Hedrick; President, Fort Chiswell Construction Company; Bluefield, VA
- Gerald P, McCarthy; Executive Director, Virginia Environmental Endowment; Richmond, VA
- Pierce R. Homer; Secretary of Transportation, Richmond, VA
- Deborah K. Stearns; Managing Director, Advantis Real Estate; Norfolk, VA
- Margaret E.G. Vanderhye; Former member, National Capital Planning Commission; McLean, VA
- Robert L. Calhoun; Redmon, Peyton & Braswell, LLP; Alexandria, VA
- Susan Dewey; Executive Director, VA Housing & Development Authority; Richmond, VA
- Hugh Keogh; President & CEO, Virginia Chamber of Commerce; Richmond, VA
- William R. Ermatinger; Vice President, Human Resources & Management; Northrup Grumman; Newport News, VA
- Wiley F. Mitchell, Jr.; Willcox and Savage; Norfolk, VA
- Barbara Stafford; Executive Director, Giles County Chamber of Commerce; Pearisburg, VA
- Robert G. Templin; President, Northern Virginia Community College; Annandale, VA
- Timothy Robertson; Bay Shore Enterprises; Virginia Beach, VA
Would you say this group represents a wide diversity of viewpoints on transportation strategy? Or would you say that these individuals were selected for their likely agreement with Sen. Chichester on the necessity of raising taxes to pay for building more roads and rail projects? See my analysis in the comments section — and please, bloggers, add your own knowledge and commentary.
