Here’s the complete Til Hazel passage from the Washington Post story on Tim Kaine’s transportation plan that Barnie posted on below:
John T. “Til” Hazel, a developer and frequent critic of both Kaine and Kilgore, said Kaine’s pledge to veto new transportation taxes is “political baloney.”
“That is such a nothing plan, it’s hard for me to even think or comment,” said Hazel, who is supporting Potts. “That’s as bad as Kilgore saying we are going to have a bunch of regional authorities. What . . . do you need a governor for if you are going to do that?”
Hazel’s comment leads me to ask what kind of governor he thinks Virginia needs.
Here’s how the Post summarizes the plan of his candidate:
Sen. H. Russell Potts (R-Winchester), who is running for governor as an independent, has said he will create a commission to develop solutions and call a special session to implement them.
There’s bold leadership from a governor! A “commission,” packed with Hazel-approved wise men and women, creating a plan not debated during the gubernatorial campaign. It could work! No bunch of pesky regional authorities to mollify, no doubting metropolitan planning organizations that might not buy into the plan handed down from the central “commission.”
Apparently, Til knows best, and it’s time we got a powerful governor who recognizes that.
Updaate: Norm Leahy offers this post with quotes from Til Hazel after the defeat of transportation referenda in 2002. If you can’t trust the people to do the right thing, entrust a commission.