Senator Norment's 2010 General Assembly Session Survey

1. Virginia is currently facing a budget shortfall of about $4 billion due to the nationwide recession. Please rank the strategies of how you would like to see Virginia address the shortfall with “1” being your preferred first course of action and “5” being the last resort.

	1	2	3	4	5
Cut spending on state programs	Virginia is currently facing a budget shortfall of about $4 billion due to the nationwide recession. Please rank the strategies of how you would like to see Virginia address the shortfall with “1” being your preferred first course of action and “5” being the last resort. Cut spending on state programs 1	2	3	4	5
Withdraw funds from the state’s Rainy Day Fund	Withdraw funds from the state’s Rainy Day Fund 1	2	3	4	5
Increase general taxes (sales tax, income tax, etc.)	Increase general taxes (sales tax, income tax, etc.) 1	2	3	4	5
Promote efficiencies and eliminate earmarks	Promote efficiencies and eliminate earmarks 1	2	3	4	5
Increase Virginia’s debt and borrow funds for certain projects	Increase Virginia’s debt and borrow funds for certain projects 1	2	3	4	5

2. Would you support fully eliminating Virginia’s car tax and replacing it with a 1% surcharge on your income tax?

Would you support fully eliminating Virginia’s car tax and replacing it with a 1% surcharge on your income tax? Support

Oppose

3. Rank those services provided by state government that you feel are most important that the state to continue to fund at high levels. Please rank the importance of these programs with "1" being for those programs you feel are most important and "7" being least important.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
K-12 Education	Rank those services provided by state government that you feel are most important that the state to continue to fund at high levels. Please rank the importance of these programs with "1" being for those programs you feel are most important and "7" being least important. K-12 Education 1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Higher Education	Higher Education 1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Public Safety	Public Safety 1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Health/Medicaid	Health/Medicaid 1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Economic Development	Economic Development 1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Transportation	Transportation 1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Natural Resources	Natural Resources 1	2	3	4	5	6	7

4. Which of the following are closest to your view on Virginia’s firearms laws?

Which of the following are closest to your view on Virginia’s firearms laws? Virginia needs less restrictive firearms laws

Virginia’s firearms laws are about right

Virginia needs more restrictive firearms laws

5. Governor Kaine has restored voting and other civil rights to more than 4,000 previously convicted felons. Which of the following most closely represents your opinion?

Governor Kaine has restored voting and other civil rights to more than 4,000 previously convicted felons. Which of the following most closely represents your opinion? Restoration of rights should be automatic once a felon completes their sentence

Restoration of rights should occur only after the case and applicant have been individually reviewed for appropriateness by the Governor or the Governor’s designee

Felons should never have their rights restored absent a full pardon

6. Do you support efforts in Congress to provide a government health insurance program to all uninsured citizens?

Do you support efforts in Congress to provide a government health insurance program to all uninsured citizens? Support

Oppose

7. Do you support requiring public colleges and universities to guarantee a certain number of admissions slots for in-state students to ensure Virginians have access to our colleges and universities?

Do you support requiring public colleges and universities to guarantee a certain number of admissions slots for in-state students to ensure Virginians have access to our colleges and universities? Support

Oppose

8. Should the children of illegal immigrants who reside in Virginia be eligible for in-state tuition at Virginia’s public colleges and universities?

Should the children of illegal immigrants who reside in Virginia be eligible for in-state tuition at Virginia’s public colleges and universities? Yes

No

9. Do you support or oppose adding tolls on I-95 and I-85 at the North Carolina Border to fund transportation improvements in those regional transportation corridors?

Do you support or oppose adding tolls on I-95 and I-85 at the North Carolina Border to fund transportation improvements in those regional transportation corridors? Support

Oppose

10. Would you support privatizing Virginia’s ABC operations and using the proceeds and profits to fund transportation improvements?

Would you support privatizing Virginia’s ABC operations and using the proceeds and profits to fund transportation improvements? Support

Oppose

11. Do you support or oppose drilling and exploration for oil in the Atlantic Ocean 50 miles off the Virginia coast?

Do you support or oppose drilling and exploration for oil in the Atlantic Ocean 50 miles off the Virginia coast? Support

Oppose

12. The federal government is debating legislation to cap the amount of carbon emissions produced by business and allowing them to buy offsets in order to exceed that cap. The legislation is commonly referred to as “cap and trade.” Do you support or oppose this legislation?

The federal government is debating legislation to cap the amount of carbon emissions produced by business and allowing them to buy offsets in order to exceed that cap. The legislation is commonly referred to as “cap and trade.” Do you support or oppose this legislation? Support

Oppose

13. Do you support efforts to not pay for expenses for state legislators if they fail to complete the work of a General Assembly session by the scheduled date of adjournment?

Do you support efforts to not pay for expenses for state legislators if they fail to complete the work of a General Assembly session by the scheduled date of adjournment? Yes

No

14. Currently, Virginia’s legislative and Congressional districts are drawn by the General Assembly. Would you support or oppose efforts to shift this responsibility from the General Assembly to a bipartisan commission?

Currently, Virginia’s legislative and Congressional districts are drawn by the General Assembly. Would you support or oppose efforts to shift this responsibility from the General Assembly to a bipartisan commission? Support

Oppose

15. Should Virginia’s Right-to-Work law be made part of the Virginia Constitution?

Should Virginia’s Right-to-Work law be made part of the Virginia Constitution? Yes

No

16. What do you feel are the top three statewide issues that you would like to see the General Assembly address in 2010?

What do you feel are the top three statewide issues that you would like to see the General Assembly address in 2010? 1.
2.
3.

17. What three local issues are most important to you?

What three local issues are most important to you? 1.
2.
3.

1. Default Section

1. Virginia is currently facing a budget shortfall of about $4 billion due to the nationwide recession. Please rank the strategies of how you would like to see Virginia address the shortfall with “1” being your preferred first course of action and “5” being the last resort.

2. Would you support fully eliminating Virginia’s car tax and replacing it with a 1% surcharge on your income tax?

3. Rank those services provided by state government that you feel are most important that the state to continue to fund at high levels. Please rank the importance of these programs with "1" being for those programs you feel are most important and "7" being least important.

4. Which of the following are closest to your view on Virginia’s firearms laws?

5. Governor Kaine has restored voting and other civil rights to more than 4,000 previously convicted felons. Which of the following most closely represents your opinion?

6. Do you support efforts in Congress to provide a government health insurance program to all uninsured citizens?

7. Do you support requiring public colleges and universities to guarantee a certain number of admissions slots for in-state students to ensure Virginians have access to our colleges and universities?

8. Should the children of illegal immigrants who reside in Virginia be eligible for in-state tuition at Virginia’s public colleges and universities?

9. Do you support or oppose adding tolls on I-95 and I-85 at the North Carolina Border to fund transportation improvements in those regional transportation corridors?

10. Would you support privatizing Virginia’s ABC operations and using the proceeds and profits to fund transportation improvements?

11. Do you support or oppose drilling and exploration for oil in the Atlantic Ocean 50 miles off the Virginia coast?

12. The federal government is debating legislation to cap the amount of carbon emissions produced by business and allowing them to buy offsets in order to exceed that cap. The legislation is commonly referred to as “cap and trade.” Do you support or oppose this legislation?

13. Do you support efforts to not pay for expenses for state legislators if they fail to complete the work of a General Assembly session by the scheduled date of adjournment?

14. Currently, Virginia’s legislative and Congressional districts are drawn by the General Assembly. Would you support or oppose efforts to shift this responsibility from the General Assembly to a bipartisan commission?

15. Should Virginia’s Right-to-Work law be made part of the Virginia Constitution?

16. What do you feel are the top three statewide issues that you would like to see the General Assembly address in 2010?

17. What three local issues are most important to you?