Mayor Euille noted that Metro is crucial to the NOVA economy. The vote last week in favor of $1.5 billion to fund Metro had bipartisan support, including Tom Davis, Jim Webb, John Warner, and Barack Obama. But not John McCain, who stood with the "partisan holdouts against Metro and against our economy in northern Virginia." Obviously, McCain doesn't understand what we're all about in Northern Virginia, doesn't understand that employees need to get to work, that we're in a transportation crisis here in NOVA. Euille added that McCain claims to be bipartisan and a maverick, but that this vote shows he's not. This was simple, but John McCain couldn't figure it out apparently.
Jay Fisette talked about the need for smart growth and pointed out that John McCain "let us down" with his vote against Metro funding. Also, Joe McCain's comments (that Arlington is "Communist Country") were offensive, considering that Arlington is home of the Pentagon, the 9/11 memorial, etc. Even worse, John McCain has not denounced his brother's comments. Regarding Metro, it's "shocking" that McCain voted against funding, aligning himself with a small minority. With high gas prices, Metro ridership is spiking and it's only going to get busier. McCain's vote against Metro funding was a vote against vital infrastructure servicing the northern Virginia economy, also a vote against people who are paying high gas prices and stuck in traffic. "John McCain just doesn't get it." Jay personally invited John McCain to join him on the Blue Line - filled with working people trying to get to the office and back home to their families. In contrast to McCain, Barack Obama has a plan to invest in infrastructure - $60 billion over 10 years. McCain doesn't understand the issue.
NoVa Leaders: McCain Doesn't Get Our Transportation CrisisEuille, Fisette, Vanderhye to ask why McCain opposed bipartisan Metro funding supported by Tom Davis and John Warner
ARLINGTON - Northern Virginia transportation leaders questioned John McCain's vote against funding for Metro, in a press conference Monday afternoon at the Clarendon Metro station.
Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille, Arlington County Board Member Jay Fisette and Del. Margi Vanderhye (D-McLean) joined Virginia Democrats to highlight McCain's vote last week and to hand out fliers informing commuters about McCain's opposition to a bipartisan Metro funding bill.
Mayor Euille, a Metro Board member, thanked the bipartisan coalition that supported the Metro funding bill. Rep. Tom Davis, Sen. John Warner, Sen. Jim Webb and Sen. Barack Obama all supported the bill, which passed the Senate last week by a 74-24 margin. The bill provided federal funds to help maintain and improve the Metro system, which has experienced significant spikes in ridership over the last months.
"Republicans like Tom Davis and John Warner worked with Democrats to keep Metro running," Euille said. "Meanwhile, John McCain - the man who calls himself a maverick - stood alone with a few Republican senators against our economy in Northern Virginia. If John McCain's going to come here and ask for our votes in Northern Virginia, he better understand what we're about. Based on his vote against funding Metro, it seems like Senator McCain just doesn't get that we have a transportation crisis in Northern Virginia."
Jay Fisette, an Arlington County Board Member and a member of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, said McCain's failure to understand Northern Virginia came across through his brother's comments this weekend.
"Even though John McCain has one of his seven or eight homes here in Arlington, his brother said at an official campaign event that Arlington and Alexandria are 'communist country,'" Fisette said. "Every day, I work with small businesses and their employees here in Arlington, who are trying to get by in this tough economy brought on by Bush-McCain economic policies. Residents and businesses here in Arlington don't need more name calling, we need transportation solutions."
Del. Margi Vanderhye, who served on the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, said McCain's vote against Metro fits in with the Republicans in Richmond who consistently oppose transportation solutions.
"In Richmond, we've seen Republicans become the 'Party of No,' playing partisan games to kill any bipartisan transportation solutions for Virginia. Based on his vote this week, it seems like John McCain would fit right in with the 'Party of No' in Richmond. John McCain owes an explanation to Virginia families for his vote last week."