Del. Rich Anderson, Republican, of the 51st District has served in the Virginia General Assembly since 2010, focusing on the needs of veterans and creating jobs in Northern Virginia.
Anderson is running again for that position in November and hopes the people of the 51st district will support him in his effort.
Anderson said that for him, the number-one issue “is jobs and the economy.” Through his Virginia Values Veterans program, he has found jobs for 2,400 Virginia veterans and counting, within private industry.
On Supporting Veterans
Anderson said that looking out for veterans is important to him because he served in the Air Force for 30 years, retiring as a Colonel and also because veterans make up a great percentage of Virginians.
On Transportation
When considering a transportation bill in the House, Anderson said he preferred Del. Dave Albo’s bill to the one proposed by Gov. Bob McDonnell because “it required far less tax increases.”
Once Albo’s bill was off the table, Anderson supported McDonnell’s bill, until it had been revised by the Virginia Senate, at which point Anderson believed they had put the bill, "on steroids” as far as tax increases. So, before making his decision, he polled his constituents and found that 80 percent of them were not in favor of the bill, which is why he ultimately opposed it.
While Anderson does not want to rescind the bill, he would like to rescind the tax on hybrid vehicles.
“I don’t think we need to disincentivize fuel-efficient vehicles,” Anderson said.
He is also interested in reducing traffic congestion in Northern Virginia in other ways, such as using smart technology on the roads. Another way in which he believes Virginia can see fewer cars on the road is if the General Assembly promotes telecommuting with incentives.
“What I think we need to do is look at some significant incentives. If you could take one-fifth of your workforce, you would theoretically reduce congestion by 20 percent,” Anderson said.
On the Rural Crescent
Because he represents a significant portion of Prince William’s Rural Crescent, he also wants to make sure the rural areas are protected.
“We have to be very cautious; long before I ever got there, this community made a very conscious decision to protect what the rural crescent is, or we’ll see it become a mirror image of eastern Prince William County,” he said.
On the Bi-County Parkway
Anderson also has concerns about the proposed Bi-County Parkway, saying, “I’m uneasy about the encroachment on hallowed ground just west of the Manassas National Battlefield.”
However, he does not want that concern to be misinterpreted that he is anti roads.
“I’m not saying no parkway, no way, no time, but let’s slow this parkway down,” he said.
On Education
Anderson said that he is strongly pro-education, but he believes that where to send a child to school should be the parent’s choice.
“I subscribe to the principle of parental choice because parents are in the best position to make the decisions on their children’s education. I believe in charter schools, public schools, private schools, home schooling, schooling over the Internet,” Anderson said.
However, he said he also respects the important role that public schools plays in society and so would not want to “detract from public education.”
He also thinks that school children should not be over-tested by the government, saying, “the SOL system puts way too much emphasis on testing, which then drives the educators to teach to the test.”
On Pro-Life Legislation
On issues of abortion and conception, Anderson says, “I am pro-life in the truest sense, but I’m also practical in my pro-life belief.”
Anderson said he supports legislation that limits abortions in Virginia if they help the health of the mother, but he does not believe he can completely stop abortion, saying “only the Supreme Court” can do that.
He also said that he would in no way limit people’s access to contraceptives, saying, “it is an invaluable family-planning element and no one in my circles advocates that birth control will be outlawed.”
Anderson notes that if his opponent has alleged such things, he is trying to frighten women.
“I know right now the other party is communicating that narrative to people, but it’s absolutely untrue,” Anderson said.
On Marriage
On gay marriage, Anderson said he supports keeping the Virginia constitutional amendment that asserts that a marriage is between a man and a woman, mainly because he feels that is what his constituents want.
“My feeling is, I’ve got my ear to the ground on that. Right now, in Prince William County, I’m not hearing anyone say they want a reversal of that, but I like to approach it with an open mind and listen to all sides.”
On His Campaign
Anderson said he is “feeling very good” about his campaign. He spends sun-up to sun-down talking to constituents, and he feels he is currently ahead in the campaign.
However, he said he is happy to have an opponent this year.
“That does cause a dialogue to take place. The conclusion of this process made me a better delegate and strengthens the democratic process because people will have a choice.”
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