We know the plan and now people are picking sides. Only a select few have a vote, but everyone is entitled to an opinion.
Here is a list of some prominent people's take on the transportation plan:
IN FAVOR:
*Gov. Bob McDonnell
*Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling
*Speaker William Howell
*Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment
*Democratic Nominee for Governor Terry McAuliffe
*Senator Creigh Deeds
*Radio Host John Fredericks
OPPOSED
*Attorney General and Republican Nominee for Governor Ken Cuccinelli
*GOP Lt. Governor candidates Pete Snyder, Susan Stimpson, Corey Stewart, E.W. Jackson & Sen. Steve Martin
*GOP Attorney General candidates Rob Bell and Mark Obenshain
*Conservative Jeffersonaid Blog Alliance
*Actor Alec Baldwin
*Anti-Tax lobbyist Grover Norquist
Those are the ones that have made public pronouncements on the issue. The Times-Dispatch's Jim Nolan and Jeff Schapiro are reporting tonight that there is an active uprising occuring among rank and file members from both parties.
Conservatives are concerned about the tax hike, liberals want a deal on a Medicaid expansion in exchange for their approval of transportation. With the conservatives breaking ranks, McDonnell may need Democrats to push him over the top.
Here is a portion of Nolan's report:
Winning the votes of a good portion of the 32 Democrats in the House is considered critical to getting the deal through the GOP-dominated chamber, where conservative, anti-tax Republicans are strongly opposed to voting for tax increases in an election year.
House Republican negotiators went to great pains to resolve transportation separately from the budget and Medicaid expansion issue. A deal was reached by negotiators Wednesday morning. But the governor's Medicaid letter, sent Wednesday evening, has reintroduced the concept of linkage in the minds of some Democrats, who made Medicaid expansion their top legislative priority this General Assembly session.
Read Nolan's full story here.
The full vote on the plan could happen as soon as Friday.
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