Virginia's commuters know the overriding issue all too well -- it's what traps them on logjammed roads for more than an hour on average each working day. The transportation debate has been the capstone of this election, where McDonnell has challenged Deeds' plan for being too undefined and Deeds has written off McDonnell's vision as being too unrealistic. But for many area transportation advocates, neither is saying what they want to hear. "We're not pleased with either candidate's position," said Richard McDonough, a Chantilly assistant district manager for Lane Construction Corp. and past president of the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance, a 330-member trade group of road builders, engineering firms and building suppliers that isn't endorsing either candidate so far. "Neither candidate is addressing sustainable, long-term funding for transportation," McDonough said. "The gas tax is the immediate answer. It's the easiest one to get some funding into our system, which is falling apart around us." Creigh Deeds: Deeds' critics have wielded this issue as their most bruising weapon. They decry the lack of specificity in the candidate's plans to pay for a starved maintenance budget and a half dozen construction priorities, including high-speed rail and expanded rapid bus networks, which he says will help shrink the rush-hour chain of cars by one-fifth by his term's end. Deeds' campaign is careful not to pin him down too much on funding, saying the candidate will "work with both sides of the aisle from all parts of Virginia" to come up with a $1 billion transportation remedy that is long term and creative. That means business tax credits, $1,200 for a telecommuting employee and $500 for a flextime schedule. For Deeds, who qualified a recent no-new-taxes pledge as referring only to the state's general fund, transportation's elixir could hold a hint of gas taxes, words Deeds finally used in a recent editorial about his transportation plan in The Washington Post. "I will sign a bill that is the product of bipartisan compromise that provides a comprehensive transportation solution," Deeds wrote. "As a legislator, I have voted for a number of mechanisms to fund transportation, including a gas tax. And I'll sign a bipartisan bill with a dedicated funding mechanism for transportation -- even if it includes new taxes." The general fund, he has said, should be reserved for the state's other fiscal responsibilities such as education and mental health While some transportation leaders are breathing a sigh of relief that he hasn't ruled out the gas tax increase as his rival has, others still aren't sated by Deeds' assurances. "It doesn't pin him down on what his policies are," said Richard McDonough of the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance. "I want somebody to get up there and address the needs of this state and be factual and honest and passionate and tell the voters what the situation is: The highway system in the state of Virginia is deplorable, and we do not have the funding to fix it." Bob McDonnell: McDonnell's plan has specifics, but his critics question whether he could turn them into law despite General Assembly opponents and federal red tape. His priorities include high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes, Interstate 66 improvements, better traffic signal timing, high-speed rail and expanded rapid bus service. He intends to pay for them with measures like new and un-issued bonds, state border toll collections, more reliance on public-private partnerships, using 1 percent of new annual revenue growth when it exceeds 3 percent, selling all state-owned liquor stores and taking a cut of revenue from oil and natural gas drilling off Virginia's coast. And the general fund should be a ready source of funds for transportation, he said. One thing not on that list: a gas tax increase. McDonnell shut that door with statements that he won't sign a bill with a tax hike, criticizing Deeds for offering to do so. But some transportation advocates cast doubt on those measures, saying there is insufficient money to underwrite existing bonds, let alone new ones and contend that the liquor store sell-off would merely be a one-time $500 million infusion while highway maintenance budgets are bleeding upward of $400 million annually. Offshore drilling requires federal approval and probably more than a single governor's term before any money would start flowing. "A governor alone doesn't decide those things," said Jim Dinegar, CEO of the Greater Washington Board of Trade. "Until you get through the partisan logjam in Richmond, what's the outcome on that? ... I'm still not encouraged by the realistic outlook." But the fact that McDonnell has those bullet points is encouraging to some. "Bob gets credit for having a transportation plan. Most in this community think it's not perfect, but at least it's a start," said Stuart Mendelsohn, Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce chairman and a trustee of its political action committee, which endorsed McDonnell.

The Post asked the candidates: "If you're elected, what will you do to improve the lives of the people in Northern Virginia? Please be as specific as you can." My entire career has been focused on one primary goal: creating opportunity in all corners of Virginia. In Northern Virginia -- and around our commonwealth -- that means investing in our public schools, supporting business growth and passing a statewide transportation plan that reduces congestion and unblocks the avenues of commerce. The first job of the next governor is to restore confidence in the economy, and there's no quicker way to create jobs and economic development than with a comprehensive transportation plan. Since Jerry Baliles's 1986 transportation commission, however, all efforts to accomplish this have been unsuccessful. I will use Baliles's approach, the only one that works: Gather a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers and stakeholders to craft a transportation package that generates new funding but does not raid general funds dedicated to education, health care and public safety to pay for roads. I will sign bipartisan legislation providing dedicated, long-term funding for critically needed infrastructure even if it includes new revenue.ad_icon A top priority must be reducing congestion in Northern Virginia. We will do that by improving Metro and mass transit, as well as our road network, including restarting the HOT lanes project for Interstates 95 and 395, improving mobility in the Interstate 66 corridor, upgrading the Fairfax County Parkway, widening Route 28 and addressing traffic issues related to the base realignment and closure process. My economic plan will provide a tax credit for every job created. Nearly 95 percent of Northern Virginia businesses have fewer than 50 employees, and my plan is the only one that will provide tax credits for these small businesses. I am also the only candidate who will provide tax relief for small businesses. I will make it easier to start a business by streamlining our permitting process and expanding resources for start-up companies. Because my own college education has been so instrumental to my life, I know we have to make college affordable. The cost of higher education has almost doubled in the past decade, with tuition at community colleges such as Northern Virginia Community College going up 7 percent in the past year. My education plan includes 70,000 additional degrees being awarded by Virginia colleges, and initiatives to make college more accessible, including increased financial aid. Through my Virginia Forward program, we will provide a 50 percent scholarship for every public college student with at least a high school "B" average who commits to two years of service in Virginia after graduation. We also will provide grants and loan forgiveness to students willing to work or teach in math or science disciplines or high-need areas, such as health care. New energy technology is the next big business idea, and as governor I will work to put Virginia at the forefront of this emerging sector. My plan will utilize our natural resources and higher education system, including George Mason University and our community colleges, to build a virtual Energy Research Triangle and create jobs through a mandatory renewable-energy portfolio standard. Families are tightening their belts, and government must do the same. I will ensure that every dollar in our budget is spent for a compelling reason. Today, the budgeting process begins with what an agency previously received and moves to how large an increase or cut is justified. I will make every program start from scratch and defend every dollar requested. I'll also create a permanent Efficiency Improvement Office, headed by a business leader, to conduct performance reviews of every agency. Texas found an average of $1 billion in annual savings. Virginia can save hundreds of millions of dollars through efficiencies. Details on these policies are at http://www.DeedsForVirginia.com. I can't promise that all my proposals will be implemented exactly as I would like. But I can promise that I will work in the tradition of Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, and that I will be realistic and honest about the problems we face. As I have throughout my career, I will reach across the aisle and bring people together to create long-term solutions that benefit Northern Virginia and the entire commonwealth and keep Virginia moving forward. The writer, a Virginia state senator, is the Democratic nominee for governor.

Voters elected Democrat R. Creigh Deeds and Republican Robert F. McDonnell to the General Assembly in the same year, 1991. For the next 14 years, the future candidates for Virginia governor were divided on the most contentious issues of the day.This Story * How They Voted on God, Guns And Gays * The Candidates' Records Today, their voluminous legislative records of almost 40,000 votes show a stark contrast in their philosophies on the role of government, the spending of taxpayer dollars and restrictions on abortion, gay rights and guns. Deeds's record shifted in some areas through the years, although he remained a fairly consistent advocate for smaller class sizes and higher standards for those caring for children, restrictions on same-sex couples and increased taxes.ad_icon "Government cannot do everything, but there are some things it has to do,'' Deeds said. "I'm a guy that understands . . . you have to look at real-world solutions in the problems we face." McDonnell's mostly consistent record shows he opposed new taxes and favored less regulation in most areas, including public schools and day-care centers, while supporting government-imposed restrictions in others, such as abortion and birth control. "I have a strong belief in the private sector and the free enterprise system," McDonnell said. Deeds's "record reflects more of a belief in government solutions and government regulations. . . . It's a very different view of the role of government." Deeds and McDonnell did find themselves on the same side on a handful of major issues, including welfare reform and the creation of a children's health insurance program, and scores of less prominent issues widely supported by both parties. Occasionally, Deeds, a conservative Democrat from a rural area, would vote alongside McDonnell and other Republicans -- requiring the words "In God We Trust" to be displayed prominently in every school, designating English as the state's official language and increasing the penalty for killing a fetus. Deeds and McDonnell served in the House of Delegates together for a decade until 2001, when Deeds won a seat in the Senate, where he still serves. McDonnell left the House after narrowly defeating Deeds for attorney general in 2005. Education Deeds and McDonnell differed on almost every major education bill. Year after year, Deeds supported reducing class sizes at schools and day-care facilities and requiring more teachers and guidance counselors. McDonnell opposed those efforts, saying that local schools should determine their own staffing needs. McDonnell's votes reflected an interest in alternative education opportunities. He voted for a 1998 bill that authorized charter schools; Deeds opposed it. He supported a 2004 bill to allow high school graduates to home school their children. Deeds voted to keep the requirement that parents have a college degree. McDonnell voted to loosen requirements for supervisors of children in day care by allowing them to be accredited by groups other than the state. Deeds opposed the bill but eventually voted for it after changes were made. BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT