Thomas seeks House of Delegates reelection, tax reform high priority

Robert Thomas is running for reelection to the House of Delegates – 28th District. In his first term he passed legislation for tax reform. Taxes and the economy remain one of his priorities.

Name: Robert “Bob” Thomas

Party: Republican

Town: Stafford County

Running for: House of Delegates – 28th District

Website: bobthomasva.com, Facebook, Twitter

Work: President of Capriccio Software, Inc.

Education: Sandusky High School, Northern Virginia Community College – Associates, Excelsior College – Bachelor’s

Community Involvement: Virginia House of Delegates, 28th District 2018-Present
Stafford Board of Supervisors 2012-2018
United States Marine Corps 1995-2003
President, Capriccio Software, Inc.
Member, Spotswood Baptist Church
Potomac Rappahannock Transportation Commission 2012-Present
Virginia – North Carolina High Speed Rail Compact 2018-Present
Rappahannock River Basin Commission 2012-Present
Virginia War Memorial Board 2018-Present
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Commission 2018-Present
Potomac Watershed Roundtable 2012-2016
Virginia Railway Express 2013-2018
Rappahannock Regional Library Board 2012-2018
Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce – Military Affairs Council 2015-2016

Questions and answers

PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent? 

Thomas: Transportation, Public Safety, Taxes and the Economy

PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?

Thomas: Transportation: Transportation issues affect all areas of our community, from our ability to enjoy ample quality time with our families to the ability of the Commonwealth to attract new businesses and jobs. One of the first things companies look at besides the quality of the local school system is the ability to move their employees, customers and products efficiently.

We are finally seeing major projects come to fruition on the I95 corridor, but we must find ways to make progress on the secondary roads in our communities. I have been working with the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce and the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance to build strong relationships in Richmond to make sure the Smart Scale funding process works for our region.

Recently, the Secretary of Transportation agreed to analyze a potential change to Smart Scale for how weekend traffic is accounted for in the scoring process. In addition, I was able to defeat multiple transportation bills in Richmond that would have hurt our region. In my freshman session, I earned the Free Enterprise Award from The Virginia Chamber of Commerce for my work in the transportation arena. I will continue to make transportation a top priority for our region and for the Commonwealth.

Taxes and the Economy: I believe government should live within its means just like our families and businesses do, so I was a strong supporter of sending over 1 billion dollars back to the taxpayers, the second largest tax cut in Virginia history. Virginia must undertake serious reforms to provide tax relief for Virginia families and to become more competitive with our neighboring states in attracting businesses.

I passed legislation to allow Stafford County to set a competitive tax rate for distribution facilities to attract them to the county. For transportation, as fuel efficiency has increased, the gas tax has become a decreasing source of funding to fix our transportation crisis. The General Assembly, as part of our budget, is finally looking to address this situation, but any solution should come with an overall tax reform package. Effective tax reform will boost Virginia’s economy and has positive benefits for all Virginians.

Public Safety: As I speak to voters throughout the district, safety is a paramount concern which is often highlighted. In Richmond, we passed several pieces of legislation to address school safety. Students, parents and teachers deserve a safe environment for education and I was proud to partner with Stafford Sheriff David Decatur and his team to put forth legislation to help localities place more appropriately trained professionals in our schools.

Although some people think of illegal immigration as a federal issue, unfortunately Virginia is left to deal with the impacts of our broken system. I voted for legislation this year that would prevent localities from becoming sanctuary cities. Far too often, immigrants themselves become the victims of crimes, because the perpetrators know they will not come forward. We need to, within the law, remove these dangerous criminals from our communities. I will continue to put forward legislation that supports our first responders in their mission to keep our communities safe.

PL: From your perspective, what is the job description of the office you’re seeking?

Thomas: The job of Delegate has two main roles. The first is legislative, where you must work to pass legislation for your constituents and the Commonwealth as a whole. Many legislative ideas come from constituents or organizations and a great deal of time is spent with them crafting proposals and testifying for legislation.

The second part is constituent service, which actually consumes the bulk of your time as a Delegate. Our office is responsible for working hundreds of cases with state agencies on behalf of individuals. We handle everything from interfacing with VDOT on road maintenance, working out issues with tax returns, helping customers with the DMV, to connecting constituents to services of various agencies.

PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?

Thomas: In my first term, I have built a strong reputation for being an effective legislator by building relationships which benefit my community. My understanding of local government allows me to be a resource to other members of the General Assembly. Being a business owner gives me expertise from a hands on level as we try to make Virginia more business friendly so our residents have access to high quality jobs.

PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government?

Thomas: Yes, but we can always do better. I send thousands of letters to my constituents giving them updates on how the General Assembly session is progressing. At the doors, I receive very positive comments and people tell me they really get a feel for what is going on. I also enjoy individual conversations and have an open cell phone policy where anyone can call me. I try to attend as many community events as possible to give people an opportunity to share their thoughts an concerns with me.

PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they affected you?

Thomas: I’ve had to learn to be very careful when speaking to the media, because comments are quickly twisted out of context.

PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?

Thomas: I have a proven track record at the local and state level of getting positive results for our community. Third party organizations have affirmed the leadership I provide to my constituents. I have received the Virginia Chamber of Commerce “Free Enterprise Award” in both of my first two years in the General Assembly. The Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce honored me as “Rookie of the Year” in 2018 and “Delegate of the Year” in 2019. The Virginia Education Association recognized me as a “Legislative Champion” and the Virginia Transit Association gave me their “Distinguished Legislative Leader” award in 2019.