Candidate Q&A: Virginia House of Delegates

Editor's note: In advance of the Nov. 5 general elections, the Henrico Citizen posed four questions to each candidate for the local and state offices that represent Henrico. Below is the sixth in a series of responses from those candidates; it includes the responses of candidates for Virginia General Assembly from districts involving Henrico County who replied. Responses were limited to a total of 400 words. They appear in numerical order by district and then alphabetically by the candidates' last names.

1. Why should residents of your district vote for you?

MATKINS – I have lived in the district for more than 40 years; I know about the district’s needs. In many cases my own experiences illustrate the needs. A teacher and professor of science education for 40 years, I will advocate for public education. Lack of access to high-speed internet has led me to the local McDonald’s to use the wi-fi to do my campaign work. Access to high-quality health care made me a breast cancer survivor. I want everyone to have access to a great public education, to the opportunities high-speed internet provides, and to health care that supports a good life.

McGUIRE – I grew up in Henrico. I was abandoned by my mother at the age of five. I spent some time in foster care, went to nine different elementary schools, and graduated from Henrico High School. I have spent most of my life here, raised children here, and started a business here. I served our country for 10 years as a Navy SEAL and then started a business in the area 20 years ago. I learned first-hand the challenges of making payroll while facing the burden of government regulation. Two years ago, the voters elected me to represent them in the General Assembly. We brought a team together to solve problems instead of playing partisan games. As I told this newspaper last time, I am not interested in partisan politics and I remain committed to that mission. Our team has remained focused on bringing people together to solve problems for everyday citizens of our district. We helped give teachers a five percent pay raise without raising your taxes while balancing the budget. We honored veterans by creating a free veteran’s ID; something that failed for the previous 10 years. We successfully assisted a citizen who owned the Goochland drive-in theater and negotiated government regulations so he could fairly market his business without costing the state $100 million. That was an eight-year problem we solved in my first week. Our team brought legislators on both sides of the aisle together to pass a bipartisan bill that has helped cut down opioid deaths in Virginia. My personal favorite victory we had was helping a Vietnam veteran fly his flag again after making national news 20 years ago when the court told him to take down his flagpole. The best part is we achieved many of these victories without legislation, but instead brought people together to find common sense solution as a team.

ADAMS – Working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I have had a high legislative success rate; passing 57% of the bills I introduced last session. As a freshman in the minority party, this demonstrates my ability to build consensus and to lead in the House of Delegates. I have worked diligently on important issues to my constituents - health care, public education, protecting the environment, ensuring public safety, and promoting government transparency.

COWARD – Voters should elect me because I’m running on new ideas that will help move our state and community forward. We need a new generation of leaders to bring people together to solve problems. We don’t need the distraction of ongoing investigations and accusations arising daily with regard to my opponent’s disturbing behavior. The people of Henrico, Chesterfield, and Richmond deserve better and voters should elect someone that they can trust to represent them in Richmond. I’m running for delegate to focus on what matters most: quality schools, good-paying jobs, lower taxes, and more options for affordable healthcare.

VANDERGRIFF – I have served Henrico for over 20 years on 15-plus nonprofits and county boards. I have always focused on practical solutions and much good was accomplished. Voters want solutions and leadership, not partisan politics. Policies that come down from the state should support, not hinder, Henrico’s citizens, government, schools, and businesses. I will always put people before politics to do what is best for Henrico. I am proud to be endorsed by Henrico County supervisors Dan Schmitt (Brookland), Tommy Branin (Three Chopt), and Pat O’Bannon (Tuckahoe).

VANVALKENBURG – In the past two years, I’ve worked with Democrats and Republicans to accomplish a lot for Henrico. We passed Medicaid expansion, allowing roughly 13,000 Henrico citizens to receive health care coverage. We raised teacher pay and boosted investments in our public schools. Recently, I’ve focused on school safety working to add counselors to schools, ensure law enforcement and schools have a well-functioning relationship, and worked to prevent gun violence. Outside of the legislature, I have taught in Henrico County Public Schools for 15 years and have seen the growth and changes in our community firsthand.

KASTELBERG – As your delegate, I will contribute a unique combination of skills, experience, and understanding. I have worked, struggled, and raised my family in Henrico, and I understand the challenges and rewards families face daily. I have spent over 30 years in business and finance and have valuable insight into the needs of the small business owners who drive our local economy. I have also witnessed the struggles of the most vulnerable in our community through my work with local non-profits. I will work with people of all viewpoints to address issues and find solutions for Henrico.

WILLETT – I am committed to serving my constituents and advocating for their needs. I will be diligent in representing them and ensuring that their priorities are met. Every day, when I talk to Henricoans, they are concerned about health care, about gun safety legislation, about supporting our public schools and ensuring clean air and water.

BAGBY – As a product and lifelong member of our community, I have developed a genuine understanding of not only the needs of the community but also of the people of our community. I have served this community as a coach, business teacher and administrator, school board representative and currently as its delegate. I have diligently worked to bring smart, innovative and effective approaches to impact educational opportunities for our youth and the most vulnerable members of our community.

2. What will be your top focus if elected?

MATKINS – The top focus will be the three areas of need communicated to me by the voters of the 56th: Access to affordable healthcare, high-speed internet, and fully funding public education. I will work every day to make sure my constituents have the same opportunities as other Virginians and to make sure my constituents’ voices are heard in Richmond.

McGUIRE – Job creation and economic growth is one of the most important issues facing the Commonwealth. By encouraging economic growth through low taxes, we can create higher paying jobs and lift more people out of poverty.

ADAMS – I have more than 30 years of direct healthcare experience as a nurse, nurse practitioner, state agency director, and educator. I want to use my expertise to make smarter and more effective healthcare policy. Americans today are living longer than ever before, but we are not healthier. Families and seniors face a number of simultaneous challenges, such chronic health issues, aging in place, and financial instability created by the lack of infrastructure to support these challenges. My experience will be necessary as we seek to create thoughtful legislative solutions to these challenges before it bankrupts us individually and collectively.

COWARD – Education, economic growth, and healthcare are the top three policy issues I’d like to tackle. On education we should ensure competitive teacher pay and create programs that let students explore career fields earlier and strengthen career and technical education. We should also audit failing school systems to ensure tax dollars are being used in the classroom, not on bureaucracy. Encouraging strong economic growth starts with opposing tax hikes so families can invest in their futures and promoting business-friendly policies for all businesses. Virginia should focus on innovative ways to provide better and more affordable healthcare for everyone.

VANDERGRIFF – From kindergarten through my MBA, my education is 100% public. I have been involved in our Virginia public schools as a student, parent, volunteer, PTA President, and teacher. From my years of conversations with teachers, I know we must raise teacher pay to the national average, reduce classroom sizes, and treat teachers as the professionals they are by focusing on teaching rather than testing.

VANVALKENBURG – I’m focused on investing in our schools and their security. We must improve teacher retention, meet funding obligations – our schools are funded 10% less from the state than a decade ago – and achieve a 1:250 student to school counselor ratio. We must also revisit gun violence prevention measures that were tabled in the special session like universal background checks and red flag laws. I will also focus on bringing down health care costs, by ending surprise billing and bringing down prescription drug prices.

KASTELBERG – See answer to question No. 3.

WILLETT – Every Virginian must have access to affordable quality healthcare that covers pre-conditions and includes affordable prescription prices. We need increased mental health care services. No one should ever have to choose between caring for their family and paying a bill. Prescription drugs can’t cure someone if they can’t afford to get the drug.

BAGBY – As your delegate, I will be focused on finding and funding quality solutions that break cycles of poverty. Supporting education will be a critical component. We must properly compensate our teachers, or we run the risk of continuing to lose quality educators to other professions. Particularly in our schools that are serving students that live in our most impoverished communities. We must also ensure that individuals that are struggling with mental health and substance abuse receive the quality care that would afford them an opportunity to positively contribute to our society. I will continue to be committed to education, access to health care, mental health and substance use disorder treatment to prepare our citizens for jobs as opposed to jail.

3. What are the most critical issues: 1) facing your district? 2) facing the state? How do you propose to address these?

MATKINS – The three most critical issues are the ones named in the previous response. I have talked to constituents who must choose between paying for their groceries and paying for their prescription medicines. A teacher in my district said she is moving to Maryland because she cannot afford to teach in Virginia. Our children deserve the best teachers possible. An FCC report showed only 56% of my constituents in Louisa County have access to affordable high-speed internet. Our students need reliable internet to thrive in today’s world. High-speed internet is also vital to business owners and farmers. I will support legislation to put a cap on co-pays for medications, to fully fund public education, and to provide a path for the state, localities, and electric cooperatives and utilities to work together to bring high-speed internet to all Virginians.

McGUIRE – Jobs and the economy is one of the most important issues facing the state as I mentioned before, but I would also say the opioid crisis is one of the most critical issues facing the state. The opioid crisis has devastated Virginia with more deaths than gun violence and car accidents. Over-prescription of pills and drug trafficking over the southern border have contributed to this epidemic and it sickens me to see. As mentioned before, I passed a bill that helps reduce opioid overdose deaths, but much more needs to be done. Education is also a critical issue facing my state and the district. On education, my priorities are raising teacher pay/teacher retention, putting more money into the classroom, eliminate SOL testing, expanding and improving CTE, and community business relationships. We need to ensure our children are prepared for the future.

ADAMS – Knocking doors across the district, it is clear that issues critical to the district align with the priorities affecting the broader commonwealth, affordable healthcare, investing in our education system, and preserving our environment. Yet the most immediate solution people are looking for is a path to prevent and reduce gun violence. Since the Parkland shootings, I’ve had constituents of all ages report feeling unsafe going to school, working at the office, and shopping for groceries. We must not continue to live in a society governed by fear. I support reforms like requiring background checks for all gun purchases, re-implementing a “one gun a month” rule, banning bump stocks, and similar common-sense legislation that in truth, does not interfere with the constitutional right to bear arms. Enough is enough – it’s time to elect leaders who are bold enough to take a stand against gun violence, not just talk about it.

COWARD – Making sure that we are integrating new technologies into our state government and society is something that I feel could get more attention from the legislature. Implementing new technologies would make government more efficient and innovative technologies like telemedicine would provide patients and healthcare providers with more options for care. I would like to modernize state agencies like the DMV and the ABC to make sure that our state government is being as efficient as possible without being a burden on peoples everyday lives. We should also take a look at revamping our education system. I think we should give teachers control of their classrooms back and stop putting so much pressure on teaching students to these burdensome SOL tests. We can create programs that let students explore careers as early as middle school and strengthen career and technical education. We should audit failing school systems to ensure tax dollars are being used in the classroom, not on bureaucracy. Also, we should ensure that we’re providing our teachers with competitive pay so Virginia can attract and maintain strong teachers. All of these things would improve conditions in our classrooms. I think that we also need to enact policies that allow for more transparency in prescription drug pricing without unfairly inhibiting the growth of the biotech industry. We should also take a hard look at healthcare plans to make sure that we’re putting forth legislation such as allowing small businesses to join together into larger healthcare plans which would give employees access to better benefits and more affordable care. We should also make sure that we’re enacting legislation that protects coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.

VANDERGRIFF – At the doors, I am hearing about healthcare and the economy. As someone who has diabetes, I believe no one should be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition. For the past 18 months, I have been a caregiver to my father, who lives with me. One of the most difficult aspects of managing his healthcare is the cost of his 24 prescriptions. We must address the rising cost of prescriptions, premiums, and treatments. It is not enough to simply talk about insurance coverage. We need to also consider the quality of care received. Regarding the economy, I was born and raised in Southwest Virginia. I have seen the devastation short-sighted policies can have on a region. I am concerned policies currently being considered, such as repealing Virginia’s Right to Work law, will bring an economic burden on the entire state similar to what happened in Southwest Virginia. I was 19 when forced to move as jobs disappeared. Three decades later, my hometown is still struggling. We must protect policies that entice businesses to invest in Virginia, cut harmful regulations, create jobs, and ensure our taxes remain low.

VANVALKENBURG – Within the 72nd, we must improve the equity of student outcomes so that every child has access to a world-class education, no matter what part of the county and district they come from. We must also enact policies that support our economic growth so that we can attract the next Google or Amazon, and cultivate homegrown successes like RTS Labs. Finally, we must encourage sustainable growth including transit alternatives and mixed development so we can continue to be an inclusive community while avoiding the overdevelopment and traffic congestion that affects Northern Virginia. Virginia-wide, we must build upon the progress we made with extending Medicaid by addressing prescription drug costs, incentivizing preventative care, and ending surprise billing. We again must revisit the common-sense gun violence prevention measures tabled during the special session including universal background checks and red flag laws. Lastly, we must end political gerrymandering by establishing a criteria bill that quarantines political data from the process.

KASTELBERG – If elected, my top focuses will be to: a) Improve education by focusing on outcomes. We need to focus on preparing students to be self-sufficient, think critically, and be ready for the next phases across all education systems; b) Reduce healthcare costs by establishing price transparency and increasing the number of coverage options to meet the wide array of needs and preferences of consumers; c) Maintain quality of life in Henrico. I will collaborate with local leaders, businesses and citizens so that we are investing wisely in our infrastructure and planning for the future while maintaining our Henrico character.

WILLETT – The people in my district are concerned about affordable health care, about ensuring their children go to top-notch schools where they are prepared for higher education or a good paying job. They are also concerned about the increased traffic and commuting times in Henrico. Virginians need affordable healthcare. Expanding Medicaid was a good first step but still too many Virginians do not have coverage. We need to make sure schoolchildren have great opportunity no matter where they live. The population of Virginia is aging and we must be prepared to assist our seniors, many of whom will want to age in place.

BAGBY – The most critical issues facing Henrico County are the academic achievement and services provided for our youth. We must adequately fund public education, including after-school programs and behavioral support. Additionally, the issues of access to quality health care services as well as affordable housing options will continue to be a critical issue for the 74th District and the Commonwealth as a whole. This will require a team approach and I intend to be a leader in the effort to address these issues.

4. How will you involve citizens in local government matters?

MATKINS – I will start with the months between the election and the 2020 legislative session, with town hall meetings in each county to hear concerns of citizens. During the legislative session I will send weekly emails and host bi-weekly Facebook meetings with my constituents. I will also send regular newsletters to constituents. Between sessions, I will again hold town hall meetings in each county. Because I do not and will not take campaign contributions from large corporations, I will ask citizens to recommend legislation, not lobbyists for large corporations.

McGUIRE – I engage with citizens every day, whether it be at local events or knocking doors. A lot of my bills are ideas that came from everyday citizens I represent. I would encourage anyone with an idea or a problem that needs to be solved to reach out to me and my team and together, we can do something about it.

ADAMS – I take pride in my office’s consistent communication with our constituents in the 68th District – lack of communication by my predecessor was one of the reasons I was inspired to run for office. That relationship goes both ways, and one of my favorite parts of being a delegate is meeting with voters who have ideas about how to improve state government. I have been and remain committed to making sure that no call goes unanswered.

COWARD – I will involve citizens by allowing them to have an open line of communication with my staff and me. I will also hold regular town hall meetings and make sure that citizens are aware of all options available to them to be a part of the process. If anyone has any questions or needs to get a hold of me: I can always be reached on my cell at 804-513-6885.

VANDERGRIFF – As your delegate, I will be responsive to my constituents just as I have been during the campaign. My cell number is (804)332-0831 and you will be welcomed at my capitol office. I am running to serve Henrico and I want to hear from the Henricoans I will be honored to represent.

VANVALKENBURG – Continue the practices I’ve implemented for the past two years: confer with local and state policy experts for their advice; regularly go out into the community to meet constituents and representatives from our diverse communities where they are; conduct events like the Interfaith Conference and Gun Violence Town Hall we held earlier this year; and maintain an open-door policy with all my constituents.

KASTELBERG – The General Assembly is a citizen legislature, and citizen involvement is crucial to the success of our Commonwealth. As a delegate, I would involve our citizens through open communication and discourse about issues. Throughout my campaign, I have sought to hear different perspectives and to engage with people with whom I may not naturally agree. I would like to partner with businesses and non-profits in Henrico in a variety of ways to further improve our community. By involving more of our neighbors in the democratic process, we are able to have richer discussions about the issues and to come together for the betterment of our community.

WILLETT – I will be out in the community, going to events and community and neighborhood meetings. I commit to responding to all constituents’ emails, calls and letters promptly. I will host constituent meetings and distribute a regular newsletter. My door will always be open and I will encourage constituents to come visit me, either in my district office or at the General Assembly. I am there to serve the residents of my district.

BAGBY – I strive to remain visible and responsive to the constituents of the 74th district. I have an open-door policy and encourage all constituents to reach out regarding the issues important to them and their community. Additionally, I invite all citizens to visit www.lamontbagby.org and sign up for my newsletter.