By Sylvia Moore

The 37^th-largest donor to Virginia legislators was CSX Corp., which provides rail freight transportation in 20 states in the East, Midwest and South and in Ontario, Canada. The company also operates 94 container ships serving 124 ports.

CSX looks at the philosophies of the candidates in disbursing campaign donations, said Jane Woods, who was a Republican state senator from Fairfax from 1992 until last year. Woods is now a policy counselor at Vectre, a government relations firm.

During the 1999 election cycle, the transportation company gave $67,070 to 87 legislators:

• $34,620 went to 60 members of the House.
• $32,450 went to 27 members of the Senate.

Top recipients included:

• Sen. Richard L. Saslaw, D-Springfield - $4,500.

• Sen. Kenneth W. Stolle, R-Virginia Beach - $2,500.

• House Speaker S. Vance Wilkins Jr., R-Amherst - $2,020.

• Delegate C. Richard Cranwell, D-Vinton; Delegate William P. Robinson, D-Norfolk; Sen. William T. Bolling, R-Mechanicsville; and Sen. Emily Couric, D-Charlottesville - $2,000 each.

CSX gave $36,820 to 47 Republican legislators and $30,250 to 40 Democratic lawmakers.

Of the 14 members of the Senate Transportation Committee, nine receive campaign contributions from CSX. Of the 25 members of the House Transportation Committee, 18 got donations from CSX.

The company would like to see rail as the main long-haul carrier, as it was before 1970, Woods said. A joint study committee has been established to consider such issues, she said.

Also on CSX’s agenda: getting protection from lawsuits. Currently, multistate corporations can be sued in any jurisdiction where they operate - instead of where an incident occurs.

The Senate Committee for Courts and Justice is examining transportation liability issues, Woods said. Stolle chairs that committee.