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"I did so after a careful analysis of the budget," Rigell said. "I see it as a distinctly -- and maybe counter-intuitively -- conservative position to say we as Republicans must have revenues equal to levels of spending we have authorized."

Rigell said spending cuts must significantly outweigh revenue increases and he is willing work toward the three-to-one cuts to revenue ratio.

He doesn't want to raise income tax rates at any level by letting some or all of the Bush-tax cuts expire. He prefers capping deductions and eliminating loopholes in ways that keeps the tax code progressive.

Rigell said he has been diligently working with both Republicans and Democrats to bring them around to his perspective.

Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Chesapeake, who signed the Norquist pledge, isn't adverse to finding ways to increase federal revenue, just not by raising income taxes in the way Obama suggests. He said he believes there are ways to increase revenue without actually raising tax rates.

Forbes said the president and Democratic leaders in the Senate haven't been willing to sit down at the negotiating table with a serious offer.

"I think Speaker Boehner and our leadership should walk into a conference table every day, sit down at that table and hope the president and the Senate will show up at that table to do serious negotiations," Forbes said. "So far they haven't been willing even to sit at that table. Until you can sit at that table I think it would be unfair and unproductive to start disposing of things before anybody's even sat down to put them on the table."

Obama and Boehner met behind closed doors Sunday after not discussing the issue face to face for 23 days. Both sides kept silent on the substance of the discussion.

Virginia lawmakers who have signed the Norquist tax pledge

Congress

Scott Rigell, R-Virginia Beach, but Rigell retracted his pledge in March

Randy Forbes, R-Chesapeake

Robert Hurt, R-Chatham

Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke

Eric Cantor, R-Henrico

H. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem

Statewide officials

Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli

State Senate

9 Senators out of 40

Richard Black, R-Loudon

Tom Garrett Jr., R-Louisa

Stephen H. Martin, R-Chesterfield

Steve Newman, R-Lynchburg

Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg

Frank M. Ruff, R-Mecklenburg

Ralph K. Smith, R-Roanoke

Bill Stanley, R-Franklin

Jill Holtzman Vogel, R-Faquier

House of Delegates

21 Delegates out of 100

David Albo, R-Fairfax

Robert Bell, R-Albemarle

Kathy Byron, R-Campbell

Ben Cline, R-Rockbridge

Mark Cole, R-Spotsylvania

Barbara Comstock, R-Fairfax

Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights

C. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah

Greg Habeeb, R-Salem

Tim Hugo, R-Fairfax

Steve Landes, R-Augusta

Scott Lingamfelter, R-Prince William

Robert G. Marshall, R-Prince William

Randy Minchew, R-Loudon

Israel O'Quinn, R-Washington

Chris Peace, R-Hanover

David Ramadan, R-Loudon

R. Lee Ware, Jr., R-Powhatan

Michael J. Webert, R-Faquier

Tony Wilt, R-Rockingham

Tommy Wright, R-Lunenburg