VIRGINIA BEACH
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said Wednesday he will introduce another plan to boost Virginia's sagging transportation budgets during a special General Assembly session this spring.
At a town hall meeting at Virginia Wesleyan College, Kaine said he hopes his new plan will have "a maximum chance of passing" because he is basing it on discussions he is having with leaders in the General Assembly.
He said those talks began immediately after the Virginia Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional a plan to have regional authorities impose taxes on citizens in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia.
In its Feb. 29 ruling, the court said the authority to raise taxes rests with the assembly. The ruling abruptly ended plans to develop six major projects that regional leaders consider vital to Hampton Roads long-term financial health.
Kaine did not reveal what new options he is weighing, only that he wants "to make sure the region s have the money they need and that statewide maintenance needs are addressed."
Any proposal to raise taxes will meet stiff resistance from Republican leaders in the House who have remained steadfast in their opposition to statewide tax increases. But that has not stopped others from trying.
Last year, regional leaders sought permission to raise $275 million a year and use tolls to build about $9 billion in road projects, many of them at congested water crossings.
The assembly responded with a regional authority that could raise $162.2 million a year and toll roads to pay the cost. Although the authority was unwieldy, a majority of 12 cities and counties backed it as their only hope of moving forward with projects that are years behind schedule.
Those efforts ended with the supreme court ruling. Kaine's new plan is likely to be one of a handful that will be considered as lawmakers struggle to pass legislation that will raise taxes. "We have to find a means to make sure the regions will come out of it with the same magnitude of money they were counting on," he said.
Virginia's transportation funds are unable to meet the demand for new interstate construction and increasingly expensive maintenance needs.
This year Virginia took $388 million out of its interstate construction budget and put it interstate maintenance because it is required to fund repairs first before building new.
Also, this year the Commonwealth Transportation Board said that Virginia will have $1.1 billion less to spend on its key non-interstate roads over the next six years.
Hit hard will be the three major funds that Hampton Roads cities and counties rely on to improve local roads that carry the bulk of vehicles.
Kaine said he plans another round of discussions in about 10 days with assembly leaders. He also applauded efforts by local lawmakers to develop a plan that might meet regional needs and pass political muster.
On April 3, the Hampton Roads caucus will meet in Suffolk to come up with a plan.
House Republican leaders have repeatedly said they will not support statewide tax increases, despite backing the creation of now-defunct regional authorities.
Kaine held the fifth of 10 planned town hall meetings at Virginia Wesleyan to tout accomplishments from the recent assembly session and take questions from the audience. About 200 people attended.
Among the bills Kaine talked about were provisions to reform domestic violence law and changes to mental health care in the wake of the shootings at Virginia Tech last spring.
Tom Holden, (757) 446-2331, tom.holden@pilotonline.com
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wonder
Why do they not ever make the roads wide enough in the first place? When they originally built 64 didnt they have any forward thinking that the area's population would increase?
the six projects
Money making ventures are not the responsibility of the taxpayers. The six projects are primarily to increase business for the port, not to improve existing roads or relieve traffic congestion. If anything, the third crossing would make our local traffic worse due to more trucks traveling the area. The taxpayers are already paying enough to maintain and build roads in Hampton Roads. Politicians choose to spend the transportation money on other things and that's why it seems like there is a shortage. They need to be held accountable for wasting tax dollars and MADE to spend them as intended from now on. Hampton Roads should not be robbed to fund for profit businesses, and especially not just this area for a business that benefits the entire state. Hampton Roads residents are being sucked dry and we are tired of it.
Yes, Reid was up there in
Yes, Reid was up there in the front next to Governor; I guess he arrived early. But let us be very clear that Reid's point of view as expressed on this and every forum in which he has posted since 2002, was clearly and soundly refuted by the Governor. Kaine did so in front of an audience that clearly wanted him to say that he would play traffic engineer and redesign the list of six regional projects. Instead, he emphasized that the MPO was the legitimate body to do this under state and federal law and regulation, and that he supported them in that role. He also emphasized to those in attendance how critical the six projects were to the regional economy, and of course, to the economy of the Commonwealth. He said that our regional projects, and those in NoVa were so critical that he would jump in and propose a plan to save these projects and also to help solve the road maintenance problems that are having an effect on every city and county in the Commonwealth. Reid may have been physically close to the Governor; Kaine's comments, however, refuted every point Greenmun has ever made on this forum and others.
Kind of funny...
How does someone like Mr Barret, who obviously benefits from higher taxation to throw at less than desired development, come up with whitewashed claims that our taxes are somehow less than our neighbors? If anyone would look at the tax structure of our neighboring states, it is easy to find that we may pay slightly less in gas tax but much more in say spirits tax, we get much less in credit for dependents, we have lower levels of tax brackets and the list goes on. The simple approach of comparing gas tax against other states in highly deceiving, as is Mr Barret. Heck, Tennessee doesn't even have an income tax, just tax on interest, dividends and capital gains. The simple truth is we pay way too much already and a growing number of constituents want accountability and action not another tax increase on a false promise that our commuter roads will be magically fixed. That is a complete lie and he knows it.
CCO
Reid,
The Warwick HS meeting was on the 2nd Wednesday, so I was at the CCO meeting. Where a CCO Director should have been.
Yes Campainers (Mike) still beating dead horse
The folks that keep repeating the same old worn BS are the rejected YES Campainers that keep pushing the wrong set of road and bridge projects for our region.
Taxpayers understand that HB 3202 and the MPO plan do not add lanes to the HRBT - the MPO/YES Campaign plan is flawed.
Taxpayers understand that the 6 projects don't really solve our commuter traffic congestion problems, and therefore we object to the blind effort to raise taxes, fees, and place tolls all over the place when HB 3202 only permits all of our tax funds to be used for Mike's list of pet projects that serve special business interests, not the drivers in our region.
Oh, and Henry -- how odd, I didn't see you at Warwick H.S. when Governor Kaine held the first Town Hall meeting in our region. I was right up front, next to the Governor. Where were you?
Put technology to use.
I would really like to see some discussion by our elected officials that involved either a tax credit or a tax penalty (for non-compliance) to businesses to have more of their work force work from home. Why spend all the money and resources on "wiring" the whole world and then not utilize the technology. Working from home 2-3 days a week would take untold numbers of cars off the roads in any given day. The societal benefits would have to be tremendous in terms of reduced day care cost, elder care cost, and better home life structures.
Here's a novel idea
How about we stop all of the wasteful spending on pointless projects and fix the roads. We all pay too much in taxes already. When a family has a need we sometimes have to reassess our own family budget to pay for things. Kaine is always about raising taxes...... just fix what's broken to begin with. For one thing, I know my house is assessed for more than I could even sell it for right now and my personal property taxes have skyrocketed. The state is getting plenty and Virginians aren't having much to show for it. Maybe we should have some accountants run for office.
I propose a tax hike on
I propose a tax hike on anyone who lives 72nd street! Why? Why not. Hmm, here's a reason. You have to travel further then most people to get to work, grocery store, gas station, ect.
We've had tax after tax after tax that was suppose to solve the problem. The only problem it solved was a desire for more tax. Stop spending surpluses. Start saving for rainy days.
Denial?
Good grief...all you numbnuts that keep repeating the same old story of the anti tax people being in denial is all rubbish and it's all a fairy tale in your OWN heads...
No one is in denial that something needs to be done and done quick..what we are saying is that it's time to become accountable for all our tax dollars being spent before it hits their coffers NOW!!...
If all of you tax nuts want the taxes raised without accounting.. then I suggest you put half of your paychecks every week in the mail and stop griping...maybe that will help fill these politicians pockets enough to keep them out of my pocket with out having to account for where it went, just as you tax nuts want..NO ACCOUNTING...just GIVE!.
I say, put the tolls back up where they were and charge the ones using these roads as it was before..nothing wrong there ...legalize online gambling, the funds from the licenses and taxes from this would be enormous..more than one can imagine. Just stay out of MY pocket...
"How about listening to the
"How about listening to the citizens of the Commonwealth." Well apparently, that is exactly what members of the Senate, the House of Delegates, and the Governor's office have been doing. And despite the same old tired rhetoic of the anti tax boo birds who have not changed their tune in a decade, millions of Virginians are telling them to fulfill their basic responsibility as elected officials and fix transportation. Wow, what a novel idea. Don't pass off that responsibility to local officials, to a regional authority, and don't delay any longer. It is your responsibility, and your inaction has now caused the price of the projects to double and your failure to keep up with the construction and even maintenance of local and county roads is now affecting even the rural parts of the Commonwealth. So all you failed politicians who had signed the Grover Norquist inspired "no new taxes" pledge had better respond to the demonstrated needs of the Commonwealth or leave office so a leader with courage and vision can take your place.
What Reid Gets Wrong
First, the Hampton Roads Transportation Authority (HRTA) itself was not found unconstitutional. What was found unconstitutional by the Virginia Supreme Court was the General Assembly delegating it's authority to raise taxes to the HRTA.
Second, if Mr. Greenmun had actually been at Virginia Wesleyan last night (as I was), he would know the Governor's rationale for not wanting to change the projects. He told citizens they should lobby their local elected officials who sit on the MPO if they want the projects changed. As a Richmonder, he didn't feel he should be choosing projects for Hampton Roads over the objections of elected officials from here.
However, thanks to Reid for letting the cat out of the bag: the anti-taxers are going to oppose every proposal to fix Hampton Roads transportation problems. That's why they were over at the Commodore Theater meeting before there was even a HRTA revenue replacement plan on the table.
Sad
It's a sad commentary that the concerns of voters are so quickly dismissed as those of "anti tax zealots, boo birds, uniformed, ETC". The VA Supreme sure made it clear that our concerns were valid and in 2002 voters voted on the order of 2 to 1 stating that our concerns were valid!
Why speak to the leaders of the GA?
How about speaking to the citizens of the Commonwealth and actually listening to what we say? What's the point in town hall meetings if you're not going to take the opinions of the citizens to heart and deliver our message to the GA? It is overwhelmingly obvious that here in the Hampton Roads area the citizens want a transportation plan that eases congestion. It's also obvious that we want the ports to pay for the 3rd crossing and the Rte. 460 project because those are designed to primarily benefit the trucks going in and out of the ports. When will our voices be heard? When we vote out the idiots that won't listen and vote in those that will!
I guess it is a sad
I guess it is a sad commentary on the faith some people have in government that every region of the Commonwealth considers and intensly believes that they are a donor region.
Taxes
Why should we have to pay more taxes when less than 2/3's our money sent to Richmond is returned to Hampton Roads? That's NOT a tired old argument. It's demanding a return on our current investment. I would suggest that the tired old argument is that from those that will fill their pocket books with cash from these six projects and continue to claim that the third crossing is for public good.
Voices in the Wilderness
Yes, as shown on this and other Pilot forums on transportation, there are a few voices left in the wilderness who deny the need for investment in transportation infrastructure. The voices continue to spout the same old tired denial of the problem, and the same old tired accusation that someone else should pay. Fact is, even the anti tax members of the House of Delegates from our region are now some of the most ardent advocates for replacing the funding for the six projects and for finding a solution to the failure to invest in city/county transportation projects. So why the change? Clearly, the public has realized the damage caused by failure to invest in this most basic of government functions. The same old tired voices have fallen into disrepute as they mouth the same old tired slogans. Their obstinance has cost us billions of dollars, and their failure to acknowledge that even their ardent former allies in the House of Delegates have moved on is a lesson in the power of ideology to over power reason and the public interest.
I was there
I attended the meeting last night and was hoping the governor would at least admit that they really messed up in passing this bill. He made no mention of signing an illegal bill into law. We need to keep the pressure up on our GA to kill these six projects and give us a transportation plan that will actually those that will pay for it.
We need commuter traffic congestion relief, not port expansion
Well, there you have it friends. Tom Holden writes, "The ruling abruptly ended plans to develop six major projects that regional leaders consider vital to Hampton Roads long-term financial health." Notice the 6 projects aren't intended to help taxpayers stuck in traffic, they are speculative economic development projects. That is why the term "long-term financial health" was used. HB 3202 is mostly about taxing us in Tidewater to pay for the state owned port expansion. The state should pay the $4.3B for the 3rd Crossing and the $2.1B for the "new" RT 460, not just us.
The Governor said he would not change the 6 projects HB 3202 was limited to funding. For that reason alone we need to reject the Governor's plan. It doesn't offer us traffic congestion relief. We also need to abolish the unconstitutional regional authority HB 3202 created. Shame on the General Assembly, AG, and Governor for failing to ahere to their oath of office.