State panels OK increase in gas tax, tolls to fix roads

Of course, the perfect plan is the biggest enemy of a good plan. Fact is, that is why the referendum was defeated in 2002. I believe a large majority of citizens knew then as we know know, that we had to invest in transportation infrastructure, but consensus broke down over how we should pay for it. Some want a gas tax, others a sales tax, some want more reliance on tolls, some don't want tolls, some want the income tax, fees, fines, and some simply want the projects and are willing to cut other programs in the general fund to pay for transportation. Same with the list of regional projects. Well, if we need a consensus of every citizen on every detail of the solution, that means there will never be a solution and we are destined to choke in traffic and waste more and more quality work and family time. We have a representative form of government, and if our representatives will not fulfill their duty to this Commonwealth and its citizens, we need new representatives.

So the republicans had been in power for many years and haven't offer a solution nor will they offer any in the near future. What make you think they will come up with some great idea? Quit it with the bashing and tell the person you voted for (republicans) to get off their lazy behind and do something. Stop blaming dem, atleast they got the guts to get working on an idea instead of giving lip service. It's the same for the state and for the country. Too much yapping and no substance.

I agree that the Commonwealth should look at trimming the fat in its budget to help find money for road improvement projects, but I really don't think that alone will solve the problem. I am OK with raising the gasoline tax IF there is a provision that gasoline tax revenues can ONLY be used for transportation projects and road maintenance, AND this tax increase is uniformly applied statewide, and not just applied to certain regions. The thing about gasoline tax is that the more you drive, and the bigger/heavier vehicle you drive, the more stress you put on the road system, so you should pay more for its improvement and maintenance. I vehemently oppose raising the state sales tax - that puts an unfair burden on people who might not drive very much.

I just want to put this out there to find out the holes in this proposal. How about commuter lanes? These are lanes for compact cars and motorcycles only. Nothing bigger than an accord. Get rid of those stupid HOV lanes it's obviouse we don't like each other enough to carpool and turn those into commuter lanes. Also add these lanes for any of the new road projects put a toll on these roads but give the commuter lanes a discount $1.00 for the regular toll $.50 for the commuter lane cars and $.25 for commuter lane motorcycles etc etc... I think this gives incentive to downsize your vehicles to something more economical and efficient, it may make you feel safer if your driving on roads with vehicles of the same size and these lighter vehicles cause less wear on the roads also the cars are smaller so the lanes could be narrower so maintenance and construction would be cheaper. Well thats it in a nutshell post what you think may be problems with this, or add extra suggestions to make this more feasable.

and if I were to follow your last post...I guess talking to a Democrat would be like talking to a guy who has a gun pointed at my head and is demanding me, a hard working citizen, to just open up my wallet and give away all my money?

It's sad, but both parties normally stick to their beliefs, ideals and partisan ways, never listening to one another even if the opposing party has a good idea. Are you any different?

This proposal is typical of lazy politics. “We need money…. let’s raise taxes!” Why are these people in power? The state needs to take a long hard look at where revenues are going they need to cut there own pet projects not deliver a new burden to its citizens. What makes me the angriest about this is they propose a higher tax on automobiles while the auto market is in distress; they tax gasoline while it’s more expensive than it’s ever been and they want to raise taxes on everyday items we buy even though our money is worth less and less. Taxes go up wages remain stagnant and industry moves out of the country and who can blame them the tax burden on business is outrageous. How about this for a change you politicians use your brains stop being lazy get together and come up with a realistic plan that doesn’t put more of a burden on already overburdened citizens. If politicians put as much effort into working towards a solution as they do bashing one another and using rhetoric that divides us into groups I'm sure something new and exciting will arise. get to it!

ricm2579 -- By the way, it's the same welfare, trailer trash mommies that always vote republican at the end. Most Dem are educated enough not to fall false ideology. Please take out your garbage before you start stereotyping democrats. Both parties have an equal amount of trash and free loaders. Look at Bush and the republicans in past years. Republicans are being dwindling because they offer no solution, only unwanted lip service.

Why is it that republicans think they are the only ones who pays taxes?

If they would hurry up and make cars hover, then the wear and tear on the roads would be lessened. A little investment now goes a long way later! Hmm maglev cars....

Everyone (well everyone with an ounce of common sense) realizes the problem. The Senate has passed the ball to the HoD and it is up to the Republican led body to now offer their solution. To all out there in the "no tax" crowd, or the "cut wasteful government spending" crowd and the "I want something for nothing crowd", sorry reality has hit us all squarely in the mouth. You simply can not run an effective government on a shoestring budget. You can't patch potholes, fix bridges, emplace guardrails, put in stop signs, add traffic lights or yes, build major projects like a third crossing or second tube to a tunnel on promises. It takes hard cash. You tell us where to get a few billion dollars from to fund our transportation needs. Enough with your "wasteful Democrats" welfare moms, and lazy state worker crap .... can the rehtoric and tell us exactly how you are going to fund transportation, and schools, and prisons, and other government priorities without taxes. If you are unable to offer the specifics on what essential state functions you want to forego, then shut up and pay your taxes and let adults figure this mess out.

Most of us hate taxes of any kind but the state should have increased the fuel tax a few cents years ago to fund highways. Delaying this for
20 years has put road building way behind in congested areas. Now due to the rapidly rising cost of fuel and everything else we consume the
cost of new roads will be even more. Now it seems that we are on a runaway train of tax increases or so called fees. I could go along with a small increase in fuel taxes which everyone will pay that drives. I do not agree with increasing taxes on the sale of a home since you never see a house using the highways unless it is being moved to a new location
which is rare. The city and county governments also are good at adding their own boxcars of newly invented names for new fees to this runaway train. Maybe someone can figure out how to put the brakes on this calamity.

swd2k, If you noted, I'm a Republican. I've never voted in any Democrat mainly because of the "unecessary" tax increases, such as welfare for some perfectly functional citizens who'd rather sit at home and collect my money without doing anything, or popping babies out left and right (from multiple men) knowing people like you and me will support them through increased taxes - the list goes on. swd2k - what I fail to see in your response is a solution! You sound very much like our current Republican-controlled house - "No new taxes! Oh, and by the way, we really don't have any solution of our own to propose." It's very easy to say, "cut wasteful spending". Fine. Where would you start? You'll quickly find that asking 100 people where they think the waste is, you'll get 50 different answers.

So now we have the classic confrontation; the Senate has passed a bill which solves our gridlock, but the House, even though it passed a similar measure last year, now will oppose raising taxes and fees to build essentially the same projects. What gives? Frankly, the majority in the House is betting its future on the stupidity of us, the voters. That is, they fully believe that by a flurry of bills, by spin, by PR gimmicks like another audit, they can convince us that while there was a problem last year, there really is no problem today. Well, I trust my own power of observation of gridlock and my own memory of a transportation system that actually worked in the past. I hope others will ignore the spin and trust their own instinct. Ignoring a profoundly important issue like transportation infrastructure only places more future burden on taxpayers. Costs rise; they don't listen to the spin. A House of Delegates majority that ignores the needs of its citizens deserves to be defeated at the next election cycle. It really is up to us.

Oh, and let's see it from someone who is neutral, if that's possible, not a democrat and not a republican reporter. Hmm, they may have to hire a consultant to get someone at the Pilot who would qualify.

Agree JMO. Let's see an article on what has happened to road funding in the last 20 years.

A good start would be to look back at the funds that were intended for road improvements but diverted to other uses. Only after that money has been added back should the GA discuss imposing additional taxes for road improvements.

jmo

It's a shell game designed to milk more money from us. They move the money from A to B. Why? Becuase B is a better cuase for raising taxes. Understand?

I would consider myself to be a republican, and I do not see anything wrong with raising this tax. My biggest concern would be, will the state use it only for what it should be used for? If you think that this will kill you, join a carpool, ride a bus, try something different. You don't have to drive by yourself all the time.

I can accept that the citizenry does not want to pay increased taxes. I can accept that people want to see the fat trimmed from government. All that is done is complain... and complain... and blame... and blame. Start coming up with a SOLUTION. Which programs can be reasonably scaled back? And you cannot just answer whichever programs you do not like or feel are unimportant. You must look at the greater impact. Where should money come from if not from taxes? Give us alternatives and we will gladly listen.

And a 1 cent increase? Seriously? It has been over 20 years since our gas tax has been raised. Imagine if the tax truly tried to make up for inflation. Perhaps if we had kept up with it all along, we might have money for our roads now.

Kaine can kiss a political future goodbye!

Now I get it! Pelosi et al haven't implemented their 'commonsense plan to lower gas prices' because $6 gas is good for Democrats this election year!

Thanks for clearing up that mystery.

jmo

Raise the lottery tickets to $2.00 each.
$1 for Education
$1 for Road repair
The Fools will still throw their money away to get rich and I will still be able to put gas in my car and food on the table.

As I sit by and watch our leaders raise taxes and listen to some state that the trucking companies are to blame. Wrong answer!! The trucking companies are businesses that utilize the roads just as much as commuters to and from work because companies like Walmart, Target, Kmart and many others need their products for their stores all over Hampton Roads. The truckers are paying more taxes to run up and down these roads than the everyday commuters. Independent trucking companies are being ousted by the gasoline prices and the higher prices for repairs and tires. While the companies that they are leased to is reaping the rewards by not giving these truckers all the fuel surcharge rate. See, the companies are not paying out of their pockets for any of the fuel that is put into the independent truckers, yet, they take a portion of the fuel surcharge rate and the rest goes to the truckers. What a scam!! Higher taxes means more businesses going outbound, which equates to lost revenue for the localities through various taxes and the various taxes that's paid to the state(s). So, when you walk into a store and see the shelves empty or the price of the product is high, don't cry like a little

Raise the gas tax to raise millions and the tax me I don't care crowd jumps for joy while the tax increase deadens our senses as it becomes the norm. Then one day in the not so distant future, another Democratic governor will push to raise taxes again because what we have given will not be enough and we'll have these arguments all over again. No sir, the light at the end of the tunnel isn't the end of our problems - only another encounter with the next tax train.

RockHallBoy said, "Obama probably will carry VA for it is clear that Republicans will not do anything to stop the speculation driving gas prices"
Not likely. A democrat has not won VA in decades. Do be aware that the president has absolutely no control over the price of gas. Remember what happened 30 years ago when the government tried to set the price of gas?
All of you tax-and-spend bozos seem to forget 2 major problems.
Brother Mark Warner passed the largest tax increase in Va history, and there was a 1 billion surplus when he left office. Where is this money now, or is it unaccounted for too, just like most of VDOT's expenditures. The Dem's will never be satisfied, no matter how much of your money they get.

House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, said legislators should explore options for raising road dollars that don't rely on taxes taken "out of the pockets of working people."

ok so do u plan to get the money from the money tree grove then? i'm sick of this

By not sitting in traffic all the time, maybe we can save some gas money riding on new roads.

I don't want to pay an extra cent for anything but improved roads are long overdue for this area.
The gas tax is easy to implement - no new layers of bureaucracy needed - so that saves money over some of the alternatives offered.

OK House-have the guts to pass this!

So the typical democrat folks wants to raise taxes. Typical of the democrat way of thinking. Does any democrat or RINO ever think that maybe the government needs cut spending? We taxpayers are not your bottomless pit of money.

My Father use to say, trying to talk to a Repulican is like trying to talk to an alcoholic. They don't listen, have all the answers, and all they want to do is argue. Sounds right to me!

We seem to be caught in a silly cycle.

We elect republicans because they promise no new taxes and an end to those nasty social programs that only benefit people less fortunate than us. republicans keep spending on their favorite friends and programs, but they cut nasty “social” costs like welfare, schools and roads to keep blue collar dupes happy. No new taxes, just a drop in services.

At some point we all realize, "Gosh, a trillion dollar deficit is kinda big and the roads and schools are kinda disgraceful. I know, let's elect a democrat.”

The democrat comes in and takes the steps needed to balance the budget - a conservative chant not so long ago - and tries to repair the damage republican neglect has done to social services, schools and roads. Big surprise, but that requires revenue, usually in the form of taxes.

Then we start whining about tax and spend democrats and the cycle starts again.