Amen!

More lanes to leave equal more lanes to come in. Haven't you wondered why people who make their living leasing property to people and businesses want more roads? More roads equal more growth equal more opportunities for them to make money. The rest of us get more lanes, more tunnels, and a corresponding increase in traffic that will do nothing to relieve our daily commute.

Joe Commuter wants fewer cars on the roads, not more. Fix the roads, but be careful what you wish for.

jmo

The federal budget, the state budget, and the Virginia Beach budget have all doubled in the last decade, far outstripping the rate of inflation and the growth of the population. If the federal government continues to grow at the same rate, 10 years from now the annual budget will be $6 trillion instead of $3 trillion. If the state continues at the same growth rate, in 10 years the biennial budget will be $152 billion, up from $76 billion today. In VB, the city will have to collect $2.4 billion, up from $1.2 billion today. When government spending continues to outstrip the wage increases of the citizens, our standard of living will decline and eventually just about all wages will go to sustain the government. Is that what you tax and spend liberals are ultimately after?
We are rapidly approaching the point where we no longer have government by the people and for the people, but rather government

wonder why we didn't pay for upgrades and add'l lanes to get away from here. Amazing what one fear-induced episode will do to clear the Repubs minds...We either pay now or later--Take your pick.

Keith, I doubt that many of us have hundred dollart bills falling out of our pockets, but we all do put money in the tax pot. The problem is that we all want to take more out of the pot than we put in, and, like our current quandary, that just can't happen.

There used to be a method where, if a representative wanted to spend money on something, they had to indicate where the money was comming from to fund it and indicate that the money was available. Then we get politicians who promise to cut taxes but don't show what will happen where that tax money was being spent or give an unrealistic picture of where the money is going to come from, based on misleading data, hoping that unthinking people will not question it. All these things that people want the government to do have to be funded. Now, you can rearrnge the budget and put some things off for a while, but sooner or later, just like in private life, things break down, bad things happen, the bill comes due and has to be paid. Until we all can decide what we need most and obligate real money to pay for it, all this talk is wasted effort. The problem seems to be deciding what we need most, how we prioritize thin

I'll have to ditto Phrog on this one. Some who post here assume we all have $100 bills pouring from our pockets.

Have all you guys relayed these comments to your elected state and federal representatives? Have they responded favorably to your comments? It just amazes me that our representatives, who seem unable to come up with any sensible plan to resolve our trasnsportation dilemma are voted back into office time and time again. Some here keep saying lets cut back on expenses. Our representatives do. They cut back spending on roads, bridge maintenance & upkeep, Schools, teachers and other employees pay, and let infrastructure deteriorate. They hit on the things that impact most people so that we will demand they don't do this and will acquiesce to their tax increases. It is said that a good definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. It seems like that is where we are. Obviously, the government needs enough funds to do the things that we expect

I guess after reading the responses to your post you know have a better perspective on the republian mentality. Fact is, in Virginia, a republican, which used to convey an image of a fiscal conservative, business oriented voter, is now the home to the rabid anti tax, anti government populist, even libertarian voter and the majority in the House of Delegates responds to this voter base. At this point, it is not a conservative, moderate, nor liberal ideology in question, it is a party in the hands of the religious far right that is more concerned with the Grover Norquist pledge; that is, it is our duty to cut off the arms and legs of government so it can fit in a bathtub so we can drown it. With views like that, there is no room for negotiation or compromise. This band of zealots will have to be voted out of office before it is too late, although the damage done to our transportation infrastructure will t

Mr. Martin, any tax increase resistance is NOT only a republican mentality. It is a reasonable tax-payers mentality. Most tax payers know that there is a limit on how much the government can tax us. Look, it's as easy as managing your own personal budget. You know you won't get a pay increase from your employer to fund that new project you need to get done. So, what do you do? You revisit your personal budget, prioritize your spending, and if need be, you cut spending in other "non critical" areas.
All that the reasonable tax-payer wants is accountability and responsibility in how our government manages the money we give them.
I am sick and tired of the democrat mentality that if they don't have enough money that they think they have a bottomless pocket in the tax-payers. Stop taxing us to death and be more responsible with spending. That is all this reasonable tax-payer asks.

Hidden taxes drag down the economy and drain our standard of living just as effectively as visible taxes. We have too many taxes concealed in prices already. Taxes should be visible and as obvious as possible so that voters will know the true cost of government when they are deciding how much of it they want.

I think we should demand a moratorium on new road construction until the price of gas determines the degree of congestion on our highways. Why spend billions to build new roads if $5 or $6 a gallon gasoline (or more?) will significantly reduce the volume of traffic?? If you're paying $64 to fill the tank at $4 a gallon, that same fill up at $6 will set you back $96. That's a traffic reducer. Maintain what we've got, see where the price of gas is going to go, determine its impact on traffic, and then decide if we need to invest billions on new highways. Also, if anyone thinks that these billions in new taxes that are being discussed will relieve main artery congestion within the cities, think again. Traffic congestion on the main roads and streets of the cities will continue to increase and will probably be increased additionally by new and improved highway access to the area.

For all those who believe we should be taxed more, perhaps we can have programmed into the pumps a question similar to the "do you want to have the car wash for $8" only have it say, "do you want to contribute an additional $2 towards roads?"

It would be interesting to see how many people clamoring to increase taxes and tolls would actually add that to their credit card purchase.

So a tax increase that can be measured in pennies is OK? What if someone suggetsed a 34 percent increase in the federal income tax or state sales tax? Would that be OK, too, even if phased in over 6 years?

Adding 6 cents to the existing gas tax is a 34 percent increase. For or against, realize that just because an increase is pennies per gallon doesn't mean it's not significant.

jmo

Well John, even if the tax were implemented, most of the MPO HR entity road projects that are planned to "relieve congestion", are only for the benefit to relieve congestion for the ports. Period. You'll still be stuck in the same traffic points as before as well as being late taking the kids to that soccer game.