The Virginian-Pilot
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VIRGINIA BEACH
The state's gas tax hasn't budged since 1987. But not because of a lack of effort.
Now the Virginia Beach City Council may try to get the General Assembly to increase the 17.5-cents-a-gallon rate, a feat that has eluded even some powerful legislators.
Council members are debating whether to ask the General Assembly for a 10-cent-per-gallon increase next year. The raise would bring in about $500 million a year and create a more sustainable pot of money for the state's extensive list of transportation needs, Beach officials said.
"It's probably the most realistic way to get something done," Mayor Will Sessoms said.
Councilman Bill DeSteph, an opponent of most taxes and fee increases, said the state's transportation infrastructure is crumbling and needs more funding.
"I don't oppose it if it's tied to something specific and it's needed," DeSteph said.
But even if the proposal is included in the city's legislative priorities for the next General Assembly session, finding support among state officials may be more difficult.
"I don't think it's going to be a realistic option," said Sen. Frank Wagner, a Virginia Beach Republican. "I think a tax increase in that magnitude, it's a nonstarter."
In recent years, the General Assembly has squashed attempts to raise that gas tax. Senate Majority Leader and Fairfax Democrat Richard Saslaw pushed for a gas tax increase three years ago but couldn't even get support from a Democratic governor at the time. Norfolk Del. Algie Howell Jr. introduced legislation in the last General Assembly session to raise the rate by 10 cents. That bill never made it out of a subcommittee.
Gov. Bob McDonnell helped push through a $4 billion transportation package that relied primarily on debt for financing. Virginia Beach will receive nearly $156 million over three years to help with projects such as the Les-ner Bridge replacement.
That package was the largest infusion of money for transportation in a generation, Tucker Martin, a McDonnell spokesman, said in an email.
"The Governor strongly opposes any increase in the gas tax," Martin stated.
Still, state leaders need to come up with a long-term transportation solution, said Dwight Farmer, executive director of the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization.
The state is increasingly diverting money for road construction into the maintenance of its existing infrastructure. And because of inflation, the 17.5-cent gas tax buys much less now than it did nearly 25 years ago, Farmer said.
"Sooner or later, I believe the General Assembly is going to have to take a hard look at it," he said.
With the economy still sputtering, now may not be the time, Farmer said.
"This is the worst time to be asking for this," he said.
Del. Ron Villanueva, a Beach Republican and former City Council member, said city officials are simply stressing the importance of road funding.
"Their job is to bring it to everybody's attention," Villanueva said. "You can't fault them for it."
Deirdre Fernandes, (757) 222-5121, deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com
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Choose Wisely Young SkyWalker
The way the gas tax thing is written, seems to apply state wide and not only for gas purchased in the CoVB. However, if the proposal is to raise the gas taxes in the city, for city projects, I for one have purchased the last gas in this cul-de-sac venue by the sea. Work too close to other cities to bother with this nonsense from the council. Need money to fix city roads? Then drop all the needless projects for no benefit other than the wealth of developers and their city cohorts. The granting of authority to the city for taking personal properties and real estate? That is of greater and immediate concern with the specter of light rail ever present in the belly-button view of our truer needs. When all city roads are fixed, then the LR, not until.
VBCC
Be advised that not only has VBCC endorsed raising the gas taxes in Virginia, but also wants to do away with your property rights. They are asking the Virginia GA NOT to approve the Constitutional Amendment to protect your property rights. It gets in the way for government to give it to developers and also may cause some inconveniences seizing property for light rail. SO tell your delegate to vote against any increases in the gas tax and to vote for moving forward with amending the VA Constitution to protect YOUR property rights. And vote for John Moss for VB city council to end developer welfare.
Thanks Keith
Frankly Keith, thank you. As property owners/developers, this proposed change to the eminent domain law will put lots of money in our pocket. So please, keep lobbying on our behalf, and let me say as a Landlord, we sincerely appreciate your efforts.
Now, as a citizen and taxpayer, this change as written is welfare for lawyers, a license for existing property owners to be paid for fairytales, and will end up costing taxpayers millions of dollars more for land acquisition for schools, public buildings, utility easements, roads, bridges, and other public projects.
So Keith, if your intent is help wealthy property owners to get more wealth, and to require taxpayers to pay more taxes, you have hit the nail on the head.
That's very strange.
That's not the way the commonwealth's AG put it. He.. wait.. I forgot. He's a republican and a moribund boo-bird too. Shucks! Silly me....Scratch that Mikey. I should have known better. That is odd though. Did the puppet string that holds the hand that Jim Spore writes with get broken? Did you chop the letter he wrote before he published it? Should he be left alone to write letters (especially ones to the Virginia G.A. without your guidance? Isn't that a moribund way of doing things? Hmmmmm. Perhaps we are not talking about the same Constitutional Amendment.
Well, like I have always said Mikey> You have a magnificent gift when it comes to spin. No one does it better than you. I'll bet you would even give Bill O'Reilly a run for his money.
"State and local gas taxes are way too low."
Yep.
You read/heard it here.
A complaint that we do not pay enough state and local taxes.
I forwarded it to my brother in Pennsylvania who didn't believe me when I told him we actually have people in Virginia who are DEMANDING higher taxes.
I'm sorry? "Their job is to
I'm sorry?
"Their job is to bring it to everybody's attention," Villanueva said. "You can't fault them for it."
Oh yes we can. We are stretched too thin. This is your only warning. We'll remind you all on election day.
You are mistaken
The average American now considers themselves a Tea Party like thinker. Do you honestly believe that the average citizen willingly accepts the increase in new fee’s on the home owner, the 23 million taken by the council from the school board and the 157 million given the city by the General Assembly for roads, will now agree to MORE. Wake up! You will see in November.
There was just a report how the poor roads cost us $650
We waste $650 dollars a year because some loud mouths dont want to spend 50 a year. To bad the so called leaders of the dominate party in this are dont keep up with reality. The tea party has degenerated into a nmae being used by the koch brothers. The numbers of people who admit to being tea party members has shrunk to a few, yet the anti tax rant, paid for by the koch brothers, keeps up. The koch brothers dont drive on our roads so their only fight is to keep their taxes low.
It's the republican party
I agree with your sentiment but don't blame the tea party. A more established party, that is the republican party, owns this issue. You are absolutely correct that we are penny wise and pound foolish, but the republicans who control the House of Delegates believe that saying we don't need a tax increase is a terrific political strategy. And you know what, they are right. And it will continue to be so until we, the people, send them a message that it is not alright. Regretfully, the only way to do so at the Beach is to defeat Ron Villanueva, a member of the republican caucus, and the only Beach Delegate with opposition. This isnt't about Ron, who knows the problem, but things won't change until the republican caucus is replaced.
Good Info?
What was your source on the status of the Tea Party?