Transportation: How to meet Virginia's growing infrastructure needs

From Michael Thompson this morning:

Regardless of how one feels about the recent transportation law, all agree it will pour over $1 billion of year into Virginia’s aging transportation infrastructure and should build necessary capacity to meet our growing infrastructure needs.

Governor McDonnell did all elected officials, and the two candidates for Governor this year, a huge favor by moving the transportation discussion from “where are we going to get the money?” to a more management focused question of “how are we going to spend the money?”

Interesting thoughts about how to take transportation into the future.

Senate passes House bill for off-shore drilling revenues

Jim Riley, my boss over at Virginia Virtucon, has an excellent post up explaining today's vote in the Virginia State Senate on off-shore revenues and transportation. Check out Jim's thoughts on those who voted for and against....

Democrats feuding over Kaine's transportation proposals?

"Governor Kaine wanted the Democrats in the House and the Senate to get behind one set of proposals, and that is just not going to happen."

- Sen. R. Creigh Deeds (D-Bath)

Uh-oh. Sounds like trouble on the democrat side of the aisle. Thursday's Washington Post reported:

The internal battle between House and Senate Democrats over what taxes should be increased represents a turnaround in Virginia politics. For much of this decade, it has been moderate and conservative Republicans who have been divided, resulting in stalled efforts to enact taxes or fees to relieve traffic congestion and repair the state's aging network of highways.

Many differences appear to be over how to raise the needed finances. The Post continued:

[Democrat state senator Richard] Saslaw, backed by many Senate Democrats, wants an increase in the state's 17.5-cent-a-gallon gasoline tax, which hasn't been raised since 1986. [Del. Ward] Armstrong and [Del. Brian] Moran, who are spearheading efforts by Democrats to gain the majority in next year's elections, oppose a gas tax increase, citing the record price of fuel at the pump. Kaine agrees."

I just don't think we can impose [a gas tax] on the public when they are already paying three dollars and 60 cents a gallon," Armstrong said. "We all have constituents that are struggling to put gas in their car."

Kaine and Democrats commissioned a poll six weeks ago that found more than 80 percent of residents oppose a 15-cent-a-gallon increase in the gas tax.

Saslaw shot back at the House Democrats: "I don't run the state on polls, and if Brian and Ward want to run the state on the polls, that is their problem."

Tim Kaine is scheduled to address the transportation issue in Staunton next week. Americans For Prosperity and others will be there to greet him.

If you plan to attend:

Tim Kaine's Staunton Transportation Town Hall Meeting
Thursday, May 22 - 6:30-8:00 pm
Mary Baldwin College
Francis Auditorium - 3rd floor
227 E. Frederick Street, Staunton

H/T to GOP Caucus

Cross-posted at SixtyFour81.com

Saxman on Kaine's proposal: "... little bit aggressive for real needs of Virginia"

As news of Democrat Governor Tim Kaine's proposed tax hikes to pay for transportation projects circulates around the Commonwealth, those close to home are absorbing what it would mean to citizens.

Delegate Chris Saxman (R-20th District) of Staunton expressed doubt for the governor's proposal. In an interview with Harrisonburg's WHSV TV-3, Saxman reacted to the news:

"This is probably a little bit aggressive for what the real needs of Virginia are," says Saxman.

In addition to state-wide taxes, Kaine's plan calls for increased sales taxes in northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. Just last year, the state Supreme Court struck down a plan to allocate $600 million specifically to those areas.

"Amendments to the transportation program last year were deemed unconstitutional," says Saxman. "I don't know why Virginians are going to have to pay a billion dollars to fix [Kaine's] mistakes."

Others in the Valley reacted in a similar fashion including Senator Mark Obenshain (R-26th District).

"What I think has raised a lot of concerns is that the governor has taken this simply as an opportunity not just to replace that $600 million but to almost double that," says Mark Obenshain (R - 26th District).

Obenshain says he wants to make sure projects in the Valley get the funding they need too.

"We know that we have some projects that are in dire need of making sure there's funding adequate to complete them," says Obenshain. "For example, Port Republic Road."

The General Assembly is being called back to Richmond in June when this bill will be discussed by both Chambers.

House GOP to restore $180 million in transportation funding raided by Kaine budget

Transportation Chair Joe May Says Kaine Budget “Built at the Expense of Roads”

RICHMOND, VA – Delegate Joe T. May (R-Loudoun), incoming Chairman of the House Transportation Committee, today decried the proposed reduction of funding dedicated to transportation in the budget proposed by the administration of Governor Timothy M. Kaine. The budget unveiled by the Kaine Administration on Monday diverts $180 million currently appropriated for transportation.

“Governor Kaine has introduced a budget that moves transportation a little closer to the back burner, where it sat for far too long,” declared Delegate May. “House Republicans fought aggressively for years to make transportation a top priority of the Commonwealth, and we’re not going to pass a budget that is built at the expense of roads and to the detriment of Virginians who depend on them.

“The Governor’s plan takes $180 million we committed to transportation in the current fiscal year budget. Money designated, allocated, and committed to transportation needs to stay there. The Administration has proposed using these funds for other budgetary purposes – not other transportation projects – and has replaced them with a promise to put the money back when revenues are more robust. Virginians have been stuck in traffic for years waiting in vain for promises ‘to put the money back’ to be kept before. They recognize what this plan is, and they know it will likely keep them stuck in traffic longer.

“The funding dedicated to transportation in 2007 is critical to the construction of key projects across the Commonwealth, including improvements to Route 50 in Northern Virginia, portions of Route 58 across Southside and Southwest Virginia, and improvements to Interstate 64/264 in Hampton Roads. The schedules for these projects are predicated on the availability of the funding appropriated for them in the current budget. Under the Governor’s proposal, if revenue growth doesn’t double in 2010, money will not be available to proceed on schedule.”

May also wondered when the Kaine Administration would fully explain the effects on the regional transportation plans – which include a $10 annual inspection fee designated for the regional transportation authorities – of its proposal to increase the fee for state vehicle inspections while reducing the frequency of those inspections. “The Governor has yet to explain how Northern Virginia will make up more than $16 million and Hampton Roads more than $12 million in regional transportation revenues every other year because of his change to the state vehicle inspection policy,” noted May. “It was no easy thing getting these plans approved in the first place, and now Governor Kaine and his allies are endangering regional transportation funding with scant notice and little explanation. Our commuters deserve better.”

House Republicans spearheaded the landmark Transportation Funding and Reform Act of 2007, the largest transportation initiative since the General Assembly held a special session on the core service in 1986.

“The Governor tries to claim that these funds remain in his budget, only now they’re not available until 2010 – when he leaves office,” remarked Delegate Lacey E. Putney, incoming Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. “Even more cynical is the Governor’s promise to restore these funds in 2010 based on exceedingly optimistic revenue assumptions. Fiscal responsibility dictates that we cannot count on such windfalls, and a responsible budget should never be constructed assuming them. The fact that the Governor broke his promise and takes the $180 million now does not lend any comfort that he will keep his promise to restore the money later.

“Regardless of how the Administration characterizes it, the facts remain the same. The current budget has $180 million dedicated to transportation funding this year that will not be available for that purpose until at least 2010 should the Administration’s proposal be approved. And, repayment at that time is contingent upon robust revenue growth when the Commonwealth is facing uncertain economic times. House Republicans remain steadfast not only in our belief that transportation is a core service of government but in our commitment to keep transportation as a top priority. I am confident that the budget crafted by the House Appropriations Committee will restore the $180 million to transportation.”