With the governor calling for statewide tax increases to fund transportation, it makes sense that the House of Delegates would want to see how the governor’s bill actually turns out from the Democratically-controlled Senate before taking any action.
Unfortunately, the governor can’t find anyone in the Senate to patron his bill. The Senate Majority Leader, Richard Saslaw, has his own solution for funding roads and won’t patron the governor’s bill.
According to the Washington Post:
Saslaw wants a 0.25 percent increase in the sales tax and a 0.5 percent hike in the car titling tax. He also is proposing a 6-cent increase in the state’s 17.5 cent-a-gallon gas tax, which would be phased in over six years.
“I applaud Kaine for getting things going, but I’ve got my own bill so I am going to do things a little differently,” Saslaw said.
This is leadership and unity?
Until the Democrats can overcome their own gridlock, they shouldn’t be accusing the Republicans of stalling. Republicans don’t even know what the Democrats want yet!
Speaking of party unity, in the same article, Senate Minority Leader Thomas Norment said:
“We are not, as a caucus, going to vote for a statewide tax increase to send it over to the House of Delegates to have them summarily kill it and then to absorb the criticism of voting for tax increases”
There’s a pretty simple way to prevent that from happening, Senator: Don’t vote for tax increases.
Conservative to the core; liberal with his opinion! J.R. has been involved in politics for over a decade and has worked on several campaigns in Hampton Roads. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Chesapeake and the Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia. He is also the director of “Blogs United” in Virginia. 
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Anyone else having fun with HB 6028? It’s patroned by Bob Tata in the House and Frank Wagner in the Senate. The bill would bid out light rail in Virginia Beach from Newtown Road to the Oceanfront as a PPTA.
Okay, Henry… enlighten me. Did we ever think that light rail to VB would not be set up as some kind of PPTA? We heard from Kaine at his Town Hall meeting that all of the 7 HR projects would most likely involve both tolls and a PPTA. We also know that Kaine has earmarked the grantors tax for mass transit. In a PPTA situation, the State has to come to the table with at least some money and I would assume those State $ come from that grantors tax.
I haven’t read Tata’s bill yet, but it is my understanding that PPTAs need to first be “chartered”. Is that what his bill does? IMHO, this is good news. This is how we get light rail to the Beach! Am I otherwise missing something here with your sarcasm, Henry? Or is that more pointed at Brian and his VBTA?
Thanks for the heads-up on this, Henry. I’ll have to send it up to my Richmond people in case they haven’t seen it yet.
Eileen,
First of all, Brian and the VBTA are mutually exclusive.
The text of the bill is now online. However, it still hasn’t been assigned to committee.
Honest, I wasn’t expecting a PPTA. I’m not sure how you would structure the project as a PPTA. However, it should get in done quicker and insulate it from (yeah) the VBTA.
I’ve talked to a couple people and nobody saw this coming. Therefore, it’s a pleasant surprise.
Me too. I’m looking at our spreadsheet of bills and it wasn’t on there. So I owe you one, Henry! How about I buy you drinks at your local water hole? I’m curious to check it out. What was the name of it again?
My VBTA? Oh yes!
Yup, we all know that Brian is sooooo welcomed by the inner core members of the VBTA, LOL!
As to grade level light rail running down the NS ROW. That proposal is a horrific waste of precious transportation funds.
Eileen,
Knucklehead’s Roadhouse.
Reid,
I would expect the major intersections to be bridged. Meyera talked about such when I spoke at the NS ROW Public hearing.
Henry, if any portion of the Light Rail is grade level then it requires human drivers and crash-proof cars. The non-automated Light Rail systems cost at least 60% more for operations than automated, elevated light rail. While the Feds and the state will share the cost of construction, the local taxpayers are stuck with the bill to pay for the vadst majority of annual costs of operations.
The fares changed are so low that those that actually use the Light Rail do not even pay for the cost of its operation. Not to mention the cost of construction and maintenance and replacement.
84% in favor on Pilotonline so far
BREAKING NEWS: HB 6028 was reported from the House Transportation Committee 18-0.
Reid,
You mean the elevated and automated system you would oppose the large tax increase to pay for? (Yeah, right.) Computers crash, software glitches, etc.
If there’d been a realistic proposal on the table a few years ago for such a system, it might have been possible. However, events in Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Newport News have now precluded it.
As for the fare, a bus driver who knows me drove me to work yesterday and that topic came up. The new MAX express service is $3, versus $1.50 mainline. We both expect light rail to be $3. Here’s the fun part: the finance figures for Norfolk’s Starter Line are based on an $1.50 fare. Therefore, at $3 it would look much better financially.
Finally, no official statement from the VBTA on HB 6028? I’ve been watching VNS for one.
Brian,
The online poll is now at 85% “Yes” with 1338 votes in. Two big factors;
1. The recent CNU poll showed mass transit, including light rail, as the second most popular transportation proposal.
2. People (hopefully) realize the medium term success of light rail in South Hampton Roads depends on getting Virginia Beach in. You could build a system in Norfolk and Portsmouth connecting to Newport News’ proposed line, but the water crossing is years away.
There’s a meeting in Norfolk tomorrow morning to talk about extension northward. This may be a huge week for light rail locally.
When and where is that meeting tomorrow? Is it open to the public?
Henry, don’t read into this that I oppose light rail, but ANYTHING gets good poll numbers if it doesn’t cost anything.
If the mass transit is not bridged then it will only back up traffic. Of course, the traffic snarls will not be blamed on mass transit blockages but, the lack of taxes on our backs to fund more of it.
If major intersections are bridged that would be some relief. Perhaps some don’t think traffic stoppages in minor arteries don’t contribute to overall traffic problems?
Funding this huge expenditure with little short term gain in congestion relief takes precious funding out of funds that should be dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the current system of roads and highways. This has always been more about where the money is spent rather than the amount. Of course, if you spend these desperately needed funds on light rail rather the regional infrastructure needs that are virtual declared emergencies now, you set up the arguement that we will need to raise taxes again next year because too much was spent on things like this. But, that’s what government funding has become right? A continually self-induced NEED manufactured by purposeful incompetence?
Relief is on the way though. When traffic is so overwhelmed and usuing your fuel efficient car becomes prohibitively expensive, you will be forced to use mass transit. Only the super wealthy will have the luxuary of their own vehicle. Also, when you no longer have that monthly car payment, you can afford to pay even more taxes and your local government is looking for their piece of YOUR pie!