In the ongoing debate over transportation dollars, Governor Bob McDonnell expounded on his transportation plan, attempting to reassure skittish legislators. McDonnell today announced plans to allow Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads to keep a sliver of sales tax dollars for transportation projects.
While Senate Republicans are on board, including Virginia Beach State Senator Jeff McWaters who is the patron of the bill, Senate Democrats are repeating the very idea that cost them the Governor’s mansion in the first place:
“Tell him to send down a tax increase,” Senate Majority Leader Richard Saslaw said of McDonnell.
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Many Senate Democrats maintain that the only way to upgrade state roads is to invest new money in them through a gas tax increase or another source of dedicated new revenue.
Senate Democrats don’t have to look far for an opinion on their repetitious calls to raise taxes for transportation. They can just ask their colleague Creigh Deeds to see how well that worked out.