THE LAST WORD ON THE SPECIAL SESSION

 Here is Bob Marshall’s take on the Special Session of the General Assembly.

Special Transportation Session Wrap Up

Thankfully, there were no tax or service fee increases imposed on Virginians in the recent transportation session called by Governor Kaine.  However, House Republican leaders up until noon of the last day of the Special Session (July 9) were supporting HB 6055, which did contain increased fees and taxes for Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia similar to last year’s HB 3202.

Instead, HB 6055, was amended by Del. Oder to remove all fee and tax increases.  It set aside hundreds of millions for future transportation projects in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads by designating a portion of future taxes generated by the growth in tax revenues in Northern Virginia from the two regional airports (Dulles International and Reagan Airports) and in Hampton Roads from container ships be set aside by the General Assembly for transportation projects in each region. 

This passed the House of Delegates on an almost straight party line vote, 51 to 45.  (See http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?083+vot+HV1862+HB6055)

I successfully amended HB 6055 to remove provisions which attempted to unconstitutionally bypass the legislature and give these funds, without the General Assembly appropriating them, to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Planning Organization.  HB 6055 lost in the Senate Finance Committee. 

SB 6009, sponsored by Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-Fairfax), was considered by the House.  After a gas tax proposal was removed from the bill on a 95 to 1 vote, the bill, which authorized both regional and statewide tax increases on home sales and a general sales tax, failed on a vote of 39 yeas to 59 nays.  (See http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?083+sum+SB6009)

Most all other measures passed by the House to address transportation fixes, including new funding sources, never made it out of Democrat controlled Senate committees. These include:

• Transportation Lock Box Constitutional Amendment to prevent diversion of road/transit funds.  HJR 6001 (Oder)
• Management Audit of VDOT’s operation and program expenses HB 6046 (Lingamfelter)
• Tolls on Hampton Roads bridge tunnel projects which requires VDOT to issue contracts for toll projects or seek private toll proposals.  HB 6019 (Hamilton)

Revenues to Virginia from Off Shore Drilling if approved by Congress to be designated as follows: 40% for transportation, 40% for Chesapeake Bay Clean up, 10% for renewable electric energy, and 10% for renewable costal energy research.  HB 6006 (Saxman)

HB 6006 has been characterized as a vote in favor of, or in opposition to, off-shore drilling.  It is neither. HB 6006 is not a petition to Congress to approve off-shore drilling.  It is a request to Congress which has total control over drilling, that if off shore drilling is approved by Congress, the state of Virginia would hope to receive some of the royalties. 
I asked Delegate Saxman to add provisions to his bill to include requests for Congressional protection of the off shore environment and the economies of Virginia’s costal residents, which he did:

“Whereas, such drilling should be undertaken under the greatest protection that can be afforded to the environment; and Whereas, such drilling should be pursued to the extent that the economic viability of Virginia localities contiguous to the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean are not negatively impacted;”  See HB 6006 as introduced, plus Marshall and Saxman Substitutes at http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?083+sum+HB6006.

I also asked Del. Saxman to amend his bill to reflect that an enhanced area for exploration as is provided for in other states should be the area identified as Virginia revenue producing waters, and not just a portion of it as is now designated by the US Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service.  He also included that provision in his amendments to HB 6006.

Virginia has no legal authority to compel Congress to provide such royalties, so this is a hat in hand request from Virginia based on previous Congressional discussions to provide all Atlantic Seaboard states with oil and gas royalties should drilling be authorized by Congress and prove successful.  HB 6006 was reported to the Senate floor 7-6 because Senator Chuck Colgan (D-Prince William) voted yes.  It lost 16 yeas to 18 nays on the Senate floor.

Marshall Measures Reported from Committee

I received a phone call on the morning of July, 9 telling me that three of my measures would be heard later that day by the House Rules Committee.  I was pleasantly surprised, especially with the committee response.  I want to thank voters who contacted committee members in support of these measures.   

While my bills (see below) were reported favorably by the Rules Committee, the ethanol proposal and the permanent cost-cutting bill were NOT placed on the calendar nor were they taken up by the House of Delegates.  The House of Delegates and Senate Adjourned the special session at 1:39 AM Thursday morning, July 10.  I intend to pursue these measures in the 2009 session. 

HB 6032:  Creates a permanent state oversight Commission, similar to the federal cost cutting BRAC Commission, to evaluate whether state holdings should be sold, identify duplicate programs, and cut unnecessary overhead while maintaining the same level of services.  The goal is to identify 3% in savings from our $76 Billion dollar budget which could then be used for roads and mass transit. 13 yeas, 2 nays.
(See http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?083+sum+HB6032)
 
HJR 6011: Requests a waiver from the federal ethanol mandate to stop burning food!  Ethanol results in fewer miles per gallon and higher food prices from diversion of food to fuel. 12 yeas, 3 nays.
(See http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?083+sum+HJ6011)

HJR 6008:  Assesses methane resources now being wasted in Virginia which could be converted to fuel for cars/trucks. This measure was referred to the Assembly’s Energy Commission for study.
(See http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?083+sum+HJ6008)

Thank you again for contacting your representatives to voice your concerns.

Sincerely,

Delegate Bob Marshall
http://delegatebob.com

House Democrats want to ax the gas tax, keep everything else

Virginia House Democrats threw another curve into the special session by proposing an amendment to SB6009S1 that would take out the gas tax hike (Fred2Blue).  The Dems would keep everything else in the Senate Bill - which would be a hike in the auto and sales tax statewide plus the regional tax hikes for Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, Fredericksburg, and Richmond.  Oddly enough, there’s no mention of the SWAC area, which would qualify for a regional tax hike under the 8.5 million daily vehicle miles traveled requirement (see last page of the details).

More importantly, the amendment has Saslaw’s backing (F2B):

This is a step forward. This action will bring us closer to a real transportation solution. If the House Republican leadership is serious about addressing our transportation needs, they will allow this bill to be debated, amended and voted on.

You know what scares me the most?  This line: “This action will bring us closer to a real transportation solution.”  That sounds like Saslaw is opening the door to working it out with Howell.  Given how much flak Howell is taking over HB6055 (this is just the latest), he might just decide to hold off any votes and cut a deal, in which case, we’re up the creek.

Of course, if we had a real leader in the House who made clear that no tax increases were acceptable, we wouldn’t be in such dire straits in the first place.

Cross-posted to the right-wing liberal

Good news: the Dems won’t back HB6055 (at least for now)

I’m not sure whether this is genuine or mere posturing for future negotiations, but the Democrats won’t support HB6055, which means it has a good chance of failing tomorrow.

The news comes from J.R. at Bearing Drift, with whom I’ve had disagreements on this in the past - and judging from the tone of his post, I still have them.

As for Delegate Hamilton, well, it’s abundantly clear that he still doesn’t get it.  More troubling, however, is how the letter was sent – via Bill Howell (I mysteriously ended up on his mailing list).  In other words, Howell has made it abundantly clear that HB6055 is has the stamp of the Speaker on it.

What happens over the next few days will likely determine the outcome of next year’s elections (and perhaps even this year’s).  if Howell manages to squeak HB6055 through – or worse, uses it to make a Grand Bargain with Saslaw and Kaine – then the Republican Party of Virginia will have the tax-hiking stain on it for at least the next two years.  That is all but certain to doom Bob McDonnell, and could even take down Bill Bolling if he’s not careful.  Meanwhile, the utter demoralization in the Republican base will make it nearly impossible for Gilmore to catch Warner, and might even cost McCain the state’s thirteen electoral votes.

So I ask the Republican Delegates (and Senators) in Richmond: Is making Bill Howell happy really worth President Obama and Governor Deeds/Moran?

Cross-posted to the right-wing liberal

The Transportation Mess

Let me begin by saying I do not support ANY of the plans put forth by the Governor or the General Assembly. However, we MUST recognize that we need a dedicated revenue stream for transportation, for everything from Metro to correcting the myriad shortcoming of our state infrastructure. Over at Mason Conservative (by way of Jim Bowden), there is an excellent post about Bob Marshall’s heroic efforts to straighten out this mess, with no help from our hero Bill Howell. Bob doesn’t just immediately seek ‘compromise’ on any given issue, he looks for the best, no-nonsense, conservative solution. I LOVE his idea to do away with the federal ethanol mandate. That is high in the running for most ridiculous federal boondoggle of the past 10 years. Eat corn, don’t burn it.

I would be in favor of a dedicated gasoline tax to pay for transportation. The big caveat is we can’t have the state government “pulling a Mark Warner” and absconding with the transportation money for other purposes. We could also find things to eliminate in the budget to pay for transportation, but then guys like Howell and Albo and Norment will tell us there’s nothing more to cut, right?

Yet another reason why Bob Marshall needs to be the next Speaker.

Cross-posted to The Northern Virginia Conservative

On the House of Delegates, the GOP, and the danger of “doing something”

Last year, as Republicans were reeling from the disaster that was Election 2006, Bill Howell, Marty Williams, Ed Gillespie, et al decided that GOP control of the General Assembly depended on “doing something” for transportation.  Out of that overload of desperation came HB3202, and the rest is history.  Sadly, Howell didn’t seem to learn this lesson, and thus he is now peddling HB6055, odds are with the same faulty logic.  This time, it is only the House of Delegates that are at issue, but Howell et al are still very, very wrong.

At present, the House of Delegates has 53 Republicans and two Independents who support them.  So Howell would need to lose at least three (and more likely, five) seats to be at risk of losing power.  Can it happen? I don’t think so, but I am certain that such a catastrophic loss is more likely if HB6055 were to pass, not less likely.  My reasons are as follows.

In Northern Virginia, the Republicans are worried about four districts: 40 (Tim Hugo), 42 (Dave Albo), 52 (Jeff Frederick – retiring), and 86 (Thomas Davis Rust).  However, three of the four (all but Frederick’s) are now considered competitive because of the HB3202 effect, not despite it.  Prior to 2007, Hugo had only faced on opponent once – in the 2002 special election, in which he won 67%.  After voting for HB3202, Hugo’s numbers fell ten points.  Rust scored over 60% in 2001 and 2003, and face no opponent in 2005; yet in 2007, this HB3202 supporter sank to 51%.  While Albo certainly had a difficult ride in 2005, his embarrassing behavior in 2007 would have certainly led to his early retirement if the Democrats had run a candidate against him.  As it was, a shocking 12% of voters in Albo’s district cast write-in ballots.

In all three cases, there is at least circumstantial evidence that the regional taxes of HB3202 damaged the party standard-bearers (the party might even want to consider low-tax alternatives to Rust and Albo at this point).  As for Frederick’s seat, it was highly competitive – until Frederick came out against HB3202; the seat then became a stone-cold, lead-pipe lock.  If Frederick’s wife runs for his seat, it is sure to stay that way.

Moreover, there is are at least three opportunities for pickups in NoVa: the 32nd, the 51st, and the 67th.  All three were very close races in 2007.  Odds are a Republican brand name not tainted by HB3202 could have claimed at least one of them.  Unless our nominees are similarly hampered by HB6055, all three could be in Republican hands.  The best evidence for this is in the 51st, where Paul Nichols could easily think HB3202 had nothing to do with his victory over Faisal Gill.  Yet he (Nichols) is taking no chances, opposing HB6055 and the Saslaw tax hike. 

So while Northern Virginia is certainly a challenge for Republicans; said challenge will be no easier with HB6055; in fact, it will probably be a lot harder.

Now conventional wisdom holds that the GOP will probably lose the Albo and Frederick seats, and possibly the Rust seat.  If you ask me, I would say the odds are against Albo and Rust (I make no predictions about replacement nominees), but I think the 52nd District is safe.  At worst, the GOP loses two seats in NoVa.  What conventional wisdom does not see is that those seats could be made up in a heartbeat.  Where you ask?

Why, in Hampton Roads – Virginia Beach to be exact, there are two seats that the Democrats won specifically due to HB3202: the 21st and 83rd.  In both cases, the GOP candidates (incumbent Jack Welch and Ken Stolle’s brother Chris, respectively), ran as proud defenders of the regional tax debacle, and voters responded by delivering two shocking upsets in favor of the Democrats.  Both seats are ripe for GOP picking – unless HB6055 is passed.

So, if HB6055 is defeated, the Republicans can likely expect to hold even – at worst.  More likely, voters in Northern Virginia, seeing the GOP stand for limited government and low taxes for the first time in 10 years, will reward them with surprising gains (well, surprising to all except me).  If Howell is telling his fellow Republican Delegates that the party needs to “do something” on transportation, he couldn’t be more wrong.

Cross-posted to the right-wing liberal

Actual solutions for transportation

We’ve mentioned Bob Marshall’s bills before, but there’s no reason not to highlight them again, as Jim Bowden has.

Cross-posted to the right-wing liberal

WHEN THEY SEE US, WHAT DO THEY SEE?

When they see us, what do they see?  Delegate Bob Marshall thinks he knows the answer.  He explains below in this email I just received from him.

Mr. Citizen Tom,

Taxpayers are not bottomless ATM machines.
By Del. Robert G. Marshall

Unless you contact House of Delegates members before July 9* you may be facing higher taxes and fees, not just from Democrats who want higher auto, sales, real property and gas taxes, but from Republicans too!

Virginia’s families face falling home prices, increased real property taxes, skyrocketing gas and food prices, an 18 per cent electric rate hike for Dominion, a 6.4% monthly increase in natural gas prices, almost five decades of federal deficit spending, and a devalued dollar.

Enough is enough.  Surely this is not the time for the General Assembly to be raising taxes and fees. 

If Virginia’s government cannot operate on 97 per cent of its $75.9 billion budget (2009-10), something is definitely wrong.  Three percent of that figure is $2.277 billion, or $1.14 billion that could be re-directed each year to fix roads and transit systems.

No democrat (SB 6009) or republican (HB 6055) tax proposal pending in the General Assembly raises more than $1.1 billion a year.  Also, the Assembly should support changing work schedules or telework, use toll- and fare-supported transportation bonds, set up bio-fuel capture centers, permanently make state government more efficient and spend the savings on roads and transit.

Here’s legislation pending in the House of Delegates to attack the problem without raising taxes:  

HJR 6007:  Lock up the Transportation Trust Fund so transportation dollars are not diverted for other means.  Over the last 18 years, more than $1.2 billion have been diverted to non-transportation uses. This must stop.

HB 6030:  Fund major transportation projects using bonds paid by tolls or rider fares; i.e., Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel expansion, I-81 truck improvements (trucks pay tolls), the Tri-County (Prince William-Fairfax-Loudoun) Connector, expansion of commuter rail in Northern Virginia to Haymarket, buying more Metro subway rail cars, etc. 

HB 6049: Allow naming rights for corporations and individuals willing to pay for building roads and other transportation projects, as is done for stadiums and school buildings.

Implement the 2002 Wilder Commission efficiency recommendations that were projected to currently save $1.1 billion annually without reducing services.

HB 6031: Require all tractor-trailers (including those from out of state) to pay a per-mile road maintenance and damage charge now being passed on to other Virginia drivers.

HB 6032:  Set up a permanent state oversight commission, similar to the federal cost-cutting BRAC Commission, to evaluate whether state holdings should be sold, to identify duplicate programs, and to cut unnecessary overhead while maintaining the same level of services.
 
HJR 6011: Stop burning food!  Request a waiver from the federal ethanol mandate.  Ethanol results in less mpg and increases food prices by diverting food to fuel. 

HJR 6008:  Assess methane resources now being wasted in Virginia that could be converted to fuel for cars/trucks.

Sadly, these and similar measures have been sent by Speaker Bill Howell to his Rules Committee, where he is simply sitting on them.  The result will be Democrat or Republican tax increases.  Let your elected officials hear from you.

To find out how to contact your state delegate and senator (or learn who they are) go to:
http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform

See http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?083+com+H20N01 for all bills referred to the House Rules committee for the special transportation session.  

 

Looking Ahead

From here.

As if HB6055 wasn’t bad enough, House Republicans may help pass Saslaw’s bill

Yes, you read that right, the Senate Democratic monstrosity that includes statewide and regional tax increases (including the Fredericksburg, Richmond, and SWAC areas) might actually pass the House of Delegates - thanks to Republican votes.

Nearly every Richmond Republican has insisted that the Senate bill has no chance of passing the House, and that Howell only sent it to the floor to embarrass House Democrats.  Yet Garren Shipley, the first fellow to actually give this disaster a chance to pass the House, still sees that chance (View from the Cheap Seats, h/t Norman Leahy at Tertium Quids):

Sen. Dick Saslaw, D-Springfield, is the author of the only revenue bill to pass either chamber, Senate Bill 6009. His bill would raise $1 billion or so a year by raising the gas tax by 1 cent per year over six years. It would also raise the general sales tax by 0.25 percent and lower the food tax by 0.5 percent.

That puts Saslaw is in the driver’s seat for Democratic plans. Democratic Gov. Timothy M. Kaine’s $1 billion per year plan was never introduced in the Senate and was summarily executed in a House committee.

That would normally be the fate of a gas-tax hike in the GOP-lead House, but GOP leaders have apparently grown tired of being labeled as obstructionists, and passed the bill on to the floor for an up or down vote, likely on either July 9 or 10.

Democrats in the House would need to peel off only six GOP votes to pass the measure, provided their caucus held together as solidly as their Senate counterparts did. And there are enough Republicans in Democratic trending districts in Northern Virginia to make any nose counts interesting.

The following paragraph - which, oddly enough, Norman drops from his excerpt – is the one that counts (emphasis added):

A number of GOP delegates have said quietly that there could well be enough defections to push it SB 6009 over the top. But that depends on Democrats holding their 45 members in line to vote for a gas tax hike when gas is more than $4 per gallon.

In other words, we could very well end up seeing House Republicans help pass SB6009S1 – unless House Democrats stop them.  Should SB6009S1 fail, we then get to see more House Republicans try to ram through HB6055, with likely more House Democrats mobilizing to block it.

Have the Republican Delegates really descended to the point where we need Democrats to save us from tax increases?  Can anyone really dispute that it is time for Bill Howell to go?

Cross-posted to the right-wing liberal

From the Desk of Bob Marshall

The man who should be Speaker had this to say about the transportation session (including the abomination known as HB6055):

Can Virginia fix transportation without raising taxes? Yes, but unless you contact House of Delegates members before July 9 you may be facing higher taxes and fees, not just from Democrats who want higher auto, sales, real property and gas taxes, but from Republicans too!

 

Tax/fee increases are in the Republican Transportation Bill, H.B. 6055 pushed by Republican Speaker Bill Howell. 

 

The bill authorizes Northern Virginia counties and cities to increase the sales tax on home and commercial property sales (grantor’s tax) of an additional $0.40 cents per $100 of the sale price.  Last year the Assembly authorized No VA localities to impose an additional tax on commercial real estate of $0.25 per $100 for roads and transit.    

 

This tax can never be rescinded by the local governments as long as there is any outstanding debt for Northern Virginia projects funded by this tax!

 

While HB 6055 provides that funds raised in No. VA are to be spent only for No VA transportation projects, it may be diverted to other uses and areas of Virginia “as may be required by any other law.”   HB 6055 also adds $100 to the cost of a new driver’s license. 

 

Hampton Roads residents will pay $20 more for a registration fee and $20 more for inspection fees.  HB 6055 authorizes a real estate tax increase on all property of $0.10 cents per $100.   It diverts up to $250 million in yet to be collected taxes from business and individuals in the cargo container business to Hampton Roads transportation projects.

 

With Virginia families facing falling home prices, increased real property taxes, skyrocketing gas and food prices, an 18% electric rate hike for Dominion, a 6.4% monthly increase in natural gas prices, almost five decades of federal deficit spending, and a devalued dollar, the General Assembly should not raise taxes and fees. 

 

If we say yes to a tax increase again, what happens when the next “crisis” happens a few years from now?  Enough is enough.  Taxpayers are not bottomless ATM machines.

 

Rather than raise taxes, the legislature should support changing work schedules, use toll and fare supported transportation bonds, set up bio-fuel capture centers in Virginia, make state government more efficient and spend the savings on roads and transit.

 

Here are some practical non-tax transportation proposals:  

 

HJR 6007:  Lock up the Transportation Trust Fund so transportation dollars are not diverted for other means.  More than $1.2 Billion has been diverted has been diverted to non-transportation uses over the last 18 years. This must stop.

 

HB 6030:  Fund major transportation projects using bonds paid by tolls or rider fares, i.e., Hampton Roads Bridge tunnel expansion, I-81 truck improvements (trucks pay tolls),  Tri-County –Prince William-Fairfax-Loudoun– Connector, expand commuter rail in No VA to Haymarket, buy more Metro Subway rail cars, etc. 

 

HB 6049: Allow naming rights in exchange for corporations and individuals paying for building roads and other transportation projects, just as is done for stadiums and school buildings.

 

Implement the 2002 Wilder Commission efficiency recommendations that were projected to currently save $1.1 Billion annually without reducing services.

 

Allocate a greater portion of state revenue to transportation.  Out of a 2-year budget of roughly $79 Billion, surely a greater percent could be allocated for transportation.

 

HB 6031: Require all tractor trailers (VA and out of state) to pay for a per mile road maintenance and damage charge which is now passed on to other Virginia drivers.

 

HB 6032:  Set up a permanent state oversight Commission, similar to the federal cost cutting BRAC Commission, to evaluate whether state holdings should be sold, identify duplicate programs, and cut unnecessary overhead while maintaining the same level of services.

 

HJR 6011: Stop burning food!  Request a waiver from the federal ethanol mandate.  Ethanol results in less miles per gallon and increases food prices from diversion of food to fuel.  (Speaker Bill Howell publically announced I would have all of 30 seconds—literally–to present this measure to his Rules Committee!)

 

HJR 6008:  Assess methane resources now being wasted in Virginia which could be converted to fuel for cars/trucks.

 

Unfortunately, despite Rule 37 of the House of Delegates which provides that: “The Clerk shall, under the direction of the Speaker, refer all such original papers (i.e. bills) to the proper committee…”  Nearly all bills introduced into the special session that would reduce expenses and use the money saved for roads and transit have been referred to the House Rules Committee, Chaired by Speaker Bill Howell, so he can kill them. 

 

See http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?083+com+H20N01 for all bills referred to the House Rules committee for the special transportation session.  For Delegate Marshall’s bills see http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?083+mbr+H57C.

 

To find out how to contact your state delegate and senator (or learn who they are) go to:

http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform

Cross-posted to the right-wing liberal

THE JOY OF DEADLOCK

No man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session. — Gideon J. Tucker

To find money to spend on transportation infrastructure, Governor Tim Kaine called a Special Session of the General Assembly.  What is the governor’s plan to resolve the so-called transportation funding crisis?  Taxes, taxes and more taxes.  Fortunately, thus far the General Assembly has not passed anything.  In fact, with its usual originality, the news media is lamenting that the General Assembly is “gridlocked” (see here and here for examples).  The Winchester Star, on the other hand, simply said “Gov. Timothy M. Kaine’s proposal has zero chance of success” (see here).  Plain prose can be so refreshing.

Here is how the happy taxer sees the situation.

Kaine, a Democrat, chose not to include a gas tax increase in the plan he introduced last month, saying at time that there was little legislative support for such an increase while gas prices are hitting $4 a gallon.

The governor, during a news conference Thursday, declined to endorse a gas tax increase, but suggested he might be willing to live with one if it’s part of a transportation package that provides ample money to maintain roads across Virginia and build new ones in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia.

“You’re not going to see me veto a bill that meets those objectives,” Kaine said.

The odds of the gas tax increase reaching Kaine’s desk are tiny, however. House GOP leaders strongly oppose raising that levy or any other general tax. (from here)

Unfortunately, Republicans still have not learned their lesson.  They too, want taxes, just not in their backyard.

The measure – proposed by Del. Phil Hamilton, R-Newport News – proposes no statewide tax increase or new roads revenues for Virginians outside of Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia.

The bill, HB6055, would allow Hampton Roads local governments to raise about $50 million a year by imposing additional $20 fees on vehicle registration and inspections, and a 2 percent tax on car rentals.

The measure also would allow the region to capture up to $250 million a year in future new tax revenues that might come from a growth in business at the Hampton Roads port if roads are improved.

The measure is likely to be opposed by rural legislators, who also are looking for road money, and by Senate Democrats, who are insisting on a combination of regional and statewide tax increases. (from here)

This special session designed to find new ways to tax us is now in recess.  The General Assembly will resume its search for new taxes on July 9.   Only you can stop them.  As Delegate Bob Marshall made clear in this email to his constituents, there are good alternatives to allowing these people to raid our wallets.

Delegate Bob Marshall’s Transportation Measures:
2008 Special General Assembly Session

Whether or not you will pay higher state or local taxes for transportation will depend upon what you do or fail to do in the next few days and weeks!

The Virginia General Assembly meets June 23, 2008 in a special session to consider various bills to address transportation.  The length of the session is yet to be determined.

Governor Tim Kaine and Senate Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly have different plans to increase your taxes for transportation purposes.  House Republican leaders want to give local governments in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads the authority to increase local taxes for transportation purposes.

Below are my measures to help commuters and travelers by investigating alternate fuels, increasing program efficiency to free up transportation funds, and constructing road and mass transit with tolls and user fees.  None of these measures increase taxes.  In fact, if all of the Wilder Commission efficiency measures could be implemented, at least $1.1 Billion could be saved, almost exactly the amount of tax revenue Governor Kaines proposes to raise.

If you agree with my proposals below, please contact your state senator and delegate and urge them to support one or more of my measures.  Click below to learn how to contact your state representatives: http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform

Contact me at delegatebobmarshall@hotmail.com if you have any questions.

I do not have bill numbers and specific language yet, but the bill numbers should be assigned by June 24th. .  They will be available at: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?083+mbr+H57C.

State Government Efficiency (money saved to go for transportation):

In 2002, the Wilder Commission recommended selling certain state assets, merging or reorganizing state agencies, and changing procurement practices to produce billions of dollars in savings. (In 2002, the savings was $750,000,000 annually; in 2008 savings would be $1.1 Billion).  Governor Wilder told me last summer that most of the recommendations were not implemented by either Governor Mark Warner or Governor Tim Kaine.  I have introduced several bills and joint resolutions that implement the Wilder reforms.  Any money saved or generated would be spent on transportation projects and maintenance.

Also, I have introduced a bill that creates permanent agency oversight commissions consisting of legislators, agency personnel, and citizens who will review agency operations for cost savings, duplication, and sale of capital assets.  Any money saved or generated would be spent on transportation projects and maintenance.

Road/Mass Transit Projects – Using Tolls/User fees — NOT tax increases:
$4.11 Billion Statewide Revenue Bond Projects to be repaid with easy-pass or cash tolls and portions of fares:  

Northern Virginia: 
Mass Transit:  $300 million capital expenditures for new Metro Subway rail cars and repair of existing track/stations;   $290 million Virginia Railway Express extension from Manassas to Haymarket, additional track, six locomotives and 36 double-decker, 80-passenger rail cars..
Roads:  $300 million to widen I-66 from Gainesville past Haymarket, and construct bypass  from I-66 to US Rt. 29 in Fauquier with easy-pass toll; $570 million for Tri-County Parkway between Prince William, Fairfax and Loudoun using the Comprehensive Plan Alignment.

Hampton Roads:
$2 Billion to construct four new lanes on I-64 Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (Congestion Relief)

Shenandoah Valley:
$550 Million for I-81 improvements for tractor trailers.  (Only trucks stopping at weigh stations would pay tolls.)

Southwest Virginia: 
$100 million to construct 20 mile four lane segment of Rt. 460 from west of Grundy to Kentucky line (460 is four lanes in Kentucky).

Tractor Tailor Road Damage and Repair Fees:  Requires the Department of Transportation, the Commonwealth Transportation Board and the Commissioner of Transportation to calculate the fees needed to cover the costs of maintaining Virginia Roads from use and damage from overweight trucks. Trucks will be required to stop at weigh stations.  Fees will be based on the truck weight, number of axles and miles driven.

Additional Non-Tax Transportation Measures:

Rescind Ethanol Mandate:  General Assembly to request the US Environmental Protection Agency to suspend the current Ethanol gasoline additive mandate authorized by federal law.  Ethanol decreases gas mileage and increases food prices.  My joint resolution does not need the Governor’s signature.  It is only presented and voted on by the House of Delegates and the State Senate.  (Gov. Kaine opposes lifting the EPA ethanol mandate.)

Biofuel:  General Assembly to study and identify all sources of methane gas in Virginia (animal feed lots, municipal waste treatment plants, and land fills) to develop alternate commercially available fuel sources for cars/trucks.  Other countries and some states are transforming waste to energy.

Four Day Work Week-Flex Time:  Requires the governor to implement, wherever practical, a voluntary four 10 hours work days (or five-day, 40 hour flex time) for state employees, to reduce fuel consumption and take cars off roads.

Naming Rights:   Allows the Commonwealth Transportation Board to accept cash or in-kind payments in exchange for naming rights of transportation projects (roads, bridges, traffic circles, access roads, etc.)

Transportation Lock Box:   Amendment to the Virginia Constitution prohibiting the shifting of dedicated transportation taxes/fees to non transportation uses, except that money may be diverted for up to three years and paid back to the Transportation trust fund with interest.   The $317 million in transportation funds diverted in 2002 by Gov. Warner and the state senate has not all been paid back.  I have worked more than 10 years for this proposal. 

Please contact your state delegate and senator if interested in supporting these bills. With your help, some or all of these measures could become law and improve transportation without tax increases.  Thanks very much.

Sincerely,

Delegate Bob Marshall