patching...
Welcome back, Patch Blogger!

Transportation Funding

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Divided Virginia Senate Approves Transportation Overhaul

Annandale legislators Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-Springfield) and Sen. Dave Marsden (D-Burke) supported the legislation.

By Stephen Nielsen, Capital News Service A divided Virginia Senate on Saturday passed Gov. Bob McDonnell’s signature issue of the 2013 legislative session – a bill to overhaul the state’s system for funding transportation. Just hours before the session’s end, the Senate voted 25-15 for House Bill 2313, which will raise about $880 million a year more for roads and mass transit by increasing sales taxes while lowering the fuels tax. The debate over how to increase revenue continued right up to the vote. Annandale-area Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-Springfield) and Sen. Dave Marsden (D-Burke) supported the legislation; Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax) voted against it. “This isn’t any bill. This is the only bill,” said Senate Majority Leader Thomas …

Frederick C. Cassiday

8:41 am on Sunday, February 24, 2013

northern Va. just took it in the ear again.   more ›

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Annandale Area Lawmakers Talk Transportation at Legislative Town Hall

Del. Kaye Kory and Sen. Dick Saslaw and Sen. Dave Marsden delivered a mid-session update to residents about current issues in the Virginia General Assembly.

Transportation and education dominated the conversation Saturday at a town hall meeting at Sleepy Hollow Woods Elementary School featuring Del. Kaye Kory (D-38th), Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-35th), and Sen. Dave Marsden (D-37th). Around 100 residents filled the Lecture Hall to listen to the Northern Virginia legislators deliver a mid-session update on current issues in the Virginia General Assembly. Each representative noted that without a balanced transportation plan, Northern Virginia will be unable to maintains its roadways.  Saslaw criticized Gov. Bob McDonnell’s proposed transportation bill, arguing that the plan would take more than 30 percent of its money from the state’s General Fund which is used toward public schools, higher education, …

Beth Abrahms

2:49 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013

Please let's have a little truth in labelling here. This is nothing more than a Democratic positioning of the General Assembly session and a blame game. Saslaw was such a baby that he helped kill the transportation bill - and offered no alternative. For the most powerful D in Richmond, as he calls himself, he's not solving our transportation woes. He's adding to them. And for Kaye Kory to call …   more ›

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

McDonnell Plan Cuts Gas Tax, Raises Sales Tax

Virginia governor's proposed $3.1 billion transportation overhaul gives higher percentage of sales tax to projects, leaves tax on diesel in tact.

By Mark Robinson, Capital News Service  RICHMOND – With the General Assembly set to convene, Gov. Bob McDonnell proposed Tuesday increasing Virginia’s sales tax and abolishing its nearly 27-year-old gas tax, making Virginia the first state in the country to do so. The measures are a part of the governor’s proposed $3.1 billion plan to fund improvements to Virginia’s transportation system over the next five years. The funds would supplement $14 billion of transportation projects already under way in the commonwealth, the most in Virginia’s history. “Declining funds for infrastructure maintenance, stagnant motor fuels tax revenues, increased demand for transit and passenger rail and the growing cost of major infrastructure projects …

Laura

10:01 am on Tuesday, January 29, 2013

the plan to increase sales tax to make up for dropping the gas tax is regressive. People still have to buy food & clothing, and our lower-income families are going to be hit harder. Let the people who use the roads pay for the roads - that is what the gas tax does.   more ›

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Your Turn: You Come Up with Transportation Funding

Fairfax County is asking residents to weigh in with a survey.

Fairfax County faces an estimated $3 billion gap in transportation funding over the next decade, and officials are now seeking ways to raise funds. From now until fiscal year 2021, the county has $8.1 billion in needs but anticipates only $5.1 billion in revenues, Fairfax County Department of Transportation Director Tom Biesiadny said. Funding from the state or federal governments is unlikely to come through. Fairfax County is asking residents to complete a survey so officials can learn how to fund these transportation improvements. There are 20 options to fund transportation improvements, including the following: Residents have until 4:30 p.m. Oct. 12 to complete the survey. To take the survey, click here. Patch wants to know: How would …

Sally Spangler

3:20 pm on Thursday, October 4, 2012

Funding new roads? How about all the out of state cars that belong, obviously to people/families living in Fairfax County, but pay NO COUNTY TAXES! It used to be that every fall the police were parked in front of Gunston Elementary School and checked tags, driver's licenses, and driver IDs. NO Virginia information proving the car and driver were actually living in Fairfax County meant a fine and …   more ›

Got a Hot Tip?