Manassas Journal Messenger | Money in works for roads, rail
By Michael Hardy
MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE
Gov. Mark R. Warner yesterday proposed an $824 million transportation plan to promote rail and transit, accelerate public-private road-building and pay off debt on completed highway projects.
Warner also wants to restore public confidence in the state’s troubled road program by stopping politicians’ periodic raids on the special highway trust fund and offer greater local management of road projects.
“If adopted by the legislature, this would be one of the largest infusions of revenue in transportation in Virginia history,” the Democratic governor said. It “will not solve all of our transportation needs, but it will change the way we do business.
“Virginia expects nothing less with precious transportation dollars,” said Warner, who has chanted a “mantra of on time and on budget” to the now remarkably improved Virginia Department of Transportation.
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“This plan will improve the quality of our citizens’ lives, ease traffic congestion and help sustain Virginia’s rebounding economy.”
But under his relatively modest attempt to begin solving the state’s many-billions-short transportation needs, Warner acknowledged that almost 80 percent of the new state and federal funds are one-time spending.
Approximately 40 percent of the total – about $374 million – flows from a state budget surplus, expected to be from $850 million to $1 billion. The bulk of the rest would come from federal dollars not earmarked for specific transportation projects.
Among other major components, the governor wants the General Assembly to allocate $256 million to erase debts from completed roads, $140 million to provide no-interest loans to attract private investments in public projects, and $147 million to replenish the transportation trust fund for withdrawals during the last three years.
Also, he wants the assembly, which begins its session Jan. 12 during his last full year in office, to endorse spending another $160 million split evenly between incentives for localities to build and manage roads and increased funding for more buses and passenger rail cars.
Another $97 million would be used to maintain and operate bridges, highways and neighborhood streets.
As expected, it does not include gas-tax increases or boosts in vehicle fees as Virginia prepares for next year’s critical elections to choose a new governor and all 100 members of the House of Delegates.
Bowing to political realities, Warner did not revive his proposal – nixed by the assembly last year – to transfer hundreds of millions of dollars in insurance premiums to transportation.
Reaction to the governor’s program – most of which he has discussed for weeks without providing costs and some details – was positive. Most welcomed it as the first attempt to deal with the state’s enormous transportation demands, though environmental advocates were troubled that the plan does not address land development.
“Essentially, it’s an effort to make a down payment and show that he hasn’t forgotten transportation,” said Robert D. Holsworth, a political analyst who teaches at Virginia Commonwealth University.
“It’s unlikely to be seen as a signature initiative,” said Holsworth, but rather as a recognition that Warner’s record tax increases, passed by the GOP-dominated assembly last spring, didn’t provide a single new dollar for transportation. “Everyone in the legislature and the governor wants to do something,” at the upcoming session.
House Minority Leader Franklin P. Hall, D-Richmond, said Warner could not be too ambitious because of next November’s elections.
“It is an election year, so people are going to be very reluctant to step up with new proposals to exact new revenue,” Hall argued.
Richard D. Daugherity III, a lobbyist for road builders, said in a written statement the Warner proposal “is not a transportation fix – it is a temporary measure that would provide some immediate relief.”
He went on to urge a “long-term, sustainable solution” to highway funding, though he did not offer a specific plan.
Lisa Guthrie of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters said the road program should include restrictions on sprawl.
“We hope in discussions of transportation funding, neither the governor nor the General Assembly will write a blank check to the development community,” she said.
The plan is a final-year initiative to recover from resounding defeats during his first year in office when residents of Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads voted against raising sales taxes in the regions to pay for transportation improvements.
No consensus has emerged yet to improve transportation. Borrowing leveraged by new surplus dollars, big increases in fines on bad drivers, tolls and increased vehicle user fees apparently are in the assembly’s transportation stew for consideration at its 46-day session.
Del. John S. Reid, R-Henrico, declared that “tolls will have to be on the table” to improve transportation, particularly in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia. He also said the state’s funding formula should be changed to increase the reimbursements to Henrico and Arlington for doing their own road maintenance.
Sen. Martin E. Williams, R-Newport News, who heads the Transportation Committee, said that “a one-time fix isn’t what we need.
“We need a long-term solution,” Williams said. “We’re heading for a meltdown if we don’t have” a guaranteed new funding source for transportation.
Contact Michael Hardy at (804) 649-6810 or [email protected]. Times-Dispatch staff writer Jeff E. Schapiro contributed to this report.
Warner also wants to restore public confidence in the state’s troubled road program by stopping politicians’ periodic raids on the special highway trust fund and offer greater local management of road projects.
“If adopted by the legislature, this would be one of the largest infusions of revenue in transportation in Virginia history,” the Democratic governor said. It “will not solve all of our transportation needs, but it will change the way we do business.
“Virginia expects nothing less with precious transportation dollars,” said Warner, who has chanted a “mantra of on time and on budget” to the now remarkably improved Virginia Department of Transportation.
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“This plan will improve the quality of our citizens’ lives, ease traffic congestion and help sustain Virginia’s rebounding economy.”
But under his relatively modest attempt to begin solving the state’s many-billions-short transportation needs, Warner acknowledged that almost 80 percent of the new state and federal funds are one-time spending.
Approximately 40 percent of the total – about $374 million – flows from a state budget surplus, expected to be from $850 million to $1 billion. The bulk of the rest would come from federal dollars not earmarked for specific transportation projects.
Among other major components, the governor wants the General Assembly to allocate $256 million to erase debts from completed roads, $140 million to provide no-interest loans to attract private investments in public projects, and $147 million to replenish the transportation trust fund for withdrawals during the last three years.
Also, he wants the assembly, which begins its session Jan. 12 during his last full year in office, to endorse spending another $160 million split evenly between incentives for localities to build and manage roads and increased funding for more buses and passenger rail cars.
Another $97 million would be used to maintain and operate bridges, highways and neighborhood streets.
As expected, it does not include gas-tax increases or boosts in vehicle fees as Virginia prepares for next year’s critical elections to choose a new governor and all 100 members of the House of Delegates.
Bowing to political realities, Warner did not revive his proposal – nixed by the assembly last year – to transfer hundreds of millions of dollars in insurance premiums to transportation.
Reaction to the governor’s program – most of which he has discussed for weeks without providing costs and some details – was positive. Most welcomed it as the first attempt to deal with the state’s enormous transportation demands, though environmental advocates were troubled that the plan does not address land development.
“Essentially, it’s an effort to make a down payment and show that he hasn’t forgotten transportation,” said Robert D. Holsworth, a political analyst who teaches at Virginia Commonwealth University.
“It’s unlikely to be seen as a signature initiative,” said Holsworth, but rather as a recognition that Warner’s record tax increases, passed by the GOP-dominated assembly last spring, didn’t provide a single new dollar for transportation. “Everyone in the legislature and the governor wants to do something,” at the upcoming session.
House Minority Leader Franklin P. Hall, D-Richmond, said Warner could not be too ambitious because of next November’s elections.
“It is an election year, so people are going to be very reluctant to step up with new proposals to exact new revenue,” Hall argued.
Richard D. Daugherity III, a lobbyist for road builders, said in a written statement the Warner proposal “is not a transportation fix – it is a temporary measure that would provide some immediate relief.”
He went on to urge a “long-term, sustainable solution” to highway funding, though he did not offer a specific plan.
Lisa Guthrie of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters said the road program should include restrictions on sprawl.
“We hope in discussions of transportation funding, neither the governor nor the General Assembly will write a blank check to the development community,” she said.
The plan is a final-year initiative to recover from resounding defeats during his first year in office when residents of Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads voted against raising sales taxes in the regions to pay for transportation improvements.
No consensus has emerged yet to improve transportation. Borrowing leveraged by new surplus dollars, big increases in fines on bad drivers, tolls and increased vehicle user fees apparently are in the assembly’s transportation stew for consideration at its 46-day session.
Del. John S. Reid, R-Henrico, declared that “tolls will have to be on the table” to improve transportation, particularly in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia. He also said the state’s funding formula should be changed to increase the reimbursements to Henrico and Arlington for doing their own road maintenance.
Sen. Martin E. Williams, R-Newport News, who heads the Transportation Committee, said that “a one-time fix isn’t what we need.
“We need a long-term solution,” Williams said. “We’re heading for a meltdown if we don’t have” a guaranteed new funding source for transportation.
Contact Michael Hardy at (804) 649-6810 or [email protected]. Times-Dispatch staff writer Jeff E. Schapiro contributed to this report.