Once again, in the name of so-called transportation reform, the Northern Virginia wing of the Republican Party has decided to lay the screws into the rest of us:
RICHMOND, Jan. 18 — Senate and House Republicans proposed a multibillion-dollar transportation plan Thursday that would raise taxes and fees in Northern Virginia, impose stiff fines on bad drivers and launch a round of borrowing to build the state’s most-needed road projects.
After weeks of negotiations, long-feuding GOP leaders who control both chambers of the General Assembly said they will also push for localities’ authority to control sprawl and for changes aimed at making the state’s transportation department more efficient.
The lawmakers’ plan, if approved, would be the first time in 21 years that the state has poured substantial amounts of money into new road and transit projects that could one day improve the region’s commutes. But it is far from a done deal, drawing cautious praise from Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) and concern from Democrats and conservative, anti-tax Republicans.
“This really has been a remarkable occurrence,” said House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford), who is leading the GOP effort despite past objections to tax increases.
If adopted by the General Assembly before it adjourns Feb. 24, the proposal for more than $1 billion of new transportation money every year could ease traffic congestion across the state and in the Washington area by widening freeways, expanding Metro, adding local routes and clamping down on the sprawl that contributes to maddening morning and afternoon traffic jams.
“They haven’t abandoned Northern Virginia,” Del. David B. Albo (R-Fairfax) said of his fellow lawmakers who crafted the proposal for a historic investment in the road and transit network. “In fact, what they’ve done is come and save us, basically, and get us out of this gridlock.”
By um, let’s see, raising taxes. Yea, that works.
Remind me again why I should vote for these people.
January 18th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
Hey, what works for the National Republicans works in Virginia. Who has the majority in the U.S. Congress after the 2006 election? Oh, yeah. Majorities: Easy come, easy go.
January 18th, 2007 at 11:30 pm
Albo’s nonsense makes me wish I still lived in Lorton; running against him in the primary would have been a lot of fun.
January 18th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
[...] Doug at Below the Beltway says it’s Another Sellout by Northern Virginia Republicans. [...]