Below The Beltway

Any idea that Governor Tim Kaine would take up the cause of changing the abusive driver fees that went into effect in July went out the window today:

RICHMOND, July 19 — Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and House Speaker William J. Howell, bitter political rivals who are fighting for control of the General Assembly this year, came together Thursday to try to quell the public outcry over the “abusive driving” fees aimed at drunken and reckless drivers.

The rare joint news conference by Kaine (D) and Howell (R-Stafford) was a dramatic effort by the state’s two most powerful politicians to restore the public’s confidence in the recently approved transportation plan, which both men see as key cornerstones of their legacies.

(…)

Since the fees took effect July 1, more than 130,000 people have signed an online petition demanding legislators repeal them or risk being voted out of office. Howell and Kaine are also under pressure from the base of their respective political parties as liberals and anti-tax conservatives have united to fight the fees, which can top $1,000.

But Howell and Kaine, sensing the entire $1 billion a year transportation deal could eventually collapse if they didn’t stick together, said Thursday they have no plans to repeal the fees.

They said the public misunderstands the fees, which are assessed on misdemeanor and felony driving convictions as well as anyone who gets eight or more points on their driving record.

Despite rumors, Howell and Kaine said, the fees will not apply for common traffic infractions, such as running a red light. But they will apply to offenses such as driving more than 20 miles over the posted limit, which can be considered reckless driving.

That last statement, of course, is completely false. In addition to fines imposed for convictions of Reckless Driving and DUI, the abuser fees also kick in when someone has a negative point balance of eight or more on their license, and those points are imposed for everything from speeding a few miles over the limit, to running a red light, to driving in an HOV lane. Yes, it takes some work to run up a -8 balance, but the right combination of moving violations will do it easily.

No mention, of course, was made by either the Governor or the Speaker of the fact that these fees only apply to Virginia drivers.

Meanwhile, even the New York Times is talking about how angry Virginians are getting:

ARLINGTON Va., July 18 — Call it the lead-footers’ rebellion.

Earlier this month, Virginia began imposing huge new fines — some as high as $2,500 — for residents caught driving 20 miles above the speed limit or engaging in other reckless driving.

The fines were to raise money for road projects, but they have also raised Cain, with more than 100,000 people having signed a petition calling for their repeal.

All 140 members of Virginia’s legislature are up for re-election in the fall, and some say they have been deluged with angry calls and e-mail from constituents threatening to vote them out of office if they do not ask Gov. Tim Kaine to call a special session of the legislature to reconsider the law.

“You have no idea how angry people are,” said Delegate Robert G. Marshall, Republican of Prince William County, who did not vote for the bill that included the new fines and is leading the call for a special session.

“Criminal and civil penalties shouldn’t be created for raising money,” Mr. Marshall said, adding that constituents had stopped him on the street and even in the post office and called his office to voice frustration with the new fines. “You don’t want to turn our police into gun-toting tax collectors. They’re supposed to be officers of the peace, nothing else.”

Novel concept.