Today’s Washington Post reports that Northern Virginia political leaders are worried that last year’s transportation plan may unravel when the General Assembly reconvenes in January:
Lawmakers and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D), who helped push through the legislation, have agreed to at least adjust and possibly repeal the abusive-driving fees, which apply across Virginia and were intended to raise more than $60 million annually for statewide road work.
As the 2008 session approaches, some Northern Virginia politicians worry that overhauling those fees will open up the entire package to review, including its most crucial component for the Washington region. Northern Virginia is to begin collecting the seven new regional taxes and fees starting Jan. 1. They are intended to pour an estimated $300 million annually into the transportation network of Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Arlington counties and Alexandria.
The regional package gives local governments three additional powers: to raise the tax rate on commercial properties and to levy a local vehicle registration fee and impact fees on builders, to cover the cost of roads needed to serve their new houses.
Those measures combined are expected to raise an additional $100 million.
“This was a very, very, very difficult thing to achieve,” said Del. David B. Albo (R-Fairfax), who played a key role pushing the legislation through. “I cannot risk having it unwound.”
(…)
The fear, officials said this week, is that if part of the transportation package is revised, those interest groups also will seek to change the portions affecting them. The results could be disastrous for road and rail improvements in Northern Virginia, they said.
Or, it could require the General Assembly to make political choices that don’t involve playing one interest group off of another.
