News coverage

A number of upcoming decisions in transportation policy may affect us here in northern Virginia. At the state level, Governor Kaine has called a special session of the General Assembly for June 23^rd to deal with transportation funding shortfalls, some of which resulted from a February 29th Virginia Supreme Court decision that invalidated the 2007 law that raised revenue dedicated to transportation in our region. He has also released his own funding proposals which include a 1% statewide increase in the sales tax on cars (from 3% to 4%) that would raise an additional $400-$500 million annually; the dedication of all revenue from the sales tax on cars to road maintenance; a $10 statewide increase in the annual car registration fee; a 25 cent statewide increase in the grantor’s tax with a substantial portion of it dedicated to transit; and a 1% regional retail sales tax increase (excluding food and medicine) in northern Virginia and Hampton Roads that would replace the dedicated regional funding struck down by the Supreme Court. All the Governor’s proposals will include a lockbox mechanism so that they will be used only for transportation.

On May 7^th the Hampton Roads (Norfolk area) and northern Virginia legislative delegations met to discuss and establish principles to guide our deliberations for the upcoming special session. The delegations agree that there must dedicated and sufficient revenue sources specific to each region.  (Since the Supreme Court’s action that invalidated the funding power of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, our region has lost about $1 million a day!)  We also agreed on the need for statewide funding for maintenance.

The main points of contention in the upcoming Special Session of the General Assembly are sure to be the sources of revenue and whether the solutions should address statewide shortfalls or just correct legal problems at the regional level so that northern Virginia and Hampton Roads jurisdictions can raise the revenue for their areas. The May 7^th meeting of the joint delegation adopted the principle of including both regional and statewide solutions because we will continue to see our road construction funds siphoned off to pay for maintenance in other parts of the state unless we address the whole problem. Think of trying to fill a bathtub while the drain is open!

The Washington Post endorsed Margi’s candidacy:

"The more impressive is Margaret G. Vanderhye, an articulate, knowledgeable Democrat who has been a key player on transportation, land use and environmental issues in Northern Virginia and whose civic activism has benefited teens, cancer patients and military families."

The Fairfax County Times endorsed Margi today.  They said:

"Our choice is Margi Vanderhye, who brings energy, vision and real-world experience to a legislative body in dire need of all three traits.