KEY
TRANSPORTATION MEASURES INTRODUCED
House Republican leaders have introduced a series of
bills as their approach to solving the transportation
problem:
LAND USE/GROWTH CONTROL
HB
2777 patroned by Delegate Clay Athey (R-Front
Royal) would allow localities to gain more efficient and
effective use of existing infrastructure and roads by
providing for the adoption of land use policies that
focus growth in pre-designated urban development areas.
HB
2680 patroned by Delegate Jeff Frederick
(R-Prince William) would create a pilot program
permitting participating localities to assess impact
fees on development in areas that are currently more
rural and less densely populated. In addition to
impact-fee revenues, participating counties would
receive funding from the state-and potentially the
ownership of current equipment from the Virginia
Department of Transportation (VDOT)-to maintain
secondary roads within new "urban transportation
service districts."
HB
1886 patroned by Delegate Bob Marshall
(R-Manassas) would place a moratorium on the acceptance
of new roads created by development into the VDOT-maintained
system.
TRANSPORTATION FUNDING
Represented as a "compromise" the Speaker
has introduced legislation that would provide a series
of funding measures for transportation. The legislation
takes more than $250 million each year from general fund
programs and would strap the state with over $2 billion
in debt, to be paid back by VDOT from "new"
revenues. While the proposed legislation contains about
$600 million in proposed new funding for transportation
for Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, it contains
less that $190 million in reliable, sustainable,
dedicated, new statewide funding for transportation.
Ironically, that is about the same amount of new debt
service VDOT would incur. The summary below highlights
the funding elements. The entire bill can be found at HB
3202.
| Recurring
New Revenue |
| General Funds |
$250 million/year
starting in 2008 |
| Diesel Fuel Taxes |
$20 million (equalizing
with gas) |
| Abusive Driver Fees |
$61 million |
| Higher Registration
Fees and Penalties on Heavy Trucks |
$30 million |
| Vehicle Registration
Fee Increase |
$71 million |
|
|
| Budget
Surplus |
| 50% of
Future Non-Recurring Surplus Dedicated to
Transportation |
| 2008 |
$227 million |
| Future |
$64 million (est.) |
|
|
| One-Time
Investment |
| 2006 Budget Carry-Over |
$339 million |
|
|
| Bonding |
| Debt
service to be paid by VDOT from increased revenues |
| First Issue (2008-2012) |
$1.3 billion |
| Second Issue (2012) |
$300-400 million/year |
|
|
| Regional
Funding Packages |
| Funding to
come from a variety of sources, such as increases
in rental car fees, real estate assessments, car
registration fees, etc. |
| Northern Virginia |
$389 million/year |
| Hampton Roads |
$209 million/year |
VDOT REFORM
VDOT reform measures include the establishment of
measurable goals to relieve highway congestion;
outsourcing/privatization of VDOT functions; expedited
state environmental review process for highway
construction projects; fully automated electronic
operation of Virginia toll facilities; the
reconsideration and reassignment of road classification
based on a road's functionality; and, General Assembly
input on the appointment of Commonwealth Transportation
Board members.
OTHER TRANSPORTATION LEGISLATION
Dozens of other transportation bills have been
introduced. More updates will follow this one. For a
list of the transportation bills that have been
introduced so far got to: Transportation
Legislation |
