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Huge Shortfall in Transportation Funding for Maintenance Needs
VDOT has issued its 2009 Biennial Report on the Condition of and Investment Needed to Maintain and Operate the Existing Surface Transportation Infrastructure for FY 2011 and FY 2012. This report identifies the investment needed to maintain and operate the commonwealth's transportation network for which the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is responsible.
The report estimates the annual investment needed to maintain and operate the VDOT maintained network for FY 2011 and FY 2012 is $1.885 billion and $1.899 billion, respectively, or a total biennial investment of $3.784 billion.
With the current FY 2010 budget at $1.360 billion and proposed FY 2011 and FY 2012 budgets of $1.410 billion and $1.451 billion, respectively, the gap between needs and available funds is approximately $923 million over the FY 2011-2012 biennium.
View the entire report.
This is just one more example that it's time for a solution to the commonwealth's transportation funding crisis.
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Candidate News: Responses to VBT's Candidates Questionnaire
Virginians for Better Transportation (VBT) recently disseminated a transportation specific questionnaire to all candidates running for the House of Delegates as well as all of the candidates running for Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General.
So far, this is what we have heard…
The following candidates rated the importance of finding a transportation funding solution(s) as a 10 or higher on a scale from 1-10 (10 being highest):
- Del. Danny C. “Dan” Bowling (Democrat - 3rd District)
- Dr. Greg Marrow (Democrat - 25th District)
- Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter (Republican - 31st District)
- Del. Kenneth R. Plum (Democrat - 36th District)
- Cynthia Neff (Democrat - 58th District)
- John O. Parmele, Jr. (Independent – 82nd District) and Del. Harry R. “Bob” Purkey (Republican - 82nd District)
- French D. Mackes, Jr. (Constitution – 85th District)
- Del. G. Glen Oder (Republican - 94th District)
Will Smith (Constitution - 19th District) and Del. David J. Toscano (Democrat - 57th District) rated the importance of finding a transportation funding solution(s) as a nine.
Craig E. Ennis (Independent/Green - 28th District) rated the importance of finding a transportation funding solution(s) as an eight and rising.
Breakdown of supported methods of generating revenue for transportation funding by candidate:
Del. Danny C. “Dan” Bowling wrote, “I will vote for any plan that can get enough votes to pass the House of Delegates. I will not vote for flawed plans that can not pass. Any plan I support must be statewide and sustainable.”
Dr. Greg Marrow would support increasing the tax base with green collar job creation as well as departmental efficiency audits.
Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter would support PPTA, tolls, gas tax (with reform to the current system), General Fund allocations, bonds, fee based ideas and sales of ABC stores.
Del. Kenneth R. Plum would support Public Private Transportation Act (PPTA) funding, tolls, gas tax and sales tax, bonds, special tax districts and vehicle miles driven tax.
Cynthia Neff would support General Fund allocations, bonds, making numerous revenue-neutral modifications to the way the commonwealth funds transportation, such as shifting away from newly low-impact funding sources like unleaded gas taxes and toward high-impact funding sources like taxes on diesel fuel.
John O. Parmele, Jr. would support tolls, gas tax, bonds and increased fines for willful driving infractions (speeding, DUI, reckless driving, etc.). A two to three cent (negotiable) per gallon increase in the state’s 17.5 cent per gallon current tax, and more (click link below to read full response).
Del. Harry R. “Bob” Purkey would support PPTA, tolls, gas tax (if the money generated would stay in Hampton Roads), General Fund allocations, and bonds.
French D. Mackes, Jr. would support General Fund allocations, bonds and a reduction in state spending elsewhere (for example, the Virginia Information Technologies Agency) and instead spending that taxpayer money on transportation.
Del. G. Glen Oder would support PPTA, tolls, General Fund allocations, bonds, and the allocation of 30 percent of future revenues from growth areas of our economy.
Will Smith wrote, “I would eliminate the wasteful, redundant spending by the commonwealth and use the money to fund our transportation shortfall.”
Del. David J. Toscano would support PPTA, tolls, gas and sales tax, General Fund allocations and bonds.
Craig E. Ennis would support General Fund allocations.
To read more from what the candidates wrote on their completed questionnaires, click here.
VBT will provide additional responses we receive in future blast e-mails and on our Web site.
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What the Candidates are Saying
- Tidewater News: In an article that addresses the race for the 64th District House of Delegates seat, Democratic candidate Del. William “Bill” Barlow said, “(Transportation) has been an ongoing issue for more than a decade. And it’s not getting any better, it’s getting worse.” He also said that transportation is directly linked to the economic well being of the region as well as the quality of life.
In the same article, Republican candidate Stan Clark said, that transportation is an issue that hasn’t been fully addressed. However, a down economy “is never a good time to start looking for another revenue stream,” but if policies are enacted that lead to job creation and a re-energized economy, then there could be more money for roads. To read the entire article, click here.
- The News Leader: In an article that addresses a recent debate between the candidates for the 20th District House of Delegates seat, Democratic candidate Erik Curren and Republican candidate Del. Richard P. “Dickie” Bell both agreed finding money to support infrastructure projects and fix roads is a difficult but important task for the General Assembly. Although the two both said the state could save money by not following through with plans to widen Interstate 81, the candidates differed on proposals to find new revenue sources. To read the entire article, click here.
- Leesburg Today: In an article that addresses both gubernatorial candidates’ presentations during a recent Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce forum, Democratic candidate Creigh Deeds said, he seeks to end years of partisan friction over transportation funding options by forming a bipartisan task force similar to the process used successfully by Gov. Gerald Baliles to tackle the issue in 1986. The panel would be appointed after the new governor takes office in January with leaders from both parties tasked to develop a workable plan.
In the same article, Republican candidate Bob McDonnell said that tax increases would not be a part of his solution as governor. Instead, he wants to redirect existing revenue, including a portion of the state's sales tax, back to highly congested regions. To read the entire article, click here.
For more information about the transportation funding crisis or Virginians for Better Transportation, call 804-237-1399 or click here to visit the It's Time Web site.
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