State Del. Jim LeMunyon may have the support of some weary motorists on proposed legislation that would put the fate of toll road increases in the hands of county leaders, but Loudoun supervisors said Wednesday they won’t share the lane.
The board, saying the legislation could jeopardize funding for a Metrorail extension and put retirement funds tied to bonds financing the Dulles Greenway in danger, voted 7-1-1 to not back LeMunyon’s House Bill 1539.
The bill, if passed, would prevent additional toll increases on the Dulles Toll Road and the Dulles Greenway unless first approved by the Fairfax and Loudoun County Board of Supervisors.
“This bill is designed simply to cause trouble and to put on the back of local governments any backlash at home on fare increases that may be necessary to fund the Metrorail,” Supervisor Jim Burton (I-Blue Ridge) said.
Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling) voted to support the legislation. Supervisor Lori Waters (R-Broad Run) abstained.
“The man [LeMunyon] has been responding to what we’ve been asking for nine to zero,” Delgaudio said. “So why we shouldn’t be supporting this is beyond my imagination.”
LeMunyon (R-southern Loudoun/Fairfax) prefiled the the bill in the state General Assembly on Dec. 30.
The bill now sits in the state Committee on Transportation.
The intent of HB1539, LeMunyon said, is to keep traffic off already congested roads like Interstate 66 and Route 7. Commuters are opting for gridlock, the delegate said, to avoid paying higher tolls.
Tolls on the Dulles Toll Road increased for the second year in a row on Jan. 1, forcing drivers to shell out $1.25 at the main toll plaza. Toll rates on the on/off ramps remain at 75 cents.
The increase is part of a three-year schedule approved by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Board of Directors in November 2009 to help fund the extension of Metrorail into Loudoun County.
Drivers should expect a third rate increase on Jan. 1, 2012.
On the Dulles Greenway, a privately owned road, the price for two-axle vehicles has increased 400 percent since it opened 15 years ago. Base tolls are now as high as $4.50.
The 14-mile road, owned by the Australian company, Macquerie Group, is considered one of the most expensive in the country.
Not all supervisors agree with the price structure on the Dulles Greenway, but still opted to shun LeMunyon’s bill for fear of its economic impact on the county should Metrorail not be extended.
“I appreciate where I think [LeMunyon’s] heart is on this. We have said that on many occasions we’re concerned about the steep rates on the Dulles Greenway. We have asked over and over for them to take a look at incremental tolling so people who are using two miles of it aren’t paying the same rate as those who are using the full distance and they refuse to do it,” Chairman Scott York (I-at large) said. “At the same token, they have used bonds to build this road. They currently were using bonds to do improvements on the toll road as well as Metrorail. You can’t have no assurity in the process when it involves payment of bonds and unfortunately this particular bill jeopardizes the rail project and future funding of the projects of this area.”
“...put retirement funds tied to bonds financing the Dulles Greenway in danger.”
They have got to be kidding. Is anyone falling for that sob story? Hey, the tolls I pay could be going into my retirement fund!
LeMunyon’s bill will not kill the Metro to Loudoun. It will only force a restructuring of who pays for it. The original amount to be funded with tolls was about $650 million, or about 20% of the total, but now it has ballooned to nearly $3.7 billion, or 57% of the new total! It’s highway robbery putting a strain on many working family finances. Meanwhile, the MWAA - the main beneficiary of the rail line - is still only on the hook for 4.1%. They should fork over at least 25% of the cost.
Interesting that it was a vote NOT to back a bill, instead of a vote TO back a bill.
Most of the angst seemed to be on who the public would hold accountable, or cause to “feel the heat”. Some of the supes who had the most negative to say seemed most concerned with a perception of accountability.
Interesting, especially in light of Miller’s final comment today that he would not be running for supe again, but was looking to see where the state district lines fell.
Remember the Supervisors who voted against keeping money in your pocket come election time. The reason they wont back this bill is that they too want your earnings but without looking like it.
A VOTE AGAINST HOLDING OTHERS ACCOUNTABLE is a vote against the board itself. Fellow Loudouners, do you think charging for one of two ways to work and back is right? We need a complete change of leadership with people who are actually interested in representing us.
By the way, have you heard about the new red light toll in Leesburg? You’ll need to put a quarter in the box to make it go green soon. Hey, it’s a tough economy and that must make it right, right?
I agree that Lemunyon’s heart is in the right place. The price of our bond rating is too high to pay and shifting the decision change rates to the local BOS just politicizes an already horrible situation.
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