RICHMOND – Five Democrats are among the 17 senators sponsoring the Senate version of Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell’s transportation funding proposal.
State senator Mark Herring (D-eastern Loudoun) isn’t among them at this time. But Jill Holtzman-Vogel (R-western Loudoun) is.
McDonnell last week called attention to the Democrats’ sponsorship as evidence that his plan has bipartisan support.
“There are no Democratic or Republican roads,” McDonnell said in a statement.
“Our citizens need new roads to get to work on time, and home to their families a little earlier. Our businesses need new roads to expand their operations, create good-paying jobs and get our economy moving again. The broad list of legislators from both sides of the aisle who are leading the effort to pass this transportation plan is indicative of the fact that while many issues get political in Richmond, transportation should not be one of them.”
Senate Bill 1446, the Omnibus Transportation Funding Bill, has two chief patrons: Sen. Charles Colgan (D-Manassas), who chairs the Senate Finance Committee; and Sen. William Wampler Jr. (R-Bristol.)
In addition, the Senate bill has 15 co-sponsors: Democrats Ralph Northam of Norfolk, Phillip Puckett of Tazewell, Roscoe Reynolds of Martinsville and Edd Houck of Spotsylvania; and Republicans Walter Stosch of Glen Allen, Steve Martin of Chesterfield, Ryan McDougle of Mechanicsville, Steve Newman of Lynchburg, Tommy Norment of Williamsburg, Bill Stanley of Moneta, Richard Stuart of Westmoreland, John Watkins of Midlothian, and Jeff McWaters and Frank Wagner of Virginia Beach, and Vogel.
In the House, the transportation funding proposal is House Bill 2527. That measure’s sole patron is House Speaker Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg).
According to McDonnell’s press release, the Omnibus Transportation Funding Bill would create a transportation fund by initially using $150 million from the 2010 budget surplus and $250 million from the Virginia Department of Transportation. Raising future funds would require Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle bonds, also known as GARVEE bonds.
GARVEE bonds are when states borrow against future grants from the federal government, though those funds are not always guaranteed.
Twenty-two states use GARVEE bonds to fund their highways projects.
Herring has been a dysfuntional legislator. So expect little from him on roads, other than him trying to make it seem like he’s doing something. He’s dysfunctional.
Last month, he voted against allowing families to own a BB-gun. I kid you not.
Democrats have been dysfuntional on roads for Loudoun. Governor Warner removed Rt. 7 from the improvement plan. Governor Kaine misplaced almost $1B in road funds.
For anyone who cares about transportation in Loudoun, Governor McDonnell is good news.
Delagate Black has done more for roads in Loudoun than anyone. Just look at his record. No one compares to his record on roads, jobs and business. Liberals may try to misrepresent his record, but it speaks for itself.
Businesses imposed a tax on themselves for Route 28 because it was so bad. Dick Black just allowed them to hand the money over to the state. Then he trotted around like he fought hard in Richmond to secure it.
You conservative free-marketers should stop glossing over this. This is basically your fantasy at work. The road was so bad, that business decided to fix it themselves so it didn’t hurt them. They didn’t need no stinkin gubmint getting involved.
Dick Black had nothing to do with improving RT 28. Dick Black was too busy surfing reptilian pornography in our local libraries and setting up costly law suits for the county to unsuccessfully defend. ... but I’ll be glad to comment on the Governors plan to mortgage our children’s future for asphalt.
All this harping from Conservatives about our debt and not living within our means, yet they want to BORROW 3,000,000,000 instead of merely raising the gas tax to the level of surrounding states. It boggles the mind how a person could buy the argument that borrowing on a Federal level is bad bad bad, yet a State borrowing against money it MIGHT receive from the Federal Government is hunky dory.
Shocking how easily the GOP can play a shell game with their base, who willingly come back for more ever time, holding their hands over their ears so they won’t hear that the game is fixed.
La La la la Dick Black built the RT 28 overpasses with his bare hands out of his signs he saved after protesting at women’s clinics la la la la
@Frank W. - What does this article have to do with Dick Black? Why are you obsessed with him? You may not like him, but it was his bills that turned Rt. 28 from a nightmare into a great freeway to travel on. This is a solid idea from the governor. Why not comment on that? Like it, don’t like it? Or we can drag your personal dislike for Dick Black into it. If the governor does another major road improvement like Rt. 28 for Loudoun County let’s get behind it!
Delegate Black worked hard to get legislation and funding through the Virginia statehouse for business, jobs and transportation in Loudoun. He authored the following laws which were funded by expanding the tax base without a tax hike:
HB 2150 for $104.1 million to finance transportation projects in Loudoun County; HB 1287 for Route 28 transportation improvement projects; HB 735 to disburse funds for Route 28 transportation improvements; HB 426 for $500.2 million for Route 28 freeway projects; HB 1418 for additional highway construction projects along Route 28; HB 188 to ensure funds for Loudoun freeway improvement projects are distributed on the basis of vehicle miles traveled per lane-mile; HB 1972 for additional interchanges in Loudoun County including Route 28/Sterling Boulevard interchange (overpass) in Loudoun County and Route 28/Waxpool Road flyover.
Senator Mims and others say Black has done more for Loudoun transportation than anyone.
Dick Black passes bill by a sharp glance at the governor. No votes are needed. No bipartisanship is necessary. Dick Black has spoken. It must be done. Taxes aren’t needed. The money appears like magic.
With 12 Republicans on the committee I fear all you will hear during the meetings will be a strong and loud chorus of nothing but NO, no, no to everything
Herring also voted to raise business taxes. We need a Republican in his seat, someone who can work with the Governor to improve transportation in Loudoun.
He said - she said entertains a few people keeping score I see re: newbie and concerned taxpayer.
In the case of the real needs of Virginia’s economy, McDonnell’s plan is a step too little too late for sure but at least its a step. It takes a Republican to commit government to debt to be OK.
This uses a portion of a tax on car insurance that was already diverted from paying for something else. As the article states “Raising future funds would require…GARVEE bonds”. “GARVEE bonds are when states borrow against future grants from the federal government, though those funds are not always guaranteed.”
So, his plan uses money that is diverted from elsewhere in the budget to pay for borrowed funds plus future money will have to be money borrowed based on potential future federal grants. Not an ongoing plan for growth for certain. But at least its loyal to a basic GOP value - don’t pay.
Correct, Newbie. Herring put his name on the press release regarding the Sycolin Road and Belmont Ridge inter changes, and the Times Mirror editorial writer completely fell for it and gave him kudos, when in reality the funding was worked out by Sean Connoghton and Scott York. So, this allows Herring to look good on local projects, but then vote down the package and side with his fellow Democrats.
Hmm. ANOTHER reason not to support Sen. Herring!
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