Dear Friends, Virginians, citizens of Fairfax:
These days, trips to local destinations are in vogue again. Looking for something new and cheap?
Try "Something for Nothing Land." It's 100 miles straight south from Fairfax, just take the Broad Street exit when you hit Richmond.
There your kids can plan new highways, bridges and high-speed rail links. They can hold press conferences and make promises to local officials. They can draw up a "Six Year Plan" to put on VDOT's website. And here's the great part ...
No taxes are required!
Instead an agency can be privatized, balky state employees can be fired and input prices can magically disappear. All this will free up billions of dollars for public upgrades. At least in "Something for Nothing Land."
This may be satire. But so are the transportation plans circulated by certain candidates, including the latest from Bob McDonnell.
I'm not bashing all aspects of the plan. I support privatizing ABC and tolling on 95 at the North Carolina line. But the money gained is a symbol, not a solution. It's not going to change anything.
No, in order to reverse the massive shortfall we face, we must leave "Something for Nothing Land."
As I documented a month ago, the state is defaulting on its legal obligation to provide safe roads for its citizens. This deficit comes despite VDOT's reduction of 33% of its work force, abandonment of new projects and closing of all Virginia rest areas.
At the rate we're going, financial support from Richmond for local roads will cease by 2013. We will only be repaving highways to prevent D.C.-style potholes. Everything else will be a memory.
How did this happen?
Unlike the Federal government, we don't print money or run deficits in Virginia. Instead road funding comes from three main sources: the 17.5 cent tax on gallon of gas, the 3% titling tax on new car sales, and the half-penny on sales tax.
All of these revenue sources are in decline. As far as the gas tax (one-third of which comes from non-Virginia drivers), its purchasing power has fallen as motor vehicles improve in efficiency. That trend will only get accelerate with new CAFE standards.
You cannot change this dynamic with a "no new taxes" pledge. Nor with one-time payments from selling our ABC franchise. Nor is it possible to do it with better land use patterns, since replacing cars with urban transit is also cost-intensive.
You need a sustainable and statewide source of revenue to rebuild our transportation network -- with an allocation formula based upon need, not tradition.
And our next Governor must take the lead to make it happen. Otherwise, we'll just spend another summer in "Something for Nothing Land."
JCP Notes: This Saturday, August 1st, we are featuring the "Beat Joe Abbey" contest at the "Friends of the W&OD" 10K run, which is Saturday beginning at 6:30 on the trail in downtown Vienna. Details are here.
Our favorite campaign manager -- captain of the Deeds for Governor team -- will be there to run the course. You can run against Joe and then meet him afterwards at the Vienna Inn to catch up on campaign news (and sign up for volunteer opportunities).
They say he's unbeaten in Virginia. We'll see about that on Saturday.
It's peak season for door knocking. I am currently visiting folks in the Flint Hill precinct. If you see me, thanks for saying "hello" and providing some water. I'm learning a good bit.
We are here all summer. If you have a question or comment for my office, please contact us at www.fairfaxsenator.com or 703-349-3361. Or check our blog at www.oxroadsouth.com.
Let us know how we can represent you better.
Sincerely,
Chap Petersen
