A major transportation-funding bill won approval Monday from the Senate Transportation Committee, but the measure now goes to a Senate panel that killed an almost-identical proposal last week.
The Transportation Committee voted 9-5, along party lines, to send the House-approved bill to the Senate Finance Committee. Under Senate rules, all significant spending bills have to go through the finance panel before coming up for a floor vote.
The funding package, negotiated by Republican legislative leaders, would issue $2 billion in bonds, dedicate $556 million in surplus funds and increase the vehicle registration fee, diesel-fuel tax and penalties for bad drivers to fund transportation projects statewide.
It would also put $250 million a year out of the general fund toward transportation and earmark half of future surpluses for transportation. Northern Virginia could raise $400 million a year if every locality approved a series of tax and fee increases.
The package also includes a $10 increase in vehicle-registration fees, higher fines for drivers with several significant violations, and a $100 fee for new driver’s licenses (although teenage drivers are exempt from this provision).
The Senate Finance Committee killed a House bill enacting this package last week because members objected to the plan’s use of $250 million from the state’s general fund, which traditionally has been reserved for schools, health care and public safety.
“We need to fund transportation without destroying the commonwealth’s core programs,” Sen. Russell Potts, R-Winchester said.
Potts and other senators prefer increasing the gasoline tax, but the idea has no support in the House, where conservative lawmakers had to be convinced to support the higher fees and the provisions allowing counties and cities to increase taxes for transportation.
“The Senate basically wants us to compromise with them by agreeing to everything they want,” Del. David Albo, R-Springfield said. “Without this plan, there is no Metro to Dulles, no new lanes for I-66 or the Beltway, no new projects whatsoever because we don’t have any money for it.”
