Publicly, Virginia politicians promise they can agree on a funding solution for transportation during the coming General Assembly session. Privately, however, lawmakers’ aides and legislative observers doubt a deal can be reached because Gov. Tim Kaine and General Assembly members disagree so much on basic funding issues.
The divide appeared publicly Friday when Kaine presented his fiscal 2008 budget plans to legislators. He promised to have a proposal by next month to generate money for transportation. The plan would be similar to one he pushed earlier this year that the House of Delegates Finance Committee killed. Kaine’s proposal would have raised the sales tax on vehicles to fund transportation projects.
“In the last session I got everything else on my agenda done except transportation,” the governor told reporters after his speech. “I am hopeful we will agree on a long-term funding solution to meet Virginia’s transportation needs.”
House Majority Leader H. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, responded by saying he, too, thinks agreement on transportation funding can be reached but does not think raising taxes or fees is the answer.
“If the governor tries that again, it will reopen a wound from a battle that has already been fought,” he said.
Some House Republicans, including many from Northern Virginia, think the state should sell bonds to fund transportation.
“We’ve raised taxes before to protect our [high] bond rating,” said Del. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Prince Williams. “Let’s use the bond rating that Virginians have paid for to raise money for transportation.”
Kaine, legislative Democrats and Senate Republicans bristle at bonding because they do not want to saddle taxpayers with hefty debt repayments for decades.
The one factor that could spur legislators to agree on transportation funding is the one thing every General Assembly member has — fear of losing their seat in the fall elections.
