A controversial transportation-funding package won approval Saturday from the House and Senate, but faces certain change when it hits Gov. Tim Kaine’s desk. “We know that the bill in its current form has no chance of becoming law,” said Sen. Richard Saslaw, D-Fairfax.
The measure sailed through the House but barely passed the Senate, where it received 21 votes – the minimum it needed. Though senators had rejected similar legislation earlier this year, a few decided to support the bill Saturday so it could go to Kaine, who promised to perform ‘significant surgery.’ Had the Senate killed the bill Saturday, the session’s last scheduled day, Kaine had indicated he would force tired lawmakers to stay in Richmond and work overtime to consider a bill he had drafted.
“(Defeating it now) might put the bill out of its immediate misery, but it won’t put us out of our misery,” said Sen. John Watkins, R-Powhatan, who described the measure as “perverse.”
Kaine could still force a special session, but lawmakers believe he will propose changes that the General Assembly can consider in April when it is slated to convene to consider his vetoes and amendments. A majority of both chambers must vote to override his changes.
“I am sure the governor will propose amendments that the majority of both houses will agree to and the governor will propose amendments that a majority of both houses will disagree with,” said House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, R-Salem.
The largest problem Kaine and many senators have with the bill is it’s reliance on $120 million to $184 million a year from the state’s general fund that would be earmarked to pay off the package’s $2.5 billion in bonds.
Kaine and those legislators do not want to endanger other programs that receive money from the fund, such as schools and public-assistance services.
“Once you go into the general fund for transportation, it is just like taking cocaine and you will never stop,” Saslaw said.
Many Northern Virginia Democrats in the General Assembly voted against the bill because they are unhappy with the plan¹s provisions that would allow localities in the region to raise $400 million to $420 million a year. The local governments would have to vote for the tax-and-fee increases.
Opponents of the bill feel the legislature should impose the increases because local officials have said they will not vote for the hikes.
“This does not do anything for Northern Virginia,” said Del. Brian Moran, D-Alexandria.
