special transportation session fails
posted by Brent FinneganNot sure what’s in the DNR today, but everything I’m reading elsewhere about the General Assembly’s “Special Session” to address Virginia’s transportation budget shortfalls indicates that the session has accomplished nothing.
The General Assembly’s special session on transportation was headed for an unsuccessful close Wednesday evening with no agreement on how to pay for millions of dollars of road and transit projects across the state including the most congested area of Northern Virginia.
And the Richmond Times-Dispatch:
After spending more than $100,000 in taxpayer money on pay for an extra six days in Richmond, lawmakers slouched toward adjournment without any agreement on how to raise new cash for roads and rail [...]
The day was mired in partisan rhetoric and maneuvering…
In other words, Harrisonburg/Rockingham isn’t the only locality that got nothing.
Support was divided between two Democratic plans: Senator Saslaw’s gas tax increase plan, and Governor Kaine’s plan, which would raise new car sales taxes. In the end, both failed. As Saslaw put it, “It leaves the state in the same mess we were in four weeks ago.”
posted: July 10th, 2008 by Brent Finnegan
filed under news & meta-news.
Comments: 5
Comments
Comment from Bubby
Time: July 10, 2008, 11:32 am
Hey, the Republicans had some plans too!
The House Republican plan was “No”.
The Senate Republican plan was “Present”, and “No”.
Comment from Bubby
Time: July 10, 2008, 7:18 pm
Delegate Saxman’s bill (HB6006), directing fantasy profits from non-existent oil lease sales off the Virginia capes just went down in the Senate. He did manage to convince enough of his fellow hamsters in the House that it was a really cool kinda thing, you know man…But then the grown-ups in the Senate said no, we need real money Chris. Thanks any way.
Best quote:
“We are not going to find funding for transportation at the bottom of the ocean.”
Del. Brian Moran.
Comment from David Miller
Time: July 10, 2008, 7:30 pm
Sometimes, Reality Bites
Comment from JGFitzgerald
Time: July 10, 2008, 9:09 pm
Cruise ships. Cruise ships of the Arctic Ocean, where the ice used to be. The profits can go toward finding new oil sources. Saxman’s a genius. And he’s a state chair of a campaign that says economic hardship is all in your head. I can keep a straight face if everybody else can.
Comment from Gene Hart
Time: July 10, 2008, 11:03 pm
Sorry, Joe. I tried, I can’t.
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