$1 Billion Transportation Plan Emerging In Va. Senate

Sen. Martin E. Williams (R-Newport News), chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, said that the plan includes new funding that is "sustainable over time" and that Senate leaders would not raid the budget's general fund -- meant for education, hospitals and public safety -- to pay for roads.

Sen. John H. Chichester (R-Northumberland), chairman of the Finance Committee, said he would reveal nothing of substance about the plan until it is submitted as legislation. Sources familiar with the Senate proposal said it is likely to include several of the following: increases to the sales or income tax, higher taxes on the sale of cars, a new sales tax on gasoline, higher auto registration fees and tolls.

Several senators said not raising taxes would mean leaving road problems to fester.

House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) has promised that his caucus will soon offer its own proposals to raise money for transportation. The House GOP plan is likely to rely more heavily on the budget surplus for one-time spending.

Lawmakers familiar with the ideas under consideration by the House GOP said they will call for higher penalties on abusive drivers, the use of taxes already collected on auto insurance premiums and more tolls. But they said the House GOP plan will reject higher taxes, saying that the state's surplus should be used to jump-start projects.

Also Wednesday, three Fairfax County Republicans said they would submit legislation by the end of the week that would raise fees on certain drivers solely for Northern Virginia transportation initiatives.

The group, Del. David B. Albo, Del. Thomas Davis Rust and Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis, said that the bills would increase regional fees on truck and trailer registrations and car rentals. They also would impose a "transportation impact fee" on the purchase of homes or businesses in the region and charge a new fee on chronically bad drivers.

The three lawmakers said they hoped to raise $300 million a year for projects that would directly go to road and rail projects in the Washington suburbs.

Staff writer Chris L. Jenkins contributed to this report.