Supervisors Oppose Transportation Plan

The Republican-controlled Prince William Board of County Supervisors voted unanimously last week to oppose a transportation plan proposed by Republicans in the General Assembly that would raise local taxes and fees to pay for road and transit improvements.

The board, made up of five Republicans and two Democrats, said that it's concerned the revenue from increased taxes and fees would be used outside Prince William, and that the panel wouldn't have a voice in deciding how the money is spent.

"I would like to go on record as opposing the legislation, namely because the General Assembly has a responsibility to fund these projects and they are attempting to push the funding back on us," Supervisor John D. Jenkins (D-Neabsco) said.

The Republican proposal, announced with considerable fanfare Thursday, includes allowing Northern Virginia jurisdictions to raise and spend $383 million a year for transportation projects. Some of the money would return to the counties, and some would go directly to Metro. About half would go to a regional transportation authority, which could spend the money anywhere in Northern Virginia. Local jurisdictions would have to agree to increase their taxes and fees to be included in the deal.

Supervisor Martin E. Nohe (R-Coles) said that there were some things in the Republican proposal he liked and that he wanted to make sure Richmond didn't misunderstand the supervisors' vote.

"We are opposed to some aspects of the plan," Nohe said. "I don't want the message to be that Prince William is opposed to a transportation bill."

Prince William, the second-fastest-growing county in the region, is facing a $18 million budget shortfall this year and is looking to cut about $22 million from next year's budget. Last month, supervisors enacted a one-year freeze on approving rezonings of residential housing to slow growth in the county and send a message to lawmakers in Richmond that they must find a way to solve the region's transportation problems.

Dana Fenton, the county's legislative liaison, told supervisors that the Republican plan calls for local governments to impose higher taxes and fees and then send the money to the state, which would distribute the funds to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.

Fenton said the authority would distribute the money in this order of priority: debt service to authority projects, $50 million to Metro (Prince William County has no Metrorail stations and is not a member of Metro) and $30 million to Virginia Railway Express. Most of the rest would be for local needs, though the funds could be spent on regional transportation projects the General Assembly "must be consulted on." In addition, $20 million would go to the extension of Metrorail to Dulles International Airport, which would not service Prince William residents.

After listening to details of the proposal, Supervisor Hilda M. Barg (D-Woodbridge), said: "Money would go to [the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority]? It puts the burden here on the back of Prince William taxpayers to cover their butts in Richmond."

Supervisor John T. Stirrup Jr. (R-Gainesville) asked whether "there's not a guarantee that Route 29-Interstate 66 interchange improvements would be funded under the plan?"

"That's right," Fenton said.

"I think for the last several years we have begged the General Assembly to help us out with transportation and land-use issues," Supervisor Maureen S. Caddigan (R-Dumfries) said. "I think what is happening here is really nonsense."