VIRGINIA BRIEFING

Thursday, August 16, 2007

TRANSPORTATION

Judge Won't Move Suit

An Arlington County Circuit Court judge has denied a request by opponents of regional transportation taxes to move their legal challenge to another court.

A group of conservatives and anti-tax activists has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority's power to issue bonds. As part of transportation legislation approved in April, the General Assembly gave the authority permission to sell bonds and impose regional taxes and fees to pay for road projects.

The activists contend that the bonds cannot be sold without a referendum. They asked Judge Benjamin N.A. Kendrick to move the lawsuit to a neutral court outside Northern Virginia, but Kendrick turned down the request yesterday.

The transportation authority has filed a separate lawsuit asking Kendrick to validate that it has the authority to raise and spend more than $300 million in taxes and fees.

-- Daniela Deane

FAIRFAX COUNTY

Student Count Lowered

U.S. Army officials at Fort Belvoir have reduced their estimate of the number of children who will enter Fairfax County public schools as a result of regional base realignments.

In June, the Army estimated that 3,200 schoolchildren would move to southern Fairfax County when the Fort Belvoir workforce is expanded.

Belvoir officials said yesterday that the number will be closer to 2,800. They also said that other base shifts would reduce the number of students in the region by 12,700, resulting in a net increase in Fairfax of only 265 students.

Fairfax School Board member Phillip A. Niedzielski-Eichner (Providence) said he is "skeptical" of the new numbers.

-- Amy Gardner

Man Hurt in Bat Attack

A Falls Church area man was critically injured Monday night when he was beaten by men with baseball bats, and Fairfax County police said yesterday that they had arrested one of his assailants.

The attack occurred in the 6000 block of Argyle Drive in the Baileys Crossroads area, where the 26-year-old victim, who was not identified, was found about 11 p.m. Officer Eddy Azcarate said the incident was not gang-related.

On Tuesday, police arrested Fredy Adiel Ramos, 20, on a charge of aggravated malicious wounding. Detectives were seeking other suspects in the attack.

-- Tom Jackman