Local Delegates Oppose Package
Posted: February 23, 2013
HARRISONBURG — The House of Delegates passed a major transportation funding plan Friday, but not with support from local lawmakers, who all voted against it.
The plan, however, still awaits a decision by the Senate, which adjourned for the day Friday without taking it up.
The House, by a 60-40 vote, gave its approval following 90 minutes of debate. The plan, developed by a committee of five senators and five delegates, is expected to generate $880 million a year within five years.
It has been touted as the signature legislation for Gov. Bob McDonnell, who leaves office after four years at the end of 2013. The state last made comprehensive changes to its transportation funding sources in 1986 and has fallen short on the upkeep and build-out of its infrastructure in recent years, lawmakers say.
A series of tax increases in the bill concerned conservative Republicans, especially Valley lawmakers.
The four GOP delegates who represent Harrisonburg or Rockingham County — Todd Gilbert, Rob Bell, Tony Wilt and Steve Landes — voted against the measure.
Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg, has said he opposes the plan, while it’s unclear whether Sen. Emmett Hanger, R-Mount Solon, will support it.
The plan removes the state’s 17.5-cent-per-gallon gas tax in favor of a 3.5 percent tax on the wholesale price of fuel; imposes a 6 percent tax on diesel fuel; and tacks a $100 fee onto electric and hybrid cars.
The package also increases the state retail sales tax from 5 percent to 5.3 percent — with the new revenue going to transportation — and hikes the titling tax on the purchase of motor vehicles from 3 percent to 4.3 percent.
The bill contains additional tax increases in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, two of the most congested areas in the country, which have felt the lack of transportation funds the most, lawmakers say.
“I don’t think now is the time to be doing those things,” said Wilt, R-Broadway. “If we’re ever going to be raising the price on things, it would be when the economy is better [and not now].”
On Thursday, Gilbert, R-Woodstock, and Bell, R-Albemarle, said they would not vote for the plan because of the taxes.
On Friday, Obenshain issued a lengthy statement covering why he opposed the plan.
“I want to support a transportation deal, but I can’t back this one,” he said. “[It] is the worst kind of compromise: it is a massive tax increase that doesn’t address some of our fundamental problems. There’s also a serious question of fairness, since the plan includes regional tax authorities that will levy significantly higher taxes on those in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.”
Wilt said he’s not sure how much Friday’s vote was affected by the fact that all 100 House seats are up for re-election, but the fact the plan passed may indicate it was not a factor.
“That speaks to their integrity. That speaks to the quality of folks that they are … to do what was in their heart what was right,” he said.
Hanger and Landes, R-Weyers Cave, could not be reached for comment on Friday.
Contact Preston Knight at 574-6272 or pknight@dnronline.com
The plan, however, still awaits a decision by the Senate, which adjourned for the day Friday without taking it up.
The House, by a 60-40 vote, gave its approval following 90 minutes of debate. The plan, developed by a committee of five senators and five delegates, is expected to generate $880 million a year within five years.
It has been touted as the signature legislation for Gov. Bob McDonnell, who leaves office after four years at the end of 2013. The state last made comprehensive changes to its transportation funding sources in 1986 and has fallen short on the upkeep and build-out of its infrastructure in recent years, lawmakers say.
A series of tax increases in the bill concerned conservative Republicans, especially Valley lawmakers.
The four GOP delegates who represent Harrisonburg or Rockingham County — Todd Gilbert, Rob Bell, Tony Wilt and Steve Landes — voted against the measure.
Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg, has said he opposes the plan, while it’s unclear whether Sen. Emmett Hanger, R-Mount Solon, will support it.
The plan removes the state’s 17.5-cent-per-gallon gas tax in favor of a 3.5 percent tax on the wholesale price of fuel; imposes a 6 percent tax on diesel fuel; and tacks a $100 fee onto electric and hybrid cars.
The package also increases the state retail sales tax from 5 percent to 5.3 percent — with the new revenue going to transportation — and hikes the titling tax on the purchase of motor vehicles from 3 percent to 4.3 percent.
The bill contains additional tax increases in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, two of the most congested areas in the country, which have felt the lack of transportation funds the most, lawmakers say.
“I don’t think now is the time to be doing those things,” said Wilt, R-Broadway. “If we’re ever going to be raising the price on things, it would be when the economy is better [and not now].”
On Thursday, Gilbert, R-Woodstock, and Bell, R-Albemarle, said they would not vote for the plan because of the taxes.
On Friday, Obenshain issued a lengthy statement covering why he opposed the plan.
“I want to support a transportation deal, but I can’t back this one,” he said. “[It] is the worst kind of compromise: it is a massive tax increase that doesn’t address some of our fundamental problems. There’s also a serious question of fairness, since the plan includes regional tax authorities that will levy significantly higher taxes on those in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.”
Wilt said he’s not sure how much Friday’s vote was affected by the fact that all 100 House seats are up for re-election, but the fact the plan passed may indicate it was not a factor.
“That speaks to their integrity. That speaks to the quality of folks that they are … to do what was in their heart what was right,” he said.
Hanger and Landes, R-Weyers Cave, could not be reached for comment on Friday.
Contact Preston Knight at 574-6272 or pknight@dnronline.com