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PRESS
RELEASE
RECONNECTING
VIRGINIA CAMPAIGN
Coalition for Smarter Growth and Piedmont Environmental Council
| For Immediate Release: | Contact: |
| October 6, 2005 | Stewart Schwartz, CSG, 202-244-4408 ext 3# |
| Chris Miller, PEC, 540-347-2334 |
VDOT/Business Transportation Proposals Would Require
$1 Gas Tax or Doubling of State Sales Tax
Groups
Challenge VDOT Wish List
Urge Reevaluation and New Approaches to Transportation
The Coalition for Smarter Growth and Piedmont Environmental Council today challenged the statewide business-backed campaign for massive increases in transportation taxes and tolls -- a campaign based entirely on a VDOT-generated, $203 billion wish-list of projects. The groups called for a complete reevaluation of the VDOT estimates and fundamental reform in transportation and land use planning necessary to reduce transportation costs before any discussion of new funding.
According to Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition, “All too many business leaders are treating VDOT’s shocking claim that we face $203 billion in transportation needs over 20 years (VTRANS 2025), including $108 billion for which we do not have funding, as an unassailable fact. That’s $5.4 billion dollars more each year, above the $4 billion per year we spend today.”
To raise this kind of money would require over a $1 per gallon increase in the state gas tax, or more than doubling our state sales tax to 10.8 percent, or a $900 vehicle registration fee. Some even want to take money from education and other General Fund needs. “The VDOT needs number is simply not realistic,” said Chris Miller, President of the Piedmont Environmental Council. “It is unaffordable and calls for a completely new approach to transportation and land use policies before we decide what additional funding we need to provide and what projects we should fund.”
“How could anyone ask Virginia’s taxpayers for these types of increases without first seriously evaluating VDOT’s numbers, which hasn’t really happened to date?” said Schwartz.
On the positive side of the ledger, for the first time VDOT recognized the critical role of transit, passenger, and freight rail for reducing traffic on our highways. “Yet, neither VDOT nor the business community recognizes that the fundamental issue is where and how we grow. Until state and local governments in Virginia work to change development patterns and the design of communities to reduce the number and length of vehicle trips, spending more money to build more highways will only make things worse, not better,.” said Miller. Even transit investments like Dulles Rail will be less effective without supporting land use that includes walkable, mixed-use development and shifting development from non-transit locations.
“We believe the same game is being played today as took place in 1986: a set of needs claimed without verification, real prioritization or effort to address the underlying problems. The needs are portrayed as so large to make the actual tax increase that may result seem small in comparison. But this is approach is no solution to a problem driven by poorly planned growth patterns and certainly doesn’t give the public what they are asking for,” concluded Schwartz.
The coalition included a number of recommendations for reevaluating Virginia’s long-range transportation plan and for developing comprehensive land use and transportation solutions in a letter and presentation provided to the Senate Finance Sub-Committee on Transportation.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
1. Reconnecting Virginia, Fact Sheet, “Tracking
VDOT’s $203 Billion”
2. Coalition for Smarter Growth, Letter
to Senate Finance Subcommittee on Transportation and Statewide Transportation
and Analysis Task Force (START)
3. Coalition for Smarter Growth/Reconnecting Virginia Presentation to
Senate Finance Sub-Committee on Transportation, June 20, 2005, “Land
Use: A Tool for Transportation Cost Savings”
4. James A. Bacon, “Does
Not Compute,” Bacon’s Rebellion, 8/23/05,
More information on Reconnecting Virginia
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