Lawmakers have promised to address the festering sore of Abuser Fees, which the state is counting on to generate some $60 million a year for road projects. And the Hampton Roads Transportation Authority has requested legislators to devise a new package of revenue sources to underwrite regional road-building projects. Meanwhile, you can bet that the home builders lobby, reeling from a severe housing downturn, would love to roll back impact fees included in this year’s compromise transportation bill, HB 3202.

But once lawmakers begin monkeying with the funding plan, reports Amy Gardner with the Washington Post, the whole finely balanced package could unravel. Some Northern Virginia legislators are particularly worried that reopening the plan could jeopardize some $300 million in regional taxes to support Northern Virginia projects.

Nothing could be better, as far as I’m concerned. The financing portion of HB 3202 violated just about every precept of sound taxation and governance imaginable. The sole objective was to create the illusion of raising more money without anyone actually paying for it. Until Virginia explicitly adopts a transparent, “user pays” system to finance transportation improvements — and that’s just a first step — we’ll never make lasting gains in mobility and access.