The Wall Street Journal editorial page this morning has praised “a gang of conservative GOP members in the general assembly” for foiling Gov. Timothy M. Kaine’s taxes-for-transportation plan. “This was a victory against long odds, because the renegade house members were lined up against the Governor, powerful Republicans in the state senate, elements of the business community and the state’s largely pro-tax media.”
The Journal cited the state’s revenue surplus as a major reason why voters never warmed to the tax-hike idea, and noted that it didn’t help that Kaine was trying to raise gasoline taxes amidst soaring retail prices at the pump.
I wonder how the Journal would interpret news from the Washington Post today that Del. David B. Albo, R-Springfield and a number of other GOP delegates would like to raise an estimated $400 million a year from Northern Virginia to spend on local road and rail projects. “Roads cost money,” the Post quotes Albo as saying. “I’d love to find a way to pay for the things we need by not raising taxes and using existing revenue, but I’m a realist.”
While most GOP delegates were willing to hang together to oppose a statewide tax increase, there seems to be little appreciation of the root causes of transportation dysfunction in Virginia. Oh, sure, you’ve got yer Bill Howell talking about tolls and privatization, and you’ve got yer Tim Hugo backing telework, and the House did pass some marginally useful legislation dealing with VDOT and land use, but deep down inside, in their heart of hearts, most delegates share the assumption of their counterparts in the state Senate that the cause of traffic congestion is insufficient transportation capacity. The disagreement is over how much money the state can afford to raise to pay for improvements.
Personally, I think it’s a bit too early for anyone to proclaim a “victory.” Yes, the House has temporarily beat back proposals for some $1 billion in tax increases. But simply starving the current, broken transportation system of funds isn’t going to solve anything. The House, along with everyone else, needs to get on with the business of re-thinking transportation fundamentals. Otherwise, they’ll end up like Dave Albo, promoting tax increases through the back door.