Area Business Leaders Call For Change

Sunday, June 22, 2008 - Go to External Article

By Abe Nelson
www.insidenova.com

Published: June 22, 2008

The Prince William delegation to the Virginia General Assembly went to Richmond today for a special session to try and get something done about transportation. But before they left, they heard from a couple of interested parties.

The Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and the Virginia Business Council all pressed the legislators to make something happen in the special session that is scheduled to last a week.

"We elect them to go down to Richmond and get things done," Laurie C. Weider, president of the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce, said of the legislators.  "That's what legislating is about. You can't just sit in your office and have an opinion. You need to be able to be a person who can go and speak with other legislators and get things done."

The Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce sent an e-mail to its membership urging them to contact the legislators and tell them they should do whatever it takes to solve the transportation problems in Northern Virginia citing high gas prices, longer delivery times and missed meetings and appointment

"Our legislators were elected to solve the critical problems that relate to our region's prosperity and quality of life.  It's time for them to put aside political posturing, partisanship and ideology and work together to provide real solutions for the businesses and residents of Prince William," the letter stated.

Del. Robert "Bob" G. Marshall, R-Prince William,  said he's heard from others besides the organizations that sent letters and organized e-mail campaigns.

"There's two sets of communications, one from the people saying 'Don't raise my taxes,' and two from professional groups saying, 'Raise my taxes to build certain projects,' " said Marshal, who is against tax increases.

Marshal believes the General Assembly members can find savings or "efficiencies" within the budget and by spending less.

"Why are so many people so anxious to raise taxes when they haven't exhausted all the efficiencies of the direct revenue expenditures?" he asked.

"Unless you can say with a straight face that you've examined this thoroughly and with 100 percent efficiency, there's no justification to raise taxes," he said of the budget process.

Kala Quintana, spokeswoman for the transportation authority, said government can't save its way out of the problem.

"There's no way you can cut programs enough to come up with the kind of money that's needed just to meet the maintenance needs for our roadway system in Virginia," Quintana said "If nothing is done our infrastructure will continue to deteriorate."

Steve Nelson, president-elect of the Prince William County-Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce, also weighed in on the issue.

"So much of our money is being used for maintenance that we can't get the roads, bridges and infrastructure that we need," he said. "If you need to bite the bullet and have to raise revenues from somewhere, then let's talk through those things. Let's find out what your solutions are."

Del. Jackson H. Miller, R-Manassas, said he's willing to consider all proposals, but that's difficult. There are many proposals on the table.

"Everybody has a different plan and that's the problem," said Miller who is considering additional fees for commercial trucking and increased hotel and motel taxes.

A letter from Allen King, chairman of the Virginia Business Council, stated that transportation was critical to economic growth and development in Virginia. King encouraged General Assembly members to raise taxes to pay for transportation systems.

"Additional revenue from broad-based taxes should be enacted to close the funding deficit for the maintenance of the commonwealth's roads and bridges and to provide for new construction priorities," King wrote in the letter.

Quintana said there was some concern among authority members that nothing would be accomplished in the special session.

"They may play politics as usual and not get anything done and I think that's the concern," Quintana said. "I think there's a genuine fear that they will show up on Monday, delegate to committee and wash their hands of it."

Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Dale City, said he was willing to get his hands dirty.

"We're going to Richmond and we're going to be looking at several pieces of legislation and speaking for myself, I'm working hard and am committed to producing some progress for transportation," he said.