Recognizing that the area is growing while state funds are shrinking, elected officials from five local communities are talking about creating a regional board whose job would be to find other money--possibly tax dollars--for transportation projects.

Officials from Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, King George and Caroline met last night to discuss the pros and cons of creating the Rappahannock Regional Transportation District.

Ultimately, the district might raise money through a local sales tax or gas tax--something it would need permission from the Virginia General Assembly to do.

Lawmakers gave transportation authorities in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads permission to put referendums on their Nov. 5 ballots asking if voters would be willing to pay a higher sales tax to support transportation projects.

A half-cent sales tax in the five local communities would generate about $11.4 million this year, said Steve Manster, executive director of the Rappahannock Area Development Commission. Manster wrote the proposal for the regional transportation board at the request of Stafford Supervisor Bob Gibbons. A 2 percent gas tax would generate about $4.2 million per year.

"We all know about the fact that funds have been removed from transportation projects," Manster said. "Projects in the plan will take longer to finish. Some projects that are needed in the area aren't even in a plan because of a lack of funds."

State budget cuts in July reduced the six-year project fund for the Virginia Department of Transportation's Fredericksburg District by $140 million.

Projects dropped due to the cuts include a planned widening of State Route 3 in Spotsylvania, improvements at Interstate 95 and State Route 639 in Ladysmith and improvements along State Route 206 in King George.

Forming a new transportation district could help communities recapture money for those projects, Manster said.

The district board--made of members from each participating community as well as one state senator, two delegates and the Commonwealth Transportation Board chairman--could help the FREDericksburg Regional Transit system grow even more, Manster said. FRED buses have been run by Fredericksburg, but the agency has expanded into Stafford, Spotsylvania and Caroline over the last few years.