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Voters nix road taxDate published: 11/6/2002
Voters in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads said "no way" to paying higher taxes to support transportation projects. Referendums calling for a higher sales tax in both regions--a half cent in Northern Virginia and one penny in Hampton Roads--failed yesterday. The taxes would have raised $5 billion for road and transit projects in Northern Virginia over the next 20 years and about $7.5 billion for work in the Tidewater region. Without that money, new projects will be scarce. "I guess we're going to stew in our own juices for a while longer," said J. Kenneth Klinge, a member of the Commonwealth Transportation Board from Alexandria and a supporter of the Northern Virginia tax. "I don't see any quick fixes. There's not enough money." The effort was walloped in Hampton Roads, 62 percent to 38 percent. In Northern Virginia, the measure failed by a slightly smaller margin, 55 percent to 45 percent. Voters in Alexandria, Falls Church and Arlington County supported the tax, but it failed miserably in Fairfax City, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park. Supporters had argued the taxes were necessary to relieve gridlock and improve public transit--especially since not much money is expected to come from Richmond any time soon. Virginia's six-year transportation plan was cut by $2.8 billion this summer due to state budget shortfalls. But groups who opposed the tax said the projects the state planned to pay for would enrich developers and highway-builders, contribute to urban sprawl and make little difference in reducing gridlock. They also took issue with politicians who used Virginia Department of Transportation money to balance the rest of the state budget--and then asked voters to tax themselves to take care of transportation ills. "Our message all through this has been the package before the voters was the wrong package," said Piedmont Environmental Council president Chris Miller. "It had no incentives for smart growth. It had no disincentives for sprawl. "This is not a vote against taxes," said Miller, who noted that bonds for parks and educational facilities passed overwhelmingly. "This is a vote against sprawl." Democratic Gov. Mark R. Warner lobbied hard for the tax increases, arguing that the improvements were necessary for continued economic growth and to improve the quality of life for commuters who spend hours stuck in traffic every day.
Date published: 11/6/2002
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