Elected officials in the Fredericksburg area are mulling whether to join forces on an issue critical to all of them: transportation. But a state delegate questions the path they are taking.

Since last fall, officials in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania, Stafford, Caroline and King George counties have talked about forming the Rappahannock Regional Transportation District, which would use a 2 percent gas tax to fund road projects and public transit.

Many of the area's elected officials, including three state legislators, met last night at the Crystal Reflections conference center in Spotsylvania to discuss transportation and other regional concerns.

Stephen Manster, executive director of the Rappahannock Area Development Commission, asked the county boards and the City Council to study a draft regional agreement and respond to him within 60 days. Formation of the district would follow later this year.

City Councilman Joe Wilson suggested Manster hold work sessions with each locality's governing board to answer specific "what-if questions." Manster, whose organization has been coordinating efforts to form the transportation district, said he would schedule meetings for June.

Estimates show a 2 percent gas tax would generate $4.2 million a year in the region. The draft agreement calls for each locality to retain control over the taxes it collects.

But Del. Bobby Orrock, R-Caroline, questioned whether the Virginia General Assembly would smile on such a setup. The legislature's intention has been to encourage cooperation by giving taxing power to regions for regional projects, not giving individual localities that power for their own projects, he said.

The control of revenue has been an issue for Caroline and King George, which fear Spotsylvania and Stafford would drain all of the money, King George Supervisor Bob Fuscaldo said. Without local control of dollars, "neither one of us would probably join," he said.

Officials also heard a presentation on a proposed regional fire training center. The localities have discussed building a training center for several years, but purchase of a site has delayed the plans, said Chris Eudailey, director of Spotsylvania's emergency services department.

Fredericksburg, King George and Spotsylvania each have committed $200,000 toward the center, and a state grant would provide $325,000. Stafford is considering joining the partnership.

Eudailey said the group had looked at a site on Lansdowne Road in Spotsylvania, but that land has been sold. The group is now interested in a site nearby on Tidewater Trail.

Among the guests at last night's dinner of prime rib and flounder was Jim Campbell, executive director of the Virginia Association of Counties. The cost of the group's annual statewide meeting at the posh Homestead resort in Hot Springs was the subject of a story in Sunday's Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Stafford board Chairman Pete Fields joked that it was good to see Campbell scouting for another VACo meeting site.

"Oh gosh, Pete," Spotsylvania board Chairwoman Mary Lee Carter responded.

Yesterday was longtime Caroline County Supervisor Robert Farmer's 77th birthday, so his peers saluted him by singing "Happy Birthday."