By DAN TELVOCK
One reason some Spotsylvania supervisors have been hesitant to join the Virginia Railway Express is because they say the contract can't be terminated.
The Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization has challenged that concern.
Lloyd Robinson, FAMPO's director of transportation planning, said members consulted with an attorney, who determined a locality can withdraw from VRE without the consent of all parties.
Spotsylvania Supervisor Chris Yakabouski, who has opposed joining VRE, said he was stunned by that opinion.
"Everybody I have ever talked to says it's a contract that you can't get out of," he said.
Before a locality can withdraw from the contract, it's obligated to pay its financial commitments to the VRE, Robinson said. For example, he said that VRE just purchased new coach cars for rail service. "If Stafford County were to withdraw from VRE it would still be liable to VRE for its share of those coach cars," he said.
Robinson said if VRE is to have a long-term impact on traffic congestion, it would be beneficial for Spotsylvania County to join.
"That would seem to me to be in everybody's best interest," he said.
Anywhere from 800 to 1,200 Spotsylvania residents use VRE. VRE has about 14,500 riders from eight member localities. Spotsylvania voters passed a 2005 referendum that included $12 million for a VRE station.
The Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors is often the brunt of jokes at FAMPO meetings because it won't join VRE. Supervisors Hap Connors and Yakabouski are FAMPO members. Connors said it's embarrassing to get razzed, but FAMPO members have a point.
"I think Spotsylvania has been avoiding the whole mass transit issue for almost 20 years now," Connors said.
Still, Yakabouski said the 2 percent gas tax the county must enact to join VRE is a negative for him and other supervisors. The gas tax money is used to pay the county share of VRE operations. The rest of the money would fund county transportation projects.
If the county could pay for its share of VRE without enacting the gas tax, Yakabouski said he'd be more open to the service.
"We could dedicate money out of the [county] transportation fund to go to VRE," he said.
If the county enacted the gas tax, Connors said county officials have estimated there would be about $2 million to $3 million a year left over to use for transportation.
"We could use that to pay back bonds, expand bus service and pay for other transportation needs that aren't being met by the state and won't be met by the state anytime soon," he said.
But Connors said that because there isn't a majority of the county board willing to join VRE, next year might be a better time to push. There could be some new faces after the elections in November.
"To do otherwise at this time would be like pursuing a fool's errand," Connors said.
Dan Telvock: 540/374-5438| Does the 2 percent gas tax increase local gas prices? It's a concern some Spotsylvania supervisors have expressed. A quick glance at local prices for lowest octane unleaded showed that the tax doesn't seem to be affecting the prices. Fredericksburg and Stafford are VRE members; Spotsylvania isn't.
In Fredericksburg:
Wawa Central Park, $2.95
Valero U.S. 1, Fall Hill, $2.92 In Spotsylvania: 7-Eleven Leavells Rd./State Route 208, $2.93Valero, Courthouse area, $2.94 In Stafford: Sheetz, State Route 3 East, $2.99 |