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Kaine signs bill to repeal abuser fees Date published: 3/28/2008
BY CHELYEN DAVIS
RICHMOND-- The unpopular abusive-driving fees are no more.Gov. Tim Kaine yesterday signed two bills that repeal the fees, and because the bills had an emergency clause, the repeal goes into effect immediately. "After six months of implementation, it was clear that the fees did not improve the safety of Virginia highways," Kaine said in a statement. "The citizens of Virginia expressed concerns regarding these fees, and based on these concerns, I have signed the bills that repeal the fees." Those who have already been charged the fees are eligible for refunds. The fees were part of last year's transportation package, and were intended to raise money for road improvements. They were to be levied on drivers who committed particularly egregious traffic offenses. But as soon as they were signed into law, the outrage began. Virginians disliked the fact that because they were fees, not fines, they applied only to Virginia drivers. It also rankled that the fees--which ranged up to $3,000 for things such as driving under the influence--could be applied to lesser offenses in some cases. Thousands of people signed an online petition against the fees, and hundreds fumed to their legislators, who were taken aback by the level of outcry. It also became clear that the fees, which were supposed to generate about $65 million a year, were going to fall far short of that. Within months, lawmakers were vowing to amend the fees to make sure they applied only to truly criminal offenses. But by the time the legislature returned to session in January, most backed repealing the fees altogether. Sen. Edd Houck, D-Spotsylvania, sponsored the Senate version of the repeal bill, calling the fees the biggest mistake the legislature had made in his tenure there. "The stake is finally in the beast's heart," Houck said yesterday. "This was the end of an unnecessary and tragic mistake by the General Assembly. I welcome the governor's approval to end this bad policy." In addition to the loss of the driving fees, another major component of the transportation package is currently in limbo: two regional transportation authorities, which were supposed to generate and spend taxes and fees on road projects in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.
so a bunch of suits sit around a bar table talking one night one speaks up let penalize va drivers only and and make big fine for them to pay for driving in Va .crap like this is so many people speed out side there home state when traveling if the donkeys and elephants wanted to help so much to rasie money why dont they take a pay cut ????
or do they need to vote on that too
I didn't think twice about these fees. In hindsight I didn't like the fact that these fees didn't apply to out of state drivers, but other than that, I didn't have a problem with them. If I missed something please fill me in, but it seemed to me that if you obeyed traffic laws there was nothing to worry about. Also, I'd like to know how many thousands signed this on-line petition. Was it 2000? Was it 900,000? There's a big difference between those two numbers, even though they're both 'thousands'.
He's an idiot. Many thanks to everyone who elected him!
"The citizens of Virginia expressed concerns regarding these fees..." Translation: "The citizens of VA expressed outrage and threatened to politically tar and feather me if I didn't sign the repeal." Of course he didn't have any problem signing a bill to allow certain people, with no training, no background checks and no concealed handgun permit, to carry concealed in bars and drink alcohol while doing it! And they can carry in K-12 schools!
While I didn't think the fees were a good idea, what do you expect the legislature to do? Everyone knows there is a crying need for funding for highway improvements, but the *&(%$@ Republicans block every effort to raise the taxes necessary to pay for them. Can you blame legislators for trying to come up with some other way?
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