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Columnist says it's time that Spotsylvania County joined the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission Date published: 6/1/2008
IREAD AN ARTICLE in the newspaper the other day that talked about Spotsylvania County's having no plans to borrow money to pave its 29 miles of dirt and gravel roads until at least 2012. This apparently "surprised" Supervisors Emmitt Marshall and T.C. Waddy, who represent rural areas of Spotsylvania. You may remember that during the elections last year, Mr. Waddy clearly stated that it was not his fault that his Livingston District roads were not yet paved. But if Spotsylvania had agreed to join the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission back in 1992 or any time since then, the excess money from the fuels tax most likely would have been available for paving dirt roads, expanding bus service, or any other worthwhile transportation project the county supervisors could agree on. As I've stated on several occasions, it's not about the train, it's about transportation. The good folks in rural Spotsylvania have been duped into believing that only people who commute to jobs up north would benefit from joining the PRTC. That is not true. It is true that joining would require a 2 percent fuel tax, but it is a fuel tax added into the price of gas. So if you drive, then it doesn't matter whether you commute or not, because you are already part of the traffic problem. If you don't drive, you won't be taxed, but you still could benefit from the potential use of the funds to expand bus service and other means of public transportation. Once again, it isn't about the train and it isn't about people who commute to jobs up north. The real deal is working with the organization to find solutions to our transportation problems. The county would have to pay to join and establish a train station. But the money left over after the county pays the fees is money that can be used for other transportation projects. County residents should remind their supervisors that a vote was taken in the 2005 bond referendum and residents supported building a train station in the county. The supervisors need to move on joining PRTC without all their special conditions. It's the only option that makes sense. Michael Kole of Spotsylvania County commutes to Alexandria. Write him c/o Commuter Crossroads, The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401; e-mail
It's an interesting equity question
Many folks who live and work locally do not make the higher salaries that NoVa commuters make and, in fact, usually cannot afford the same housing that is said to be "affordable" for those who commute ..often making twice the salaries or more of the folks who work locally.
and that's the big blowback....
you've got folks making less money.. have it pretty hard finding an affordable house.. and they are told to support paying more taxes to subsidize NoVa commuters.
Just a question .. WHO do you think PAYS to provide the Smart Benefit Subsidiesk or the Van Pool Insurance?
Is the idea that it's okay for the govt subsidies as long as it does not come out of the local 2% tax?
How many folks would ride Commuter Bus and Vanpools without the Govt transit subsidies?
these are questions.. no an advocacy of any or all...
just pointing out that commuter rail and van is also subsidized.. if that is the main complaint..
The United States has the WORST transportation system of any modern country for just this reason. You the Spotsylvania farmer or blue collar worker see tangible results from things like this. Take the 1,000 cars off the road and that's 1,000 cars worth of time your goods get to market. Prices lower in shipping, you sell more stuff, everyone wins. VRE wants to expand from DC to Richmond and begin to bring in some other communities... this helps you too in the long run.
But it did not work. Metrochek is paid by employeers - mainly the federal govt - to employees who can trade it in on any transit choice they want. It is not paid for by a 2% gas tax. Van pool insurance is also not paid for by a 2% gas tax and it is so small as to be a laugh. $28 million to take 1000 Spotsy residents to work at $28,000 each is not a laugh. And all of US would pay for YOU to do that. Try again to make us believe that more taxes are the answer.
GOOGLE Smartbenefits or Metrochek. Van Pools are provided with subsidized insurance.
If Spotsylvania BOS agreed to direct all money from VRE to fixing rural roads in the county - would that be a win-win?
but the main point IIRc is that commuter bus benefits from Federal subsidies to employees who ride buses...
and Vanpools could not operate if they had to buy common-carrier insurance so the Feds and the State provide subsidized insurance.
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