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
Email: newsroom@freelancestar.com.