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A northbound Virginia Railway Express train leaves the Brooke station, one of two stations in Stafford County. Support for commuter rail has become a hot topic.
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Stafford County officials want Spotsylvania County to know that when it comes to Virginia Railway Express, there are no more free rides.
In fact, the Stafford Board of Supervisors voted late Tuesday night to send their neighbors to the south a bill for $295,060 for the nearly 1,000 Spotsylvania riders who take the commuter rail service to the Washington area.
Locally, Stafford and the city of Fredericksburg are VRE members and collect a 2 percent gas tax to subsidize the trains for their residents.
Despite years of requests from VRE officials, Spotsylvania has yet to join. Spotsylvania contributes no money toward the system, though it has the fourth-highest ridership behind Prince William, Fairfax and Stafford--all member counties.
The bill's amount is what Stafford believes Spotsylvania riders cost them each year.
Spotsylvania supervisors contacted yesterday about the situation questioned the legality of the bill and said they will not pay it.
The Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on joining VRE before the summer. Board members are split over imposing a gas tax and overall costs of VRE. Stafford, having an economic stake in the outcome, would like to influence Spotsylvania supervisors.
"Threats are counterproductive," Stafford Supervisor Mark Dudenhefer said. "But we do want them to acknowledge their responsibility. I think they have
In a 4-3 vote, the Stafford Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution that will send bills to nearby localities not supporting VRE--Spotsylvania, King George, Fauquier and Caroline--whose residents board VRE trains in Stafford.
Stafford Supervisor Paul Milde does not expect Spotsylvania to pay the bill, but he hopes it will convince Spotsylvania to join the system. "I think it's fitting," he said. "The least we can do is make them aware of what they're costing Stafford taxpayers. I think the time for Spotsylvania hiding their heads in the sand is over."
Voucher plan offered
Milde, vice chairman of the VRE Operations Board, voted against the resolution, which also contained language that directs him to advocate for a voucher system, a separate measure that could force riders from non-member localities to pay their way.
In theory, vouchers would charge the full, unsubsidized fare to riders and reimburse Stafford riders. If adopted, it would increase the cost of a monthly VRE ticket by nearly $200 for non-Stafford residents who catch the train in Stafford.
"I'm not ready to support the voucher system, because I think it will hurt overall ridership," Milde warned, "but we know it will work, and it can happen.
"The question is: Do we have to do it to get Spotsylvania to appreciate the gravity of the situation? When will they start participating regionally in multi-modal transportation solutions?"
Despite the Stafford board's close vote on the resolution, the general attitude is to encourage Spotsylvania to join.
We need to do "anything we can to apply pressure," Stafford Supervisor George Schwartz said.
Legality questioned
Spotsylvania Supervisor Jerry Logan, who is eyed as a swing vote for the VRE issue, said yesterday that the actions of the Stafford supervisors are childish. "I think it is unfortunate that they would do that," he said. "My next question to our county attorney would be if there is any legitimate way they could collect that money."
Logan said his gut feeling is Stafford has no legal right to collect any money from Spotsylvania. He said their resolution won't help persuade him to vote in favor of joining VRE.
"If they are doing this knowing full well it is illegal and it has no basis and it is going nowhere, then it is a publicity stunt," he said.
Spotsylvania Supervisor Gary Skinner, who plans to vote in favor of joining VRE, said Stafford supervisors "jumped the gun." He said Spotsylvania residents have a right to ride the train.
"I would hope that they would have at least given us a chance before they did this," he said. "I am working hard to get this passed. We've never had the votes to join and we are trying to get those votes now to lessen the burden on [Stafford]."
Emmitt Marshall, who is against joining VRE, said he doesn't think any of the counties will pay the bills.
"We don't owe them anything." Marshall said. "What would happen if Spotsylvania riders didn't ride at all? The [VRE's] gross income would fall off. They'd lose all that money they are paying to ride. They are putting the pressure on, that's the name of the game."
City awaits decision
Fredericksburg, where most Spotsylvania riders board VRE trains, is caught in the middle of the conflict.
The city does not plan to take any immediate action on the situation.
"Spotsylvania plans to take a vote on VRE in the next month or so," said Fredericksburg City Councilman Matt Kelly, the city's voting representative on the VRE Operations Board. He said the council will "wait and see how that plays out and proceed from there."
Kelly said Stafford's voucher concept has been floated before, and other VRE member communities in Northern Virginia were not receptive. "I have not heard any great outcry of support for it," Kelly said.
Kelly hopes what he thinks are compelling reasons to join VRE--economic development, job creation and traffic reduction--will prevail on Spotsylvania's next vote. "The companies that would be located here have said we need to keep that route between us and Washington up and running, and they've told Spotsylvania that VRE is critical to them locating here," Kelly said.
If Spotsylvania does not join VRE for their own benefit, Stafford supervisors hope their actions will force Spotsylvania to consider the importance of the commuter service to the region.
"We want Spotsylvania to be a cooperative regional partner," Schwartz said. "We need to apply this pressure. They are a major player and they're not paying to get in the game."
Jonas Beals: 540/368-5036
Email: jbeals@freelancestar.com
