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Spotsylvania rail op-ed Date published: 10/22/2009
AS A LIFELONG Republican It pains me that the two Republican challengers for the position of Spotsylvania supervisor have taken a narrow, dogmatic, "penny-wise, pound-foolish" anti-VRE position. The GOP is supposed to stand for business, smart growth, and economic prosperity--which the overwhelming evidence proves VRE will help provide. The county's failure to participate in the VRE system since its inception has caused the loss of about $25 million in net positive revenue to the county, above and beyond all the "costs" of VRE membership. This is a staggering amount that could have been used for many other important local transportation needs. The facts from various independent sources prove over and over that Spotsylvania residents are already paying, and have always paid, the minuscule gas tax that generates the revenue to pay for VRE and fund local transportation projects. All conservatives should be outraged at the thought of paying a tax while receiving nothing in return for it. The studies have shown that the average price of gas is the same in Spotsylvania as in the VRE-membership localities of Fredericksburg and Stafford County. While this gas tax adds up to only three or four cents a gallon, it adds up. Simple math proves that the amount generated comes as much (or more) from non-residents--what you would expect inasmuch as we live along one of the busiest interstate highways in the world. VRE is about so much more than just people commuting to and from points north; it's about developing the economy and creating good jobs here. Unlike many other localities, Spotsylvania is fortunate to have land, infrastructure, housing, and a major road system all near the proposed rail station.
I know that using freeloaders and real estate agents in the same sentence is redundant, but VRE is a bad deal for everyone except them. When Mr. Johnson cashes in on his 1000 acre deal, we will be left with higher property taxes to pay for the growth. The current BOS has catered to the developers long enough.
busines to this area. How on earth could anyone actually believe it would? This area seems to know or want very little beyond retail, fast food & restaurants. Capital One is proof that the area will never retain anything else. I drove daily to DC for many years to a private industry job that required more than a set-in-concrete 8-hour day. VRE's schedule is geared toward the federal gov. work day. Also, ticket prices are high and service is, at best, unreliable. Don't do it Spotsylvania! VRE sucks!
I thought this initially also but my understanding in that the
proposed station is not on the mainline tracks to start with
but even if it was there will likely be only ONE STOP in the
Fredericksburg Area and it will most likely be in Downtown
Fburg.
Mr. Johnson owns land near the station. I can see that land
becoming valuable for NoVa workers homes but like the
areas around the Stafford stations it looks to be mostly
residential and not high tech.
Why not a study to determine how to zone that land?
down here. I don't see them in Fredericksburg or Stafford so
where are they?
Since VRE is a one-way rush hour service that will not run
reverse-commute service I don't see how this would attract
businesses but I'm willing to listen,
A to alternatives - we have a ton of people who carpool,
vanpool and rie buses and they have much greater
flexibility for origins and destinations - and they operate at
about 1/2 the cost as VRE.
I support it but I think we ought to be honest about it's
benefits.
Mr.Johnson VRE and your 1,000 acres = millions and millions of Fat dollars in YOUR pockets. So what if the rest of us have to pay a little more in gas taxes for you to get rich, You are Fitz Johnson truly a RINO!!!
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