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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.
Republicans like myself say we want to bring new, high-paying jobs to our region. VRE will make this a reality, not just a campaign slogan. Numerous companies and agencies want to move to this area. Some are mandated to locate outside the Washington "blast zone," and Spotsylvania is the first county south that qualifies.
I know this is true because I have personally shown officials from these companies around our area in my real-estate practice. You would not believe the reaction when they see VRE cars parked in the Crossroads Terminus; yet when I tell them passengers cannot board in Spotsylvania because the county has not joined the system, they shake their heads.
It's embarrassing. To these out-of-town leaders, Spotsylvania looks like a Neanderthal, anti-business locality. VRE opponents have habitually disparaged the idea of VRE as an economic-development tool. But having been on the front lines of economic development here for years, I can say they are simply wrong--or unwilling to accept the truth. Don't believe me? Ask the Spotsylvania Technology Center how important VRE is to new business prospects.
All the major arguments against joining VRE have been thoroughly debunked. One candidate opposes it because he believes the public will cut its gas consumption so drastically that the 2 percent tax will not cover VRE operating expenses; the other candidate cites obscure language in the contract he finds disturbing. Against the overwhelmingly positive arguments for joining, these objections seem flimsy.
The irony is that the vast majority of the local business community supports VRE membership--and that community is overwhelmingly Republican. Paul Milde, a GOP supervisor in Stafford, backs the pro-VRE candidates. The Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors, a huge proponent of VRE, is overwhelmingly Republican. Yet both GOP supervisor candidates in Spotsylvania stand opposed to VRE. Does anyone else see the disconnect here?
In the interest of full disclosure, my company, Johnson Realty Advisors, serves as broker for more than 1,000 acres near the proposed VRE station. Yet mine is but one local business that will benefit from VRE membership, which will make it easier for me to sell this land faster to quality companies that will build office buildings and provide good jobs. In turn, this will greatly enhance the commercial tax base and reduce taxes for all Spotsylvanians. Also, the VRE station will help get an Amtrak station and bring high-speed rail to Spotsylvania.
Membership in VRE now comes down to the supervisor races in the Lee Hill and Battlefield districts. The GOP candidates whine that these elections shouldn't be a referendum on VRE, but their political maneuvering on the contract date extension has made it so.
If you are for economic development, good jobs, and lower taxes, vote for Gary Skinner in Lee Hill District and for Benny Pitts in Battlefield District. These supervisors are thinking about the county's future, not shortsighted party politics.
Fitz Johnson, a former chairman
