Supervisors cool on transit proposal

By Cheryl Chumley

Published: July 6, 2008

The ink is scarcely dry, but a transportation bill brought forth by the General Assembly during its recent special session is set to be shot down Tuesday by the supervisors, at least some of whom view the measure as unfair to local interests.

H.B. 6055, due for vote on July 9, is a disproportionately applied transportation financial mechanism that gives Northern Virginia counties $150 million to Hampton Roads' $300 million, said Dana Fenton, legislative liaison for the county, in a Thursday morning press briefing at the McCoart Administrative Building. In previous years, the Northern Virginia regions received $300 million for road projects, he said.

The bill effectively imposes new taxes, as it requires localities to generate new revenue for transportation projects, according to background agenda documents for the July 8 board meeting at 2 p.m.

"Also, $250 million from the state would be shifted to Hampton Roads," and nothing to Northern Virginia, Fenton added.

Expectedly, Prince William is not happy with the proposed arrangement.

"Be it resolved that the … Board of Supervisors does hereby [call] on the General Assembly to reject the pending inequity of state and locally imposed taxes for regional transportation projects found in HB 6055," reads a resolution from Supervisor Martin Nohe, R-Coles, that is due for board vote tomorrow.

In short: the board's resolution rejects the idea of the bill that calls for local governments to pay for regional projects that traditionally fall under the funding domain of the commonwealth.

In other matters Tuesday, board members will consider several properties to tag as public nuisance

receive updates on the on-going viewshed debate for Manassas Battlefield; and hear a request from planning staff to endorse an application for a grant for Buckland Preservation Society for battlefield protection.

The 7:30 p.m. session includes board consideration of a handful of zoning and special use requests.

Staff writer Cheryl Chumley can be reached at 703-670-1907.