What penalty is there for VDOT?
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Dan Gates
Published: June 20, 2008
Why is it that every time Richmond announces a new transportation plan, the costs fall squarely on the shoulders of Virginians? Don’t we have just a few out-of-state drivers passing through our
commonwealth?
I also can’t seem to understand taxing Virginians, who buy or re-finance their homes, to build and maintain roads. Here we are in the midst of a mortgage crisis and Richmond wants to make it harder to
refinance homes!
It also seems to be OK to raise taxes on everything we buy, but not on the one thing directly related to roads — gasoline. We can pay more for everything else, but not sacred gas. When was the last
time an outside agency reviewed VDOT’s operations and validated their cost of doing business and quality of service? We seem to like public-private partnerships.
How about putting the whole department, with the exception of the secretary and some contracting officers, up for bid to the private sector? Then we’ll know who can do the job more efficiently. I don’t see
any real accountability at VDOT.
At least with a contract, you have measurable services and penalties for failure to perform. Haven’t heard of any penalties being assessed against VDOT lately, and I’m not convinced they provide quality
services. Richmond needs to stop targeting Virginians and find ways to make our roads better.
DAN GATES
Woodbridge
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Posted by ( willow703 ) on June 21, 2008 at 10:33 am
Dan,
You need to go talk to Dave Albo. Virginia is in the bottom 20 percent of states in the amount of taxes paid. Dave wants to keep it that way. I don’t blame him, he is a Republican whose mantra is, “If I have to pay for it, no one needs it.“
Those who pass through Virginia pay for the roads only if they purchase fuel in Virginia. They would be wise to do so, as it is generally cheaper here.
Dave & his Republican cohorts are opposed to a modest increase in Virginia’s gas tax; among the lowest in the nation at about 18 cents per gallon with no increase in the past 20 years.
Dave prefers his “Albo Fees” and other subterfuges that result in Virginia residents, unfairly, paying more for the roads than other users.
As for VDOT, a previous Republican governor cut the heart out of VDOT by offering “buyouts” of VDOT employees, an offer they couldn’t refuse; so to speak.
Virginians need to target Richmond. Virginians need to tell Albo & company, if you won’t do the job, we’ll find someone who will.
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Posted by ( raywilliams ) on June 21, 2008 at 7:19 am
A better question may be is why do so many federal government agencies need to cluster around Washington DC. With communication systems available today, many agencies could be located in rural parts of the country to take pressures off our road system and enhance the economies of those rural communities.
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Posted by ( raywilliams ) on June 21, 2008 at 7:15 am
Mr. Gates is correct. An increase in the gas tax is the only way to fund our transportation system with a steady supply of income. We will either drive less or pay more for the infrastructure we use. Of course, increasing the cost of gas increases the cost of all goods and services we use. Easy to see why the Bush Administration has kicked this can down the road for eight full years without stopping to pick it up.
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