Posted on 05/12/2008 11:16:21 AM PDT by JZelle
RICHMOND (AP) — Gov. Tim Kaine is expected today to announce a tax package to pay for highway construction and the upkeep and repair of state roads and bridges.
Mr. Kaine scheduled a news conference at the state capitol to outline details of the bill that he will ask legislators to consider next month. He has called the General Assembly to Richmond beginning June 23 for the second special session on transportation funding in two years.
Mr. Kaine, a Democrat, wants regional funding plans to pay for new projects in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia, the state's most populous, fastest-growing and traffic-choked regions.
The plans would supplant similar regional roads, rails and transit packages that were approved just a year ago but struck down as unconstitutional in February by the state Supreme Court.
Mr. Kaine also wants hundreds of millions of dollars collected statewide to cover the increasing costs of maintaining 57,867 miles of highway.
The administration estimates that by next year maintaining roads and bridges will exceed money available by about $388 million and approach $600 million by 2014. Policy-makers call the number a "maintenance deficit."
Because state law puts top priority on maintaining existing roads, the maintenance deficit is defrayed with money intended for new road construction.
Increases in the sales tax, the gasoline tax or a boost in the sales tax on cars — from 3 percent to 5 percent — are among the options Mr. Kaine has considered.
A coalition of 25 lobbying associations representing businesses, developers, contractors, city and county governments and school teachers last week supported an increase in either the sales tax, the 17.5 cents-a-gallon gasoline tax or a combination to underwrite maintenance costs.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
WRVA said this morning that Governor Hinky Eyebrow actually said "this isn't a tax increase, it's a user fee adjustment."
Tim Kaine, Taxaholic.
Tim Kaine - He raises taxes as often as he raises his eyebrow.
Ronald Reagan said, “Fee is spelled t-a-x!”
Tax Wars, Episode VI: Return of the Eyebrow.
}:-)4
Why not just set up toll booths on the border. Anyone with whose ZIP code starts with 1 or 0 pays. Call it a “Yankee Tax”.
- A 1 percentage point increase in the sales tax on cars. The titling tax on new and used cars is now 3 percent and would rise to 4 percent.
- A new $10 registration fee on the sale of new and used cars.
- A 25-cents-per-$100 increase in the grantors tax that is paid by home sellers. It is based on the sales price of the property.
- A 1-cent-on-the-dollar regional sales tax increase in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia, the state’s two most congested regions. Taxes on food and over-the-counter medicines would be exempt from the increase.
Sure do sound like tax increases to me!
Good idea but it would have to be called a "Yankee Fee".
LOL!
I missed that one. Good grief.
A “user fee adjustment” my sweet Aunt Fannie. It’s a tax increase - a back door tax increase.
How much longer is he in office?
Increasing taxes in the face of a serious economic downturn has got to be the absolute stupidest thing I’ve heard of.
This makes me sick to my stomach.
I detest this governor. I don’t think he knows any other words except “tax increase.”
Is there a 12 step program?
We need to have an intervention....
Ouch.
We need to take it upon ourselves as Virginians to make the commonwealth very unwelcome to northern liberals. Maybe then we can reclaim the freedoms that we hold dear. Yankee’s go home! If it weren’t for liberal NOVA we wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in now.
10 Step Program for Taxaholics
1 Admit you are powerless over taxation and bureaucracy-- that spending had become unmanageable, and to say "NO" to welfare and other such social programs.
2 Believe that a Tax Cut greater than ever seen before could restore us to sanity.
3 Made a decision to turn the lives of the people over to the care of the People themselves
4 Made an inventory of our assets, debts, and spending programs, and then stopped all spending until unnecesary state assets and lands were sold off, debts paid, and social programs were minimized.
5 Admitted to the citizens the exact nature of our unnecessary spending, and of the many backroom deals made for corrupt purposes.
6 Was entirely ready to remove all unneeded patrons and employees from State payrolls
7 Humbly asked the People to forgive us our shortcomings.
8 Made a list of all persons and groups we had insulted and undermined for political purposes, and made it public.
9 Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10 Continued to review spending plans, cutting them where necessary, and refused new spending plans that would violate the above steps.
He does like his taxes.
I wish I could just demand an income increase to take care of necessary repairs. I really find it difficult to live on a budget.
614 days, not that I'm counting. :-)
Now that I've said that, I can't find the user fee quote, but that's what I ~thought~ I heard this morning.
Screw you Kaine..
Tell Kaine what you think of his tax increase:
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.