Posted on 07/03/2007 6:21:26 AM PDT by Gopher Broke
An unelected body, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, (NVTA) is set to implement completely unprecedented and controversial taxing powers for road projects, two thirds of which will not be identified until late November or early December.
The NVTA wants more taxing power from the General Assembly in 2008, eminent domain authority to take homes, businesses, and land, and power to relocate utilities.
Proposed Taxes and Fee Increases:
- Tax on home sales will increase an additional 40 cents per $100 bringing the total state and local grantor/recordation taxes to 86.66 cents per $100, up from 46.66 cents per $100 ($3,467 instead of $1865 on a $400,000 home),
- New 5% car repair tax ($50 on a $1,000 repair bill). Collision repair costs will be hit especially hard as will insurance costs.
- Car rental tax will increase addition 2%, from 10% to 12 %
- Hotel tax will increase 2% on top of current 2%-5% tax
- Vehicle safety inspection fee will increase from $15 to $25
- New regional annual vehicle registration fee of $10 added to current registration fee.
- New, first time registration fee of 1% of sales price of newly registered or purchased car (new or used) ($200 for $20,000 vehicle)
The NVTA is authorized to negotiate unsolicited, non-competitive, sole-source contracts with their usual cost overruns.
The General Assembly increased road and rail funding from $6.2 billion a few years ago to $9.4 billion in the current budget. Last year we authorized local governments to construct inter-jurisdictional toll roads. This year we authorized the use of interstate tolls.
A formal legal opinion was previously requested from, but not issued, by the Attorney General on this law, HB3202. Since a lawsuit was filed, no opinion can now be issued. (Questions about constitutionality? Write delegatebobmarshall@hotmail.com)
If six appointed members from nine jurisdictions vote yes to taxes in July 12, all jurisdictions must impose and collect them. Please email, write, call, fax the NVTA representative below from your jurisdiction, and the others if possible. You can also attend and testify at the public hearing July 12, 7:00 pm @ Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, 7130 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA. Thank you!
The Honorable Christopher Zimmerman Chairman, NVTA, Arlington Co. BOS, 2100 Clarendon Blvd. Ste. 300, Arlington, VA 22201, Fax: (703) 228-7430, czimmerman@arlingtonva.us
The Honorable Marty Nohe Vice-Chairman, NVTA, Prince William Co. BOS, 4360 Ridgewood Center Dr. Prince William, VA 22192, Fax: (703) 792-4610, mnohe@pwcgov.org
The Honorable Gerry Connolly Fairfax County BOS, NVTA, 12000 Government Center Pkwy, Ste. 530, Fairfax, VA 22035, Fax: (703) 324-3955, chairman@fairfaxcounty.gov
The Honorable William Euille City of Alexandria, NVTA, 301 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314, Fax: (703) 838-6433, alexvamayor@aol.com
The Honorable Robert Lederer City of Fairfax, NVTA, 10455 Armstrong St., Fairfax, VA 22030, Fax: (703) 385-7811, rlederer@fairfaxva.gov
The Honorable Hal Parrish City of Manassas, NVTA, 9027 Center St., Manassas, VA 20110, Fax: (703) 365-2060, hparrish@ci.manassas.va.us
The Honorable Bryan Polk City of Manassas Park, NVTA, City Hall, One Park Center Ct., Manassas Park, VA 20111, Fax: (703) 335-0053, bpolk@cityofmanassaspark.us
The Honorable David Snyder City of Falls Church, NVTA, Harry Wells Bld., 300 Park Ave, 3rd Floor, East Wing, Falls Church, VA 22046, Fax: (703) 248-5146, dsnyder@fallschurchva.gov
The Honorable Scott York Loudoun County BOS, NVTA, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, VA 20177, Fax: (703) 777-0421, syork@loudoun.gov
And Jerry Kilgore’s people blamed his loss of those of us who worked the phones for him (among other things). I’m sick of the repubs. They need to grow a backbone, grow a set of steel ones, and stop bashing the base.
Eh, but what’s the alternative for us NOVA people? Still cheaper on taxes here than DC or Maryland. Seriously, who wants to live where you can’t buy beer at the grocery?
That meeting is not too far from me.
Cutting spending is something that most pols will not do. Why? Because it is a lot HARDER than spending.
I spent a few years on staff in the state senate in Boston, MA. I discovered that pols will crawl for miles over broken glass before they cut spending - especially if they are Democrats.
Democrats LOVE big government. In northern Virginia, we are only a river away from the biggest government spending drunks in the world. It is infectious.
And voting them out of office is more difficult than you think. Once the voters get something for nothing(even though we all pay for it) it is devilishly difficult to take it away from them.
Ugh.
They are trying to make us sorry we opposed previous tax increases.
I lived there for 3+ years while in the USAF and they’re almost ALL (WARNING:DANGEROUS OXYMORON AHEAD!) GOVERNMENT WORKERS and LOVE TAXES (usually those applied to others).
This time THEY get to feel some of the love.
Any time I see a story about how national bankruptcy rates are up, I check to see if any area of the nation escaped the pain: It’s almost ALWAYS that ring of communities SURROUNDING WASHINGTON.
If you need to ask “Why,” you haven’t been paying attention to what’s happening in this country.
ugh...I despise him!
I think this just affected certain cities and counties in NVA.
I’m glad we moved away from there in 2003.
>I can’t imagine Virginians in the rest of the state rolling over and playing dead on this one.<
They better not, because before they know it, they’ll have the same thing in every corner of the state.
A tax on car repair? That’s just low.
There, fixed.
You know you’re in the midst of tyranny when local, unelected municipalities and councils have the power to levy taxes.
Who shall protect us from this tyranny? If we don’t do it ourselves, it won’t get done.
Time for a Tea Party!!!!
Corin, I’m confused. When did they repeal the Dillon Rule?
Agreed. Half of the problem is that for the most part, the public are sheep. They bleat and follow the leaders anywhere.
“We now have $3,500 traffic tickets, too.”
Don’t drive drunk and you won’t get a $3,500 ticket.
I believe Mr. Moran is from Malden, MA.
Interestingly, he used to be a pug(a boxer) a one point in his life. He’s a big guy.
I remember listening to his maiden speech in the House back in January, 1991. He came down on the side in favor or then President Bush’s war resolution to kick Iraq out of Kuwait.
The next morning he came back and changed his vote - after he got an earful from all of his liberal supporters in northern Virginia.
I never for got that. He folded up like a cheap suitcase on a vote marking his maiden speech. Good Lord.
If it’s 3 in the morning, and you need help, I wouldn’t call Jim Moran.
Australia maybe.
Yep. Crossing the job opportunity in VA off the list now.
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