Divisive issues face lawmakers
as special session convenes
When the 2008 Virginia General Assembly adjourned March 13, lawmakers were divided over three issues: a university construction bond, the appointment of more than 30 judges and funding for roads and transportation.
Over the next four weeks, House and Senate leaders will attempt to find a middle ground during a special session. Gov. Tim Kaine is scheduled to submit his amendments and vetoes when the General Assembly reconvenes in a separate session on April 23.
So far, neither Republicans nor Democrats are budging, Republican Delegate Ben Cline said.
"We appear to be at loggerheads at the moment," he said.
On transportation funding, the Democrat-controlled Senate is in favor of a statewide tax increase to pay for road construction. The Republican House is calling for regional taxes in the areas where transportation is a major cost, namely Northern and Tidewater Virginia. Those localities were counting on revenue from abusive driver fees, which imposed fines up to $3,000 for moving violations. The fees were repealed March 8 after widespread citizen protest.
Now, state senators and delegates have to make up for a projected $65 million shortfall in state revenues. Some Democrats recommended raising the gas tax, which is already 17.5 cents per gallon, but Cline and other Republicans say that would put an undue strain on residents.
Cline, who represents much of the Rockbridge area, said less developed areas such as Rockbridge County would not be affected if the General Assembly decides to use regional taxes. Still, the Rockbridge area's Virginia Department of Transportation office is concerned about other issues.
State funding for road construction will decline by an average of 44 percent over the next six years, said Susan Hammond, residency administrator for the local Department of Transportation office. As the price of fuel and materials costs rise, any new construction that does happen will be more expensive.
While all of Rockbridge County's roads will be maintained, many secondary roads will have to wait on new construction, Hammond said. The construction money that VDOT does receive will be put toward the primary roads including Routes 60, 39 and 251.
The appointment of judges and the university construction bond are less controversial issues and will be easier to reconcile, Cline said.
Several judicial appointments are still in dispute, but most have been decided already. The 25th District, which includes Rockbridge County, has one open circuit court judgeship. Victor Ludwig, a Juvenile Court judge in that district, is the only person who has put his name forward for consideration.
The university construction bond is being held up by "technical differences," Cline said, but legislators agree that a bond of some kind needs to be passed. Bonds are used every five to 10 years to pay for university construction projects. This bond would be used primarily to build new dorms and expand existing facilities at Virginia public colleges. Virginia colleges will have to accommodate about 40,000 additional students in the next 10 years, Cline said.
Construction is already underway on a new barracks at Virginia Military Institute. VMI is also building a large conference center on the other side of the campus, but neither of those projects depends on this year's bond package. Instead, the new revenue would be put toward the construction of new training facilities, including an obstacle course and a rifle range.
Stewart MacInnis, VMI's assistant director of communications, said the current facilities are outdated and need to be replaced. Those and other projects have been put on hold for a number of years.
"In large measure we've been static," MacInnis said.
But VMI has received donations that have helped complete other projects, including the renovation of Foster Stadium. With much larger sources of revenue to draw on, the bond issue is not a major concern, MacInnis said.
"We would like to get on with these projects … but we'll deal with the reality of the situation as it develops," he said.
The delay "would not cause the wheels to grind to a halt."
Cline expects General Assembly members to hash out these issues as they have done in past special sessions.
"I am optimistic that cooler heads will prevail and we'll be able to reach an agreement over the next couple of weeks," he said.
Produced by
Washington and Lee
journalism students.
Lead Supervisors:
Prof. Brian
Richardson
Prof. Phylissa
Mitchell
Editing supervisor:
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Technical supervisor: Michael Todd