Triangle Legislators Share Thoughts Before GA Convenes

By Desiree Parker Thursday, January 05, 2012

The four Triangle General Assembly representatives shared their thoughts Wednesday on transportation, ramifications of the governor’s budget and other key legislative issues before the assembly meets for its 2012 session next week.

Discussion centered on several topics including transportation, and in particular the Governor’s proposal to shift more funding to this area as well as discussion about the possibility of increasing the gas tax to support needed projects.

Legislators also talked about whether to allow schools to start before Labor Day, state retirement system funding, redistricting and other issues facing the General Assembly this year.

Transportation

The Governor’s budget includes a proposed increase in the amount of sales tax allocated to transportation from .5 percent to .75 percent over the next eight years that would generate over $110 million in new funding for maintenance. He also proposed more revenue growth funds and surplus money dedicated to transportation.

Pogge said she supported the extra sales tax dollars for transportation so the state has a steady stream of funding for projects. She does not support raising the gas tax, as this would impact the “working poor.” Using fees such as tolls would be better, Pogge said.

Watson, when asked what he thought of using “revenue enhancements” to help with the transportation issue, he said he does not believe that raising the gas tax is the answer either. The governor’s ideas “will help,” Watson said, but he suggested the state needs to prioritize projects and be as efficient as possible.

Miller is still supportive of an increase in the gas tax. “We’ve got to deal with the crisis we see in transportation” instead of “nibbling around the edges” as he suggests is the case with the proposed budget funding. Gas tax funds would be a “dedicated, realistic, sustainable” stream.

The governor has been “aggressive” on the issue, Norment said, citing the increase in funding in the budget and also the state’s recent $600 million transportation bond sale. He also supports tolling to generate revenues. Norment, set to be the majority leader as the new session begins, said “the gas tax won’t be increased… no matter what.”

Tourism

The conversation on tourism centered on whether schools should be allowed to open before Labor Day. This is an issue important in tourist areas such as the Triangle, Duncan noted, since it would reduce the number of days families with children can vacation in summer.

Watson said some localities, such as those with frequent snow days, may have a good reason to open earlier. But, “it is important in this region to keep the schedule the way it is,” he said.

Miller has voted before to allow local school boards set their own school calendars, but he said a study on the issue is currently underway. He will take the results into consideration, he said, in the future.

Norment said he also opposed opening schools before Labor Day.

Speaking about the Williamsburg Area Destination Marketing Committee, a group that uses an extra $2 per night room tax to market the Triangle, Norment said he still supported the group because it keeps tourism resources in the area.

He said he was not concerned about any “dissidents” in the area who might be looking to change the group or the legislation that created it.

Virginia Retirement System

The budget proposes a total of $2.2 billion in employer contributions to state employee and teacher funds, which would be the largest-ever VRS contribution by employers.

When discussing his planned trip with the governor to New York to talk to Wall Street representatives, Norment noted that the underfunding of VRS is one major issue that may affect the state’s excellent bond rating, which is why it is so important to fund it adequately.

When asked why there were cuts to various agencies in the budget, Pogge said that needs for other priority items, such as VRS, mean cuts are needed to other areas.

When discussing the possible elimination of funding for public broadcasting, Watson agreed with Pogge and said he would support such a proposal in order to preserve funding for VRS and other important items.

High Speed Rail

Only Miller felt that high speed rail would come to the region (through a Richmond to Norfolk line) soon.

Watson noted that it would take a “mindset change” to get high speed rail to work, and he wants to “make sure we’re going to get utilization” before he would commit to funding.

Norment and Pogge don't think it will be in the cards for the state, not for a long time. The current funding prospects for high speed rail are grim, Norment said, and he doubted a public/private partnership would work because groups wouldn’t want to make the big investment needed to get a project off the ground.

Redistricting

The General Assembly was unable to come to agreement over congressional redistricting at the end of last year, but most local representatives said they expect the assembly will take up the issue again.

The issue is in the courts right now, but Norment said the three federal judges considering the matter probably won't want to tackle it and would prefer it go back to the assembly.

Pogge and Watson agreed that likely it would be back to legislators to handle.