On Governor Kaine's website, you now have a chance to weigh in with your ideas about fixing the GOP transportation monstrosity...er, bill. You can also tell Governor Kaine what your main concerns are, for instance that the bill:*"Drains General Fund money used for public schools, public safety and health"
*"Saddles Virginia with a $2.5 billion debt."
*"...will just need fixing later on."
Etc., etc. So, what do you most hate about the Republican transportation bill, and how would you fix it? Go tell Governor Kaine, either online or in person as Kaine hits the road to campaign against this thing.
[UPDATE by Eric] And please don't forget to show support for Governor Kaine as he fights this monstrosity by signing the petition.
Everything the Rebublicans do is designed to force into extinction every legitimate, positive form of government activity, even those things the overwhelming majority of citizens want. They do not represent anyone except the nihilists and destructo wing of the GOP.
This way, Kaine would probably deliver more immediate positives than the approach I mentioned above. However, I am not really optimistic that the public will give the needed push to get the GOP to break ranks. It (the public) seems unwilling to put itself on the line for even more important things right now.
A package of targeted tax reforms plus new and increased fees for certain vehicle transactions would provide a dedicated revenue stream. For the typical citizen who does not regularly buy vehicles or commit repeated traffic offenses, the Governor's revised $850 million transportation revenue package would cost approximately $15 in each of the next two years, and approximately $20 each year after that.
Fifteen dollars per year? This is what the anti-tax, anti-progress, flat-earth Republicans are whining about? You've got to be kidding me. That's insane. For a mere $15 per year (going up to a whopping $20/year after two years) we don't have to steal money from education, health care, and public services OR go into massive debt.
Can you spare $20 per year to address the transportation problem without screwing up Virginia's future? I sure as hell can.
But I thought this comment from Bob Marshall was noteworthy:
Marshall . . . added that he was particularly concerned that several of the localities had not been consulted since the bill was contingent on their cooperation.
"Fairfax, Prince William and Loudoun had said they didn't want to buy into it and the whole premise of the bill is based on these local governments raising their taxes," said Marshall. "I was skeptical about the whole purpose of this thing. I think it was passed partially to get people off the Republicans' backs and to put the blame on the supervisors.