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Fierce pressure on Virginia leaders to fix tax plan fast
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Virginia (Map, News) - Virginia leaders scrambled Friday to recover from a state Supreme Court ruling that left its landmark transportation tax plan "null and void."
Local officials urged state lawmakers not to adjourn without fixing the tax plan that sends $300 million a year to Northern Virginia projects, but Gov. Tim Kaine said the issue is likely to be addressed after the session adjourns March 8, allowing legislators to focus on the state's budget crisis.
"The governor and the General Assembly need to act and they need to act immediately," said Chris Zimmerman, chairman of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority. "This is a problem they can fix. ... Without a fix, NVTA will essentially be out of business."
The Supreme Court's unanimous ruling said the General Assembly unconstitutionally gave the NVTA, a regional panel of appointees and elected leaders, taxing authority last year. The taxes went into effect Jan. 1.
"If we're going to wrestle with transportation infrastructure, then General Assembly members have to go on the board and vote and not hand the responsibility off to others," Kaine said.
However, Kaine suggested some lawmakers would be reluctant to authorize the taxes requiring the state to look at all options to replace the counted-on revenue.
Northern Virginia leaders indicated little patience for prolonged study or negotiations.
"The bottom line is it must not leave town without acting," Fairfax County Chairman Gerry Connolly said of the General Assembly. "It cannot leave Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads in the lurch without acting."
But Kaine and others stressed an effective solution and the state's budget negotiations should come before speed.
"It would be very hard to wrestle with this over the course of the next week," Kaine said.
Comments from Examiner Readers
11:24 AM MST on Tue., Mar. 18, 2008 re: "Supreme Court kills $300 million in taxes, fees"
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1:18 PM MST on Mon., Mar. 3, 2008
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8:20 AM MST on Sun., Mar. 2, 2008
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8:32 PM MST on Sat., Mar. 1, 2008
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3:15 PM MST on Sat., Mar. 1, 2008
re: "Supreme Court kills $300 million in taxes, fees"
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Examiner Reader said:
How do people go about getting the illegally collected money back?
0 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
When are the Politicians going to understand that enough is enough?? How about showing some talent and look for cutting waste, fraud, abuse and use the billions we already pay in the most efficient manner? How many millions we pay in state gasoline taxes (about 17Cts/galon) is never mentioned or where it goes or the Federal share. Tell us that before asking for more. NVTA should refund the illegal collections and closed down ASAP.
20 agree | 13 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
As someone planning to sell an EXISTING home in Arlington (so not adding to congestion), I was really offended by being asked to pay for this area's transportation costs. If there is a problem, and I agree that there is, tax those who will live here and benefit from the fix. Don't just tax people who are leaving and cannot pass judgment on their elected representatives' collective judgment.
18 agree | 18 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Way to go bonehead Governor Kaine, Passes a tax increase plan that no one likes and creates the NVTA which actually had no taxing authority per the law, and puts in Sharon Pandak another illegal immigrant apologist and fellow tax hiker. Real nice to want to hike taxes with the economy in a significant downturn and potentially a Recession. Will they try again to hike taxes on the working man? Chris Cummings?
17 agree | 27 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I want my money back. We just purchased a new car and I want my $317 back. The Government is good about collecting and spending money but not so good about cutting spending.
23 agree | 24 disagree
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