Dan Genz, The Examiner
2007-12-31 08:00:00.0
Current rank: Not ranked

WASHINGTON -

More taxes and fees will hit Northern Virginia residents, businesses and visitors Tuesday under an effort to improve the region’s overwhelmed transportation system.

Taxes on hotel rooms, car rentals, property sales and car repair all will increase, while fees on car registrations and inspections are set to climb, raising more than $335 million annually.

The levies will begin even as the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority faces a legal challenge from Loudoun County and several Republican politicians over its constitutionality before the Virginia Supreme Court.

The need for the new money is obvious to anyone who drives or uses public transportation in the region, said NVTA Chairman Chris Zimmerman, an Arlington County board member.

“It’s hard to say that it’s in the nick of time, but it’s certainly long overdue for us to actually do something about it,” he said.

The authority, comprising Alexandria City and Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties and four smaller jurisdictions, has mailed out more than 500,000 fliers educating merchants on the changes.

Although no one likes to pay new taxes, one advocate said residents should be assured they are paying to build projects that will benefit the region, said Bob Chase, with the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance.

“What’s important about the new taxes and fees is it’s money that is raised locally, stays locally and is invested locally and doesn’t have to be split with Richmond,” Chase said.

But Del. Bob Marshall, R-Prince William, is challenging the plan in court, saying the transportation authority has no constitutional right to levy taxes.

“I think it is highly irresponsible to proceed ahead to collect these taxes,” Marshall said. “This is like gambling with other people’s money on a Supreme Court decision.”

dgenz@dcexaminer.com