VA Senate Bill to Expand Tolling Authority

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   With taxes, the taxpayers have some say in how much. With tolls on private toll roads, the companies can charge anything they want.

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Bob Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 14 Dec 2001 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Bob Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jan 2007 at 11:49am
	With taxes, the taxpayers have some say in how much. With tolls on private toll roads, the companies can charge anything they want.

n/a Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote n/a Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jan 2007 at 11:47am
	quote: Originally posted by NoSUV [br]With tolls, the vehicle that is on THAT ROAD, pays for THAT ROAD. And of course that would be a fair way to establish a user tax, but that is not how taxes are distributed in VA. Tax payers in NOVA have been subsidizing SOVA road projects for years. Where's the parity? Where's the payback? By distributing funding for NOVA road costs back across the whole state, the way NOVA taxes are used to subsidize road construction for the whole state, we may finally have some parity.

N_or_S_bound Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 20 May 2005 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote N_or_S_bound Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jan 2007 at 11:47am
	quote: Originally posted by NoSUV [br]With tolls, the vehicle that is on THAT ROAD, pays for THAT ROAD. Really? How does one go about putting into place an accounting method to track just what funds are collected, then reallocated back to THAT ROAD? That comment is such a utopian view and takes in little to none of the realities that exist when it comes to how things really work. Who paid for the roads they're going to start collecting tolls on (e.g. HOT)? NoSb SOV because you can, HOV because you care!

NoSUV Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote NoSUV Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jan 2007 at 11:26am
	With tolls, the vehicle that is on THAT ROAD, pays for THAT ROAD.

darkprime Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 05 Jul 2006 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote darkprime Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jan 2007 at 10:58am
	Gas taxes are probably the best way to go as it best distributes the cost state wide.

n/a Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote n/a Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jan 2007 at 9:53am
	The question on the table is, should gas taxes pay for road improvements/maintenence, or should tolls? Both are user taxes. The assumption that a gas tax disproportionately burdens locals is only true if the tax is levied only in local NOVA jurisdictions. In addition, tolls burden local users even though NOVA has been tax subsidizing SOVA's transportation needs for years, decades maybe. Then why shouldn't future gas taxes supporting NOVA road improvements be levied statewide? That way all Virginians, as well as thru traffic that stops for in-state fill-ups, will pay to support the state roadways. It seems unreasonable for SOVA/Richmond to object as they have been beneficiaries of NOVA's tax base for so long. Fair's fair!

litaru Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote litaru Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 Jan 2007 at 11:25am
	I'm curious about the lake riddle, too. Can someone answer soon, I have to leave town and really would not wake up in the middle of the night when I finally get the answer. As for the whole debate...necessity begat invention. NoVA commuter traffic was/is horrendous and enterprising people came up with a solution. There were no tolls or private highways that encouraged an alternate method of commuting to/from DC. I realize it sounds passive /aggressive; but no matter what the Senate elects on the HOV issue, there will be a more pleasant alternative because human nature cannot be legislated. Gonna go google that riddle, now. Take Care...C Ya [;)] M

N_or_S_bound Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 20 May 2005 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote N_or_S_bound Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 Jan 2007 at 9:55am
	quote: Originally posted by raymond [br] Algae? What in blazes are you talking about? It's an old debate move. When you don't have a solid argument supported with facts, avert and/or obfuscate. Hybrids are part of the solution ONLY when they are HOV-compliant. That is the only time they aren't part of the problem. It's simple math. Which would you rather have on the road: 1,000,000 SOV hybrids or 333,333.333 HOV vehicles? My Avalon just turned over to 130K miles. I think it's got another 200K left in it. Maybe they'll come out with a retrofit kit so I can convert it to hybrid technology, ya think? NoSb SOV because you can, HOV because you care!

n/a Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote n/a Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 Jan 2007 at 3:48pm
	Unless there is a viable (reliable, affordable, convenient, clean and comfortable) mass transit system slugs and carpoolers have no incentive to change. And why should we? What we have (carpooling) is economically/traffic/ecologically friendly and, oh by the way, its voluntary. So anyone who wants to switch can. Algae? What in blazes are you talking about?

SpongeBob Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 06 Oct 2004 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote SpongeBob Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 Jan 2007 at 12:11pm
	Can I answer first, please please please teacher????? Gee, it's such a difficult and tricky question... and it bears such a direct relation to climate change and gosh, I just don't know what to say! Please, Mr. NoSUV, can you enlighten us with your clever wisdomliness and give us the answer to your ever-so-tricky riddle?