Policy News
February 12, 2007

Business Community Continues Push for Transportation Solutions Now

Dear Loudoun County Chamber member:

You have an historic opportunity to make a difference in the Virginia business community’s efforts to urge state legislators to address the Commonwealth’s ongoing transportation funding crisis.

Earlier this week, the House of Delegates adopted a transportation funding plan that would generate $4 billion over the next six years for road and transit construction statewide. The plan also authorizes Northern Virginia local governments to raise and spend another $400 million annually, which would be focused on addressing some of our region’s most pressing needs.

Though this plan is not be perfect, it does achieve the Loudoun County Chamber’s stated objectives for the 2007 General Assembly session: a strong statewide transportation funding measure and a minimum of $400 million annually in new money that would be dedicated to Northern Virginia’s needs.

With the 2007 General Assembly session now two weeks from concluding, the final chapter of this story has yet been written. State Senators will now consider the House bill, while Governor Kaine may introduce his own compromise proposal.

While differences exist between the House and Senate, there is far more agreement on the broader issues than there ever has been, particularly on how much money is needed to address our transportation needs.

The Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce is a leader in the Northern Virginia Transportation Coalition, a consortium of 23 major business groups who are dedicated to seeing a major transportation funding bill adopted this session. The Coalition has steadfastly held that:

• Virginia’s, particularly Northern Virginia’s, transportation funding crisis is threatening our prosperity and quality of life;
• Virginia’s transportation funding sources are woefully inadequate to meet the growing demand;
• There is widespread agreement on how much money is needed, both statewide and in the two most severely impacted regions: Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads; and
• There is too much at risk for our legislators to leave Richmond on February 24th without a serious solution to Virginia’s most serious crisis.

Please contact your state legislators today and let them know that returning home empty handed is unacceptable.

Tell them to set aside their differences and focus on an outcome that provides a significant amount of funding to improve transportation facilities in every corner of Virginia, while allowing Northern Virginia to raise its own money to address our critical needs. 

To contact our state legislators, or search for your own Delegate and Senator, visit the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance web site at: http://www.nvta.org/content.asp?contentid=1324.
The time is not to act and we need your help.  Thank you for your support on this important business and quality of life issue.

Tony Howard
President