Tops on the NVTA agenda were seven resolutions, each to approve a regional tax or fee suggested by the General Assembly to fund regional and local projects in the NVTA’s jurisdictions. For those keeping score, the revenue measures include a a one percent increase in the initial vehicle registration fee, a $10 regional vehicle registration renewal fee, a $10 increase in the vehicle safety inspection fee and a five percent sales tax on auto repair labor costs (another wink at the notion that Virginia only has a sales tax on goods). Then come an increase of $0.40 per $100 of sale price on property stales (grantors tax) and two percent increases in the transient occupancy tax and motor vehicle rental tax.

Most passed 12 to 2 with support coming from the representatives of the Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William County boards, the councils of Alexandria, Fairfax City, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park, two appointees of the Governor and two members of the General Assembly. Loudoun County Chairman Scott York expressed concerns about the effects on his locality of “ovelapping” NVTA bonded indebtedness and the wisdom of raising real estate taxes even at the time of a sale given current market conditions. Curiously, a third member of the General Assembly, Del. Jeffrey Frederick, opposed each resolution despite “representing” the Speaker of the House.

The annual total from these regional sources of revenue is estimated to be over $300 million, revenues that can and will be used to back transportation bonds. So, as each of the new revenue sources gained approval under the NVTA’s complicated formulas -- 10 out of 14 of the voting members must approve, including two-thirds of the nine local government members and local government members who represent at least two-thirds of the population of the region -- a calm, perhaps not totally unrelated to the lateness of the hour, came over the proceeding. Five years after nine Northern Virginia senators and nine Northern Virginia delegates patroned legislation to create NVTA in its current form, NVTA members were establishing the procedures by which regional project activity could proceed as early as 2008.

With political polls showing transportation as the number one voter concern in an election year and a public comment period across several jurisdictions that produced overwhelming support for regional taxes and fees from desperate commuters, NVTA members seized what advocates called “the best opportunity in 20 years” to expand a neglected transportation system.

Not only are new revenues on the way, but NVTA voted to establish only a small staff, including an executive director, and to use strict criteria to establish and prioritize projects, such as suggested in its TransAction 2030 plan. It established a technical advisory committee to be made up of professionals with transportation planning, finance, construction, legal and other technical expertise to assist its work as required by its enabling legislation. But its resolution also suggests that the committee include multi-modal expertise and a regional focus.

Most importantly to many regional residents, NVTA pulled $102 million worth of projects together for an initial bond issuance. NVTA weighed projects “ready to go,” that were priorities of local jurisdictions, that provided some balance across mode of transportation and could improve congestion, safety or transit capacity in its first list. These and future projects will ensure that federal, state and private mega-projects, such as the Springfield Interchange (officially complete this week), the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, HOT Lanes and Rail to Dulles, will not keep other equally critical connections from going forward. And NVTA authorized the filing of a bond validation suit on July 13 to seek an early court ruling on its constitutional powers to proceed.

“All in a day’s work” is the phrase often used to describe the successful outcome of a long and complex process. It is a happy shrug-off of all the difficulties and divisions that have had to be overcome in order to accomplish something important and enduring. Members of the NVTA were neither unanimous in their views, nor hesitant to highlight the shortcomings of the regional initiatives they were bringing to life on July 12. But the record shows that members were determined that night to give the Northern Virginia region a brighter, more self-directed transportation future. That the economic engine of the Commonwealth may run more smoothly is good news across Virginia.