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A
petulant
few of those who promoted the sales tax ballot
measures in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia
appear to want no consideration of alternative
solutions. These folks are determined to prove, even
if everyone must suffer, that their solution is
indeed the only one.
Fortunately,
Gov. Mark Warner is not among them. Obviously
disappointed by the rejection of the ballot measures
by the voters in those two regions, he nevertheless
announced that he would look for another way to
address the transportation problems in Virginia's
most heavily populated regions and invited
suggestions about what other options can be pursued.
Two
things are essential to a serious debate over what
to do next. First, every legislator should have
access to all the information necessary to an
informed decision. Second, the dismissive tone
of those who supported approval of the sales tax
referendums whenever other options were suggested
must be replaced by a more constructive attitude.
Some
proposals should quickly be eliminated. A change in
the state formula for allocating funds in the
Transportation Trust Fund, for example, will not
solve the problems in Northern Virginia and Hampton
Roads. There isn't enough money in the fund no
matter how it's allocated.
Raising
more money for the Transportation Trust Fund is
neither politically viable nor advisable from a
policy standpoint. One consequence of the rejection
of the sales tax referendums is that a statewide tax
increase is also off the table. Even if more tax
revenues were poured into the fund, the wasteful,
pork barrel character of transportation spending
would be left untouched.
There
is another way to address current transportation
problems without raising taxes or changing the
funding formula. Vital transportation projects can
be financed through tolls and fares or by payments
from property owners who will directly benefit from
the project, as will occur along Route 28 in Fairfax
County.
Virginia
should also move aggressively to invite proposals
from private entrepreneurs to finance and construct
transportation projects on a user-financed basis.
This should include potential enhancements of
existing facilities where congestion can be relieved
through new user-financed lanes or through
imposition of tolls on all lanes, both existing and
new.
Immediate
reduction in congestion is possible through demand
management strategies such as congestion pricing and
rescheduling work hours. Longer-term
strategies should include new land use approaches
designed to rescue the frequency and length of
trips. The adverse consequences of sprawl were
unquestionably on the minds of many of the voters in
Hampton roads and Northern Virginia who voted to
reject the sales tax measures. The improved linkage
between transportation and land use planning so
often mentioned by Gov. Warner can't come soon
enough.
Another
element of a comprehensive approach to existing
transportation problems in the more urbanized
regions is private transit and paratransit. State
government should implement strategies to encourage
private investment in mini-buses and vans to meet
the needs of those not served by scheduled bus and
rail transit.
One
thing should be obvious: Government can't do it all.
It we want a more efficient and flexible
transportation system; we must give the private
sector a far greater role. There are many possible
solutions. Private entrepreneurs should be
encouraged to test solutions at their risk, not the
taxpayers' risk. This approach is likely to be more
innovative and cost-effective than a bureaucratic
approach.
Let's
get on with the debate.
-- November 18, 2002
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