VA Republicans agree on transportation deal

Just breaking this evening. The new plan will not technically add any additional taxes, but it will however impose additional fees on Virginians including raising traffic ticket penalties, fees paid at the DMV, and a new $100 fee on Virginians applying for a driver's license.

BREAKING UPDATE: Local CBS affiliate says the plan also includes $1.3 billion in bonds over the next five years, and "self-help" for Northern Virginia, and Hampton Roads. The "self-help" will allow those regions to raise money through a "grantors tax" on home sales.

UPDATE #2: Via WTVR CBS 6:

They felt pressure to provide an alternative to the nearly $1 billion-a-year transportation plan Democratic Gov. Timothy M. Kaine submitted in December or be blamed before November's legislative elections for worsening the transportation crisis. The GOP proposal includes $1.3 billion in bonds over five years, drastically higher fines against dangerous drivers and assorted fee increases.

It does not include Kaine's proposal to boost the sales tax on new cars from 3 percent to 5 percent, said Sen. Kenneth W. Stolle, R-Virginia Beach. The package also includes a self-help component for northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, allowing those regions to raise money through a "grantors tax" on home sales and other fee increases, Stolle said. The agreement came one day before Friday's deadline for filing legislation for 2007.

UPDATE #3: The deal will reportedly increase the per-gallon tax on diesel fuel from 16 cents to 17.5 cents (worth about $20 million). The traffic ticket fees I mentioned earlier will be worth about $61 million and raise fees and penalties on overweight trucks.

Sounds to me like the Virginia Republicans were just fishing for a plan to "tax" Virginians without ever actually imposing a tax (with the exception of the diesel fuel tax hike, which will not affect most Virginians). Hm, how clever of them.

The $1.3 billion in bonds I mentioned above, will be broken down over a period of time, $1.3 million from 2008-2012, and $700 million after that.

UPDATE #4: Ben over at Not Larry Sabato reports that this plan looks a lot like the Gilmore Transportation Act of 2000.

UPDATE #5: From the Richmond Times Dispatch article I quoted earlier, this excerpt is worthy of note too:

Republicans called the plan an "agreement in concept," not necessarily a finished product. It was not discussed with Kaine before details were made public at a news conference, nor is there room for sweeping changes, they said.

UPDATE #6: Bearing Drift has reaction from Governor Tim Kaine, Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, and Attorney General Bob McDonnell.

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