So Transportation Is Just About Politics
That is certainly how one might interpret Tim Craig’s report in today’s Washington Post, which says:
“But 10 days into the special session on transportation -- legislators have been on vacation for six of those days -- it remains uncertain whether any solution will be found or whether the governor will score any of those political points.
“The General Assembly already has killed (Governor Tim) Kaine's proposal for a $1.1 billion tax increase to pay for roads and rail. It appears unlikely that the legislature will approve new statewide money for transportation, and the issue might not be brought up again until after the 2009 governor's race.”
“Kaine might think that voters will pin the blame on Republicans, but there is little in this session for Democrats, either. And by pushing the issue now, before achieving a consensus among legislators on how to proceed, Kaine might have guaranteed he will leave office without fulfilling one of his major policy goals.”
Craig then goes on to write about who hit who, and why.
At Tertium Quids, Norm Leahy writes, “The sources are chattering about what happened in the House regarding the gas tax hike and the prospects for HB 6055 -- the return of regional government + local taxes.” He’s most concerned, however, about HB 6055, which we growled about last evening. Norm writes:
“The bigger threat comes from 6055...what some are calling an utterly "stupid" move that, should it pass, will both alienate the Republican base and give Democrats the pleasure of killing it in the Senate.”
Stay tuned! The General Assembly special transportation session resumes on Wednesday.