Democratic gubernatorial candidate Timothy M. Kaine recently promised to veto any new tax or fee for transportation or any increase in existing levies until at least 2009, when a constitutional amendment to lock up the state’s road fund could become law, reported the Washington Post.
Kaine reportedly said the only new money for roads, bridges and trains on his watch would come from budget surpluses and from a transfer of existing general fund taxes that would provide nearly $40 million a year for Northern Virginia.
“Any tax increase or any kind of fee increase – or if we can think of a word that’s a synonym for fees – any revenue increase that’s proposed into a transportation system, a trust fund, that’s not locked up and protected will be vetoed,” said Kaine to reporters after delivering a speech to business leaders in Herndon.
According to the
, that promise is the furthest Kaine has gone to counter accusations by his Republican opponent, Jerry Kilgore, that he would be a tax-and-spend governor. Kaine also has proposed a homeowner tax cut by 20% beginning in 2009.
Improving the coordination between state and local governments has been Kaine’s focus as they plan for new roads, homes and office buildings. According to thePost, Kaine said he would order his transportation secretary to recommend changes within the first 100 days of his administration.
“We’re at a crisis,” Kaine told transportation planners at the Hilton Washington Dulles Airport Hotel, “2006 will be the year to begin to fix the problem.”
Kaine’s speech included a pledge to hold transportation summits across the state and find ways to partner with private companies to build roads, and was well received by an audience of about 100 people.
