| Chamber
Supports Sales Tax Increase |
|
To the editor:
|
| The Herndon Dulles Chamber of Commerce Supports The Transportation
Referendum and offers answers to these statements concerning
the referendum. |
| 1. Northern Virginia has the third worst congestion in the
nation. |
| True. That¯s because the transportation planning recommendations
from the 1960s was never implemented. The planners saw then
that we needed three beltways, not one. We remain an area
with not nearly the number of roads or mass transportation
sufficient to serve our population. |
| 2. If more people used mass transit currently, we could
eliminate our gridlock. |
| False. As a region, we rank No. 1 in the nation in the numbers
of mass transit commuters. Our current mass transit system
cannot handle the numbers of commuters we have in Northern
Virginia. |
| 3. This transportation referendum doesn¯t seriously address
mass transit. |
| False. This referendum allots almost 45 percent of the
funding to mass transit projects. That is three times as much
as the highest amount ever so far given to mass transit projects
here. |
| 4. If the referendum passes, all of the money will stay
here. |
| True. One-hundred percent of the money raised for transportation
in Northern Virginia stays in Northern Virginia and will be
overseen by Northern Virginians. |
| 5. The State should give us the money to fix our transportation
needs. |
| We recognize that this is in part a philosophical issue§but
it is also an issue of reality. We need to be focused on the
getting things done in the present and the future. This transportation
referendum gets us relief. |
| 6. If we fixed the funding formula, we could get the transportation
money we need from Richmond. |
| False. While there are many trying to claim that adjusting
the funding formula is the real fix, that alone is not going
to significantly solve the problem. |
| 7. Virginians are already overtaxed. |
| False. Virginians are among the least taxed people in the
nation. |
| 8. This referendum will increase the Toll Road expenses
and help build the Techway. |
| False. The money raised by this referendum addresses neither
issue. |
| 9. If we tax ourselves for transportation, Richmond is bound
to reduce the amount of money they give us. |
| False. By law, Richmond cannot reduce the amount they return
to us for transportation. Will they rewrite the law? Not this
time. We finally have Northern Virginians in key positions
within the General Assembly. |
| 10. The average commuter wastes about 84 hours a year stuck
in traffic. |
| True. We will all do ourselves a favor if this referendum
passes. The poor pay an even higher price in terms of lost
time and inadequate public transit. |
| 11. This transportation referendum will solve our transportation
problem. |
| False. Those who support the Transportation Referendum
are the first to admit this. It is a big down-payment on an
even more expensive problem. We shall never find the perfect
single solution. We must use several approaches to fix our
transportation crisis. This is a great first step! |
| 12. This transportation referendum will tax food and prescription
drugs. |
| False. Neither food nor prescription drugs will be taxed
under this transportation tax. |
| 13. What is positive and true about this tax referendum? |
| A. For 25 cents a day we can infuse 5 billion dollars through
bonds into beginning to make a significant, positive difference
in our transportation problems. |
| B. It allows us to help ourselves. |
| C. It is environmentally friendly. |
| D. Since this is a sales tax, almost half of the tax burden
will be paid by non-residents. |
| 14. What does the transportation referendum promise our
own locality? |
| It will provide critical local funds to match future federal
funding to extend Metrorail through Tysons to Dulles airport
and Eastern Loudoun County. It also provides for road enhancements
on Route 7, Route 28, and the Fairfax County Parkway. With
the passage of this referendum, we will have sufficient funds
to qualify for a big federal infusion towards rail to Dulles.
|
| 15. This referendum will only help wealthy developers get
richer. |
| False. Investing primarily in capacity and service improvements
in existing transportation corridors, the referendum helps
to focus and manage land use. |
| 16. Let¯s wait until we get a perfect referendum. |
| Few things in life are perfect. This referendum has been
pronounced very good by many people who have studied the issue
for years. Richmond has made an unprecedented decision to
allow us to manage our own destiny on this subject. If we
do not accept the opportunity, we shall not have the chance
to decide for ourselves for at least another decade§and traffic
will be immeasurably worse. |
| 17. How can I get more information about the issues? |
| We recommend two websites: Citizens for Better Transportation
at www.cbt2002.org and www.endgridlock.org. |
| 18. Is this referendum a partisan issue? |
| Only if you think traffic is a partisan issue. This is a
Northern Virginia issue and both leading Democrats and Republicans
are supporting it§even those with very conservative philosophies. |
| Eileen D. Curtis, president |
| Herndon Dulles Chamber of Commerce |
