Citizen Tom

 Here is Bob Marshall’s take on the Special Session of the General Assembly.

Special Transportation Session Wrap Up

Thankfully, there were no tax or service fee increases imposed on Virginians in the recent transportation session called by Governor Kaine.  However, House Republican leaders up until noon of the last day of the Special Session (July 9) were supporting HB 6055, which did contain increased fees and taxes for Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia similar to last year’s HB 3202.

Instead, HB 6055, was amended by Del. Oder to remove all fee and tax increases.  It set aside hundreds of millions for future transportation projects in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads by designating a portion of future taxes generated by the growth in tax revenues in Northern Virginia from the two regional airports (Dulles International and Reagan Airports) and in Hampton Roads from container ships be set aside by the General Assembly for transportation projects in each region. 

This passed the House of Delegates on an almost straight party line vote, 51 to 45.  (See http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?083+vot+HV1862+HB6055)

I successfully amended HB 6055 to remove provisions which attempted to unconstitutionally bypass the legislature and give these funds, without the General Assembly appropriating them, to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Planning Organization.  HB 6055 lost in the Senate Finance Committee. 

SB 6009, sponsored by Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-Fairfax), was considered by the House.  After a gas tax proposal was removed from the bill on a 95 to 1 vote, the bill, which authorized both regional and statewide tax increases on home sales and a general sales tax, failed on a vote of 39 yeas to 59 nays.  (See http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?083+sum+SB6009)

Most all other measures passed by the House to address transportation fixes, including new funding sources, never made it out of Democrat controlled Senate committees. These include:

• Transportation Lock Box Constitutional Amendment to prevent diversion of road/transit funds.  HJR 6001 (Oder)
• Management Audit of VDOT’s operation and program expenses HB 6046 (Lingamfelter)
• Tolls on Hampton Roads bridge tunnel projects which requires VDOT to issue contracts for toll projects or seek private toll proposals.  HB 6019 (Hamilton)

Revenues to Virginia from Off Shore Drilling if approved by Congress to be designated as follows: 40% for transportation, 40% for Chesapeake Bay Clean up, 10% for renewable electric energy, and 10% for renewable costal energy research.  HB 6006 (Saxman)

HB 6006 has been characterized as a vote in favor of, or in opposition to, off-shore drilling.  It is neither. HB 6006 is not a petition to Congress to approve off-shore drilling.  It is a request to Congress which has total control over drilling, that if off shore drilling is approved by Congress, the state of Virginia would hope to receive some of the royalties. 
I asked Delegate Saxman to add provisions to his bill to include requests for Congressional protection of the off shore environment and the economies of Virginia’s costal residents, which he did:

“Whereas, such drilling should be undertaken under the greatest protection that can be afforded to the environment; and Whereas, such drilling should be pursued to the extent that the economic viability of Virginia localities contiguous to the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean are not negatively impacted;”  See HB 6006 as introduced, plus Marshall and Saxman Substitutes at http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?083+sum+HB6006.

I also asked Del. Saxman to amend his bill to reflect that an enhanced area for exploration as is provided for in other states should be the area identified as Virginia revenue producing waters, and not just a portion of it as is now designated by the US Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service.  He also included that provision in his amendments to HB 6006.

Virginia has no legal authority to compel Congress to provide such royalties, so this is a hat in hand request from Virginia based on previous Congressional discussions to provide all Atlantic Seaboard states with oil and gas royalties should drilling be authorized by Congress and prove successful.  HB 6006 was reported to the Senate floor 7-6 because Senator Chuck Colgan (D-Prince William) voted yes.  It lost 16 yeas to 18 nays on the Senate floor.

Marshall Measures Reported from Committee

I received a phone call on the morning of July, 9 telling me that three of my measures would be heard later that day by the House Rules Committee.  I was pleasantly surprised, especially with the committee response.  I want to thank voters who contacted committee members in support of these measures.   

While my bills (see below) were reported favorably by the Rules Committee, the ethanol proposal and the permanent cost-cutting bill were NOT placed on the calendar nor were they taken up by the House of Delegates.  The House of Delegates and Senate Adjourned the special session at 1:39 AM Thursday morning, July 10.  I intend to pursue these measures in the 2009 session. 

HB 6032:  Creates a permanent state oversight Commission, similar to the federal cost cutting BRAC Commission, to evaluate whether state holdings should be sold, identify duplicate programs, and cut unnecessary overhead while maintaining the same level of services.  The goal is to identify 3% in savings from our $76 Billion dollar budget which could then be used for roads and mass transit. 13 yeas, 2 nays.
(See http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?083+sum+HB6032)
 
HJR 6011: Requests a waiver from the federal ethanol mandate to stop burning food!  Ethanol results in fewer miles per gallon and higher food prices from diversion of food to fuel. 12 yeas, 3 nays.
(See http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?083+sum+HJ6011)

HJR 6008:  Assesses methane resources now being wasted in Virginia which could be converted to fuel for cars/trucks. This measure was referred to the Assembly’s Energy Commission for study.
(See http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?083+sum+HJ6008)

Thank you again for contacting your representatives to voice your concerns.

Sincerely,

Delegate Bob Marshall
http://delegatebob.com

Cross-posted here at Bloggers 4 Bob Marshall 4 Speaker.  Check out the other great posts.