While out and about, I found this post, CNBC Republican Presidential Debate: The Stupidest Question Ever Asked (by moderator Jim Cramer), at Freedom, by the way. Freedom does not write lots of posts, but she writes very good ones, and they draw thoughtful comments. Of course, the comments tend to follow the interests and the expertise of the commenters. So the thread somehow got diverted to highway construction.  That eventually lead to Roads, How we got Here by neenergyobserver.

Check both posts out, and try to figure out how one lead to the other.   

Because car aficionados love cars, they must have good roads. Therefore, worried about the state of our nations roads, Car and Driver has provided an investigative report.

The State of the Union’s Roads: An Investigative Report – Feature

What’s happening to our playground? The American highway is broken. And broke.

BY ZACH ROSENBERG, PHOTOGRAPHY BY MANDEL NGAN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES, ILLUSTRATION BY BRYAN CHRISTIE DESIGN

June 2011

The Minneapolis bridge carrying I-35W over the Mississippi River, which opened to traffic in 1967, was almost 2000 feet long and designed to handle 66,000 cars a day. Over the years, it had been modified, increasing the total weight, or “dead load.” Another construction project concentrated supplies and equipment over a gusset plate that, by an original design error, was inadequate to support so much weight.  At 6:05 p.m. on August 1, 2007, under the pressure of  the evening commute, the gusset plate suddenly failed, shedding its load onto other gusset plates, which could not handle the burden. The bridge collapsed, killing 13 people and sending 98 to hospitals. It was a spectacular failure. State Departments of  Transportation quickly checked out 700 similar bridges and closed a handful.

About five percent of interstate bridges—roughly 2770—are now deemed structurally deficient. This does not mean they are unsafe, but it does mean there is visible rust or wear. There are approximately 600,000 road bridges in this country surveyed biannually for the National Bridge Inventory, including all interstate bridges, of  which there are about 54,500. Though relatively small in number, the interstate bridges account for 90 percent of daily bridge traffic. (continued here)

Think about it. In 2011, our Federal Government will spend $3. 819 trillion. However, transportation spending will only involve $104.2 billion (from here). Why such misplaced priorities?

Without a good transportation infrastructure, our economy will continue to crumple. Yet politicians seem almost helpless to properly respond. What is wrong with these guy? The answer is nothing that is not also wrong with us. We chose them.

At the end the Car and Driver article, the author considers funding options, suggesting the possibility of tolls. We must seriously consider that option.

Tolls use to be the way we funded transportation projects.

• The people who used the transporation infrastructure paid for it.
• Money collected from tolls went to the projects where the tolls had been collected.

Thus, the public did not pay for projects that did not get used, and public officials had powerful incentitives to properly allocate funds.

If we want to make certain we have a decent transportation infrastructure, we must stop handing our money over to politicians and just hoping they will do the right thing. As much as possible, we must stop trying to freeload on the government. We must insist that we each pay for what we use. Then we will also insist we get what pay for.

What follows is the response to a letter I wrote to Supervisers Corey Stewart and Wally Covington. I wrote it response to another note posted here. 

Wed 4/27/2011 3:40 PM

RE: Increasing Taxes and New Roads

Thank you for your email. I have heard your concerns, and I wanted to let you know that the Board of County Supervisors revised the County Executive’s proposed budget and adopted a reduced tax rate of 1.204 for the next fiscal year (down from the current 1.236). Under this revised rate, the average tax bill in Prince William County will go down by $14.61 in real dollars – or a tax cut of .47% in real dollars (i.e., adjusted for inflation). I would have liked to reduce the rate even further this year, and cut tax bills in both real and nominal dollars, but please keep in perspective that because the Board has made over $143 million in cuts over the past 4 years, average tax bills, in both real and nominal dollars, are down since 2007. No other locality in the region has been able to reduce spending or tax bills during this period. As a result, average tax bills in Prince County are now approximately 30% lower than those in Fairfax and 35% below those in Loudoun County.

Perhaps because we have reduced spending and taxes in PWC – while our neighbors to the north have increased both – we are rebounding much quicker. CNN Money rated William County the #1 job growth locality in Virginia, #1 in the entire D.C. metro region, and #17 nationally.

Although I would like to bring the tax rate – as well as tax bills – down even further, doing so would not allow us to finance the school, road, library, and park projects that voters approved in the 2006 referendum. It is critical that these projects get started now, since construction costs and interest rates are increasing. If we wait, these same projects will cost taxpayers much more in the future. This budget also includes 1 new sheriff deputy (to process more criminal illegal immigrants for deportation) and 17 new police officers.

Thanks again for your comments.

–Corey

Corey A. Stewart

Chairman

Prince William Board of County Supervisors

1 County Complex Court

Prince William, VA 22192

(703) 792-4640 – Telephone/(703) 792-4637 – Fax

cstewart@pwcgov.org

www.co.prince-william.va.us

As a Conservative, I am tempted to gripe that taxes could be reduced further. Nonetheless, our problems with government reside primarily at the Federal and state levels. Although county road constuction, for example, has helped to drive urban sprawl, the county government must operate using rules set at the Federal and state level. Given that, our Board of Supervisors is doing well, certainly much better than most of our neighbors.

Anyway, if we work at it, we can effectively encourage our board to adopt policies and zonings laws which discourage using government funding to promote sprawl. In particular, we must direct county road funding at safety concerns, not further development. Developers can fund their own developments.

via That Mr. G Guy’s Blog

Folks,

Please read XXXXXX’s email below. In short, our PWC BOCS is looking to increase the PWC resident’s property taxes again to pay for county road building and the associated developer’s coffers.  Aside from the inanity of continued excessive spending and taxation at the expense of our county citizens, this type of work request seems best fit for Governor McDonnell’s transportation budget request ($3B?).

We are still in a recession, nearly half of all PWC residents have underwater mortgages and from my perspective, our county residents continue to get scammed by industrial and residential developers. This MUST stop and it MUST STOP NOW. 

Please contact your BOCS immediately (They vote on the mark up TOMORROW; Contact information at the end of XXX’s note below) and demand they stop this tax and spend nonsense and give all of our residents a tax break and relief from county officials excessively spending their constituents money.

All the Best,

   XXXX  

Sent: Sunday, April 17, 2011 8:32:26 PM
Subject: Action Alert//Stop Tax Hike//Help Reduce Taxes in PWC

Hello Patriots,

Urgent//Action is required before Tuesday April 19^th 2011 //Melt the phone lines and inboxes

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors’ proposal to increase capital improvement spending at the levels suggested and to increase Real Estate taxes during the deepest recession since the “Great Depression”, is all wrong at this time.  Prince William is not ready for another round of profligate taxing and spending!

This is not 2006 with a booming economy and record home values, with some up over 100%; it is 2011 and we are still in the grip of the recession.  Although some indicators are showing slight improvement, the BOCS needs a reminder that:

-With recent declines in commercial property values, homeowners will carry the entire burden of any tax increase! Some properties could see R.E. tax increases of up to 39%!

-In the last ten years they have spent over $1.6 Billion in capital improvement projects; that’s in addition to school spending.  Much of it has been for the benefit of builders/developers in the name of growth, but most of the cost has been borne on the back of the citizens.

-We have been growing at a blistering, 43.5% rate. We have not caught up from the last spurt of growth.  Some school kids are still in trailers. 

-Building roads that open up more residential development is unthinkable at this time.  We need to focus on bringing more high employment business to the county and the needed improvements to existing roads.

-The County’s debt has grown from $414 Million in 2000 to $952 Million in 2010, with debt service accounting for 15% of the General Fund expenses in FY2011.

-Our taxes already went up over 80% during the boom that ended in 2007 and have stayed about the same, although inflation from 2000 to 2011 is at just 26.6%.

-Right now, 47.4 %, nearly half of all homes in Prince William, are under water, with their value being less than the outstanding mortgage!

-Over 10% of our homes have gone into foreclosure since the downturn began and the foreclosure rate remains at over 20 times the early 2006 rate.

-Home values are still down 40% on average, with many down as much as 67%.

-Gasoline and fuel prices have more than doubled in the last couple of years, with food prices right behind.

-Fairfax’s higher average home values not withstanding, Prince William’s tax rate is 20% higher, including the fire and rescue levy, and other levies and fees!

Please call the Supervisors and email them.  Let them know that this is the wrong time to even think about raising taxes.  The citizens of Prince William are reeling from the state of the nation and the economy; they don’t need any more pain!  The taxpayers need something to really make them feel good for a change!

Please remind them further that:

-We are a bell whether county and how goes Prince William, so goes Virginia; and how goes Virginia, so goes the Nation in coming elections.  Raising taxes now, will have far reaching, and negative implications!

-To raise taxes during a recession and in an election year, would be toxic to the Republican brand and puts the more than 30 races in PWC this year at undue risk, including up to 12 Delegate and Senate races.

-Holding the line on taxes supports the historic budget adopted by the Virginia Legislature and the efforts on Capitol Hill to cut Federal spending.

-Lowering the Tax Rate to a level that will yield an average tax bill decrease from FY2011 is within their grasp according to info released to the newspapers.   Another penny or so reduction and they can be there without affecting the pay increase for county employees.

-Our local economy is still in a fragile state. An average Tax Bill Cut will send the much needed message of hope and prosperity needed to jump start our recovery! 

-It has been shown over and over again, that when recovering from a recession, Tax Cuts stimulate the economy and hasten recovery, while Tax Increases dampen business and slow the recovery.

-The Prince William BOCS has an opportunity to send a message to the nation that fiscally prudent conservatives can both lower taxes and grow the economy even in difficult times.

It is up to you!  Give them some “tough love” so they understand how you feel, but be respectful and kind.  Being familiar with budget hearings I can assure you, most of what they see and hear is from folks wanting them to spend more. 

They are in a position to, with very miniscule adjustments, create a Win-Win situation for all.  What little bit they may have to squeeze for budget purposes, to yield an average tax bill cut, will be more than made up, with increases in business and sales tax revenues, in a few months, allowing them to still go forward with most of those items a little later on.

Working together we can send a message to all, that conservative, yes, Republican values and principles can work for the benefit and betterment of everyone.

Below is the PWBOCS contact info list.  I have included the two Democrats; they can use a little “tough love” too!  Thank you all, for everything that you do to advance our principles, values, and liberty! Be sure to forward to your friends aactivists!

For Liberty’s Sake,

XXXXXXXXX

Prince William Board of County Supervisors Contact Info

 Chairman’s Office – Corey Stewart
1 County Complex Court, Prince William, VA 22192
Office Phone: 703-792-4640
Office Fax: 703-792-4637
cstewart@pwcgov.org 

 Dumfries District – Maureen Caddigan
15941 Donald Curtis Drive, Woodbridge, VA 22191
Office Phone: 703-792-4645
Office Fax: 703-792-4622
mcaddigan@pwcgov.org 
Supervisor Caddigan’s Home Page

 Brentsville District – Wally Covington
9248 Lee Avenue, Manassas, VA 20110
Office Phone: 703-792-6190
Office Fax: 703-792-5707
wcovington@pwcgov.org 

 Coles District – Marty Nohe
4360 Ridgewood Center, Woodbridge, VA 22192
Office Phone: 703-792-4620
Office Fax: 703-792-4610 
mnohe@pwcgov.org

 Gainesville District – John Stirrup
7873 Ashton Avenue, Manassas, VA 20109
Office Phone: 703-792-6195
Office Fax: 703-792-7664
gainesville@pwcgov.org
Supervisor Stirrup’s Home Page

 Neabsco District – John Jenkins
4361 Ridgewood Center, Woodbridge, VA 22192
Office Phone: 703-792-4668
Office Fax: 703-792-4669
jjenkins@pwcgov.org
Supervisor Jenkins’ Home Page

Occoquan District – Mike May
2241-B Tackett’s Mill Drive, Woodbridge, VA  22192
Office Phone: 703-792-4643
Office Fax: 703-792-4833
mcmay@pwcgov.org

Woodbridge District – Frank Principi
15941 Donald Curtis Drive, Woodbridge, VA 22191
Office Phone: 703-792-4646
Office Fax: 703-792-4993
FPrincipi@pwcgov.org
http://www.newwoodbridge.org

In addition to the email, you may wish to look over a couple of links.

• Here is a news article that provides the overall picture, Prince William County’s financial picture improving.
• Budget Process is a website where the county posts information related to the budget. 

Our Republican led BOCS has done a good job holding down taxes. However, builders in the county will always presure them to raise taxes to spend money building more roads. Because these roads are too often just for development, they lead to urban sprawl. If these roads are necessary, there is nothing to stop either VDOT or the developers who would benefit from building them.