Transportation and Business Groups Widely Support Governor McDonnell's Amendments to HB 2313

Press Release

Throughout the 2013 General Assembly Session, nearly 60 transportation and business groups representing a diverse cross section of industries and associations in all parts of the Commonwealth endorsed Governor McDonnell's Virginia's Road to the Future transportation funding and reform plan. The organizations listed below have now endorsed the governor's amendments to make the legislation easier to implement and to address legal concerns about the bill and are urging the General Assembly to move the amended legislation forward.

"At the beginning of the 2013 session, I proposed legislation for major reforms and new funding for transportation in the Commonwealth," Governor McDonnell said. "I asked the General Assembly not to leave without passing a plan to fix our transportation infrastructure. Working across party lines in both bodies of the General Assembly, the legislature reached a major agreement that will provide over $3.5 billion in additional funding statewide, as well as additional regional funding in heavily congested Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia."

Last week, Governor McDonnell announced his amendments to the legislation, which principally focus on making multiple administrative and technical changes necessary to ensure Virginia's executive branch agencies can implement the new policies, addressing potential legal issues, and providing minor reductions in several taxes to ensure that the citizens burdens are limited, and that Virginia's businesses remain competitive with those in surrounding jurisdictions.

"For years Virginia's business and transportation leaders have demanded a long-term solution to the Commonwealth's growing transportation challenges," said Governor McDonnell. "For the past three years, I have helped address the challenges with a major bond package, audits of VDOT producing $1.4 billion in unspent transportation funds, use of surplus revenues, public-private partnerships, off-shore drilling proceeds and other tools. While these efforts injected needed funding to address immediate needs, more work needed to be done to fix transportation for the future. This year's bipartisan effort has produced a long-term, sustainable funding solution. The reforms and new revenues adopted by the General Assembly will ensure that Virginia has the adequate resources to improve our crumbling infrastructure, reduce congestion, and provide the transportation network our citizens and businesses need to attract new jobs and economic development opportunities. This bill is about creating jobs and opportunities, and improving the quality of life for Virginians. With my amendments, we can strengthen this legislation and solidify our efforts to address Virginia's transportation challenges."

"I strongly encourage the members of the General Assembly to adopt the governor's amendments to this historic legislation. For the first time in 27 years, Virginia has the opportunity to invest in jobs, in economic development, in safety, and in our quality of life," said Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance Executive Vice President Jeff Southard. "When fully implemented, this transportation funding bill will generate more than 20,000 jobs, create more than $2.5 billion in economic activity, and generate millions in new revenues to solve our problems. More important, the legislation will improve mobility, reduce congestion, promote further economic activity and improve safety on our highways. The governor's amendments strengthen this legislation to ensure that these benefits can become reality."

"Virginia faces many transportation challenges: increased demand for highway and passenger rail service; an aging transportation infrastructure; funding shortfalls that inhibit our ability to meet highway, transit and passenger-rail maintenance, construction and operational needs; and congestion," said Virginia Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Barry DuVal. "While these challenges are significant, the governor and the General Assembly took a major step forward in addressing the Commonwealth's critical infrastructure needs by passing a landmark transportation funding package that is estimated to generate billions in additional revenue over the next five years. This transportation plan will help ensure long-term, dedicated and sustainable funding is available to meet Virginia's highway, rail and transit needs, while fostering economic growth and development. I urge the members of the General Assembly to support the governor's amendments so that Virginia can move this critical legislation forward."

The following groups support final passage of HB2313:

American Concrete Paving Association - Mid-Atlantic Chapter
American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)
Amtrak
APM Terminals
Apartment and Office Building Association
Associated General Contractors of Virginia
Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division of Teamsters
CSX Transportation, Inc.
DuPont
Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce
Fairfax Chamber of Commerce
Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce
Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce
Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce
Greater Richmond Technology Council
Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Alliance
Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce
Hampton Roads Utility and Heavy Contractors Association
Home Builders Association of Virginia
Huntington Ingalls
Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce
Luck Companies
Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Northern Virginia Chamber Partnership
Northern Virginia Technology Council
Old Dominion Highway Contractors Association
Precast Concrete Association of Virginia
Prince William Chamber of Commerce
Richmond Area Municipal Contractors Association
Richmond Tech Council
Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce
Sheet Metal Air Rail and Transportation Union
Smithfield Foods
Universal Corporation
Virginia Airport Operators Council
Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce
Virginia Association of Surveyors
Virginia Asphalt Association
Virginia Aviation Business Association
Virginia Chamber of Commerce
Virginia Economic Developers Association
Virginians for High Speed Rail
Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Virginia Manufacturers Association
Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce
Virginia Railroad Association
Virginia Ready-Mixed Concrete Association
Virginia Regional Transit
Virginia Transit Association
Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance
Washington Airports Task Force
Wawa

Source