Issue Position: Transportation

Issue Position

Barbara's statement on the hybrid tax included in the 2013 Conference Report on transportation funding: "I believe the $100 registration fee on hybrids needs to be reconsidered. Hybrids are the wave of the future and I want to encourage a more environmental approach to transportation, not penalize such an approach. Looking ahead, Terry McAuliffe is certainly more sympathetic to these arguments than Ken Cuccinelli but regardless of who is Governor next session, I will introduce legislation to address this issue. On balance, however, I determined that the Transportation bill accomplished enough positive things that it was worth supporting. A couple of elements that were appealing to me included $300M dedicated to Phase II of the Rail to Dulles project and the achievement of a nearly 40% increase in the transit budget. A strong regional component that allows between $300-$350M a year to be allocated to local projects was also a big plus. I look forward to working with my constituents as we proceed to implement this transportation package. We should all be proud that the legislative process delivered a solution that fixes a long-standing problem in the Commonwealth.

Northern Virginians spend hours in their cars commuting back and forth to work everyday. Barbara believes we must come up with new and innovative ways to improve our roads and decrease commuter times. It is important to focus on greener transportation methods such as public transit and the metro. Barbara will also work to encourage smart growth initiatives. It is this common sense approach to governing that is so needed at the State level.

"Transportation congestion continues to be a challenging problem for the region and I believe lawmakers should focus on solving the problem with an on-going source of revenue. A one penny increase in the gasoline tax that is applied in Northern Virginia and dedicated to Northern Virginia transportation projects would be a reasonable start."

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