A week ago all the signatures were affixed to HB 6028 but one: Governor Tim Kaine's. Delegate Bob Tata's light rail bill for Virginia Beach passed the General Assembly during the Transportation special session with only one member (Ken Cuccinelli) voting "No".
The delay is perplexing given Kaine's previous support on associated issues: he attended the Norfolk light rail groundbreaking, put money in the budget to purchase light rail cars for Norfolk, proposed a Transportation plan that included much increased transit funding, etc. Why the delay in signing?
It's very simple, Governor: pick up a pen and put your name on the bill.
4 comments:
Henry has truely become a Democrat. It is nice to see...
A Democrat? When Hell freezes over!
Supporting mass transit doesn't make you a Democrat http://www.apta.com/research/info/online/documents/weyrich3.pdf
Download that, read it, and be free of the VBTA lies.
Please understand that I am not being contrary with this post, but I just thought I would clarify the pointed reason for this legislation as it was explained to me. I too would encourage Governor Kaine to approve it. However, the legislation in its current form, realistically, does little to provide the necessary keys to unlock light rail gates for Virginia Beach. It does however, provides access to a 15 million dollar earmark which was about to to expire. Virginia Beach can put those monies toward obtaining the Norfolk Southern right-of-way.
Wally,
Read the bill: HB 6028 has little to do with the ROW purchase. It's only mention of the ROW is that the light rail line would go down it.
As for the ROW, Norfolk Southern is nudging Virginia Beach to use eminent domain, as it could then avoid paying capital gains tax on the money received.
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