Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 6, 1992 TAG: 9203060411
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BONNIE V. WINSTON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
The bond issue, sponsored by Sen. Richard Saslaw, D-Springfield, and pushed in the House by Majority Leader Richard Cranwell, D-Vinton, relies on a 2-cents-per-gallon increase in the state's gasoline tax to retire the debt. It passed, 66-32.
The gas tax also would provide about $70 million annually, or $26 million beyond what is needed to make annual payments on the bonds. That money would be dedicated to other road projects.
Voters would have to approve the plan in a statewide referendum that delegates pushed to Nov. 3, the date of the presidential election. A separate borrowing program for college, park and mental health facilities, totaling $613 million and backed by Gov. Douglas Wilder, also will be put to referendum on that date.
Cranwell had wanted the transportation bonds to be considered by voters in July, apart from Wilder's projects. He noted that construction workers could take advantage of the early season if the road bonds were approved in July.
Several lawmakers questioned whether the state could shoulder the added debt without jeopardizing its Triple A credit rating. They suggested that adding the transportation bonds to the referendum could sink Wilder's package.
"If you think this commonwealth is ready to take on $1 billion in bonds at one time, then have at it," said Del. Franklin Hall, D-Richmond.
Hall failed in an attempt to have localities exempted from the 2-cent gas tax increase if their voters reject the plan. The amendment also would have cut from the building program any road projects in localities that reject the package.
While many of the road projects are in populous Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia, several deal with improvements to U.S. 58 - the major east-west corridor through Southside and Southwest Virginia.
The measure now goes to the Senate for concurrence on several technical amendments. While no hitches are expected, the main question is whether the bill garnered enough bipartisan support to appease Wilder.
Wilder has said he would consider a tax bill for road-building if it won support from both Republicans and Democrats. Eighteen of the 66 votes for the bill Wednesday came from Republicans.
\ YEA OR NAY ON ROAD BONDS
IN FAVOR: Dels. Steven Agee, R-Salem; Ward Armstrong, D-Martinsville; RichardCranwell, D-Vinton; Creigh Deeds, D-Warm Springs; Willard Finney, D-Rocky Mount;Thomas Jackson, D-Hillsville; G.C. Jennings, D-Marion; Joseph Johnson, D-Abingdon; Joan Munford, D-Blacksburg; Lacey Putney, I-Bedford; Roscoe Reynolds, D-Martinsville; Clifton Woodrum, D-Roanoke.
OPPOSED: Dels. Tommy Baker, R-Dublin; Victor Thomas, D-Roanoke.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
by CNB