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| Our elected officials |
It
is preposterous to think we can have a serious discussion about mass
transit in this region. Just as well, since we don't have serious
discussions about anything that unifies this region.
The
report from the Brookings Institute saying Norfolk's light rail
system, The Tide, is the most heavily subsidized system in America,
only hardens the resolve of opponents.
Opponents,
mainly in Virginia Beach, point to the costs and rightly lament a
future where their taxes will subsidize a system they don't want and
may not need. Cheerleaders of The Tide abound in Norfolk, but they
are a small but very vocal minority.
I
am a proponent of mass transit, including a rail system interlocking
with buses and ferries, but I am adamantly opposed to Norfolk footing
the entire bill.
It
could be years, even decades, before an integrated mass transit
exists among south side cities. I would like to see express trains
and dailies connect at Newtown Road, in the style of Grand Central in
New York, where travelers can connect with trains to the Norfolk
Naval Base and downtown Norfolk, and which connect with buses and
ferries not only between Norfolk and Portsmouth but also between
Norfolk, Portsmouth and the Peninsula.
But
I think this is too utopian a vision for this region. It can be done,
if we collaborate. But we don't collaborate; we debate, we argue, we
play politics and we form committees and commissions that debate,
argue and play politics.
How
long can Norfolk's taxpayers subsidize The Tide?
We
need action; we don't more pretty pictures with pretty people riding
The Tide. Even this latest attempt to extend The Tide to Independence
Boulevard in Virginia Beach is another example of children squabbling
over toys. It's incoherent.
Opponents
point to the subsidies supporting The Tide, which was launched with local, state and federal handouts and is maintained by local taxpayers.
But consider the millions of state and federal dollars subsidizing Norfolk International Airport (while passenger traffic keeps declining) or Interstate-264 between Norfolk and Virginia Beach (which is peppered with potholes and is always being repaired) or the port, which gets an annual handout from the state or money from the federal government for dredging the harbor.
Handouts are everywhere, in every aspect of American life. In a country that prides itself on self-reliance, everyone has their hand out for something -- for doing nothing.
But consider the millions of state and federal dollars subsidizing Norfolk International Airport (while passenger traffic keeps declining) or Interstate-264 between Norfolk and Virginia Beach (which is peppered with potholes and is always being repaired) or the port, which gets an annual handout from the state or money from the federal government for dredging the harbor.
Handouts are everywhere, in every aspect of American life. In a country that prides itself on self-reliance, everyone has their hand out for something -- for doing nothing.
Our region exists on handouts. Our region is a mini-welfare state.
Which
leads me to our elected officials.
Our
elected officials are addicted to highways. They are also addicted to
campaign donations from the real estate and construction industry,
one of the most powerful political groups in this state.
This
industry contributed $8.1 million to candidates and causes in the
2014-2015 election cycle, according to the Virginia Public AccessProject, which tracks candidates and campaign financing.
Public
transportation, by comparison, has no money and hence no lobbying
power. Search for public transportation donors at VPAP.org. Two
public transportation groups gave a total of $50 since the year 2000.
The
Hampton Roads Public Transportation Alliance and Mobility Matters,
two groups advocating for more public transportation, are impotent.
They say much, but act not.
Which
leads me back to our elected officials and the Hampton Roads
Transportation Accountability Commission, an unruly and fractious
group controlled by Sen. Fran Wagner, the Republican legislator who
represents primarily Virginia Beach.
Wagner
pushed the legislation to create this commission; Gov. Bob McDonnell,
a fellow Virginia Beach resident and Republican, approved it.
Meanwhile, the legislature approved an increase in the sales tax in
Northern Virginia and Tidewater to finance transportation projects in
Northern Virginia and Tidewater.
The
tax is supposed to raise $200 to $250 million a year; with that
money, the Commission will issue bonds to build highways – not
finance public transportation.
If
we want to get serious, here are some suggestions.
Insert
language into the law creating and authorizing the Commission to
divert money to public transportation.
Toll
Interstate-264. Charge $1.00 per direction. Put that money into
public transportation. Va. Beach needs to put a little skin in the
game. E-ZPass should make that easy.
Toll
Interstate-64, just after the intersection of I-64 and I-264. Charge
$1.00 per direction. Put that money into public transportation.
Again, E-ZPass.
Everyone
should feel the pain in their pocketbook, not just people who travel
between Norfolk and Portsmouth.