RICHMOND, VA – Today, Republican legislative leaders in the Virginia House of Delegates put their support behind Governor Bob McDonnell’s plan to invest $3.1 billion in transportation over the next five years. The Speaker of the House of Delegates, William J. Howell (R-Stafford), House Majority Leader M. Kirkland Cox (R-Colonial Heights), Majority Caucus Chairman Timothy Hugo (R-Fairfax) and Majority Whip Jackson Miller (R-Manassas) issued the following statement in support of the proposal:
“The plan outlined by Governor Bob McDonnell is the right plan at the right time. By investing over $3.1 billion into our transportation system over the next five years, we can finally fix transportation in Virginia once and for all. We fully support this proposal and will work hard for its passage in the House of Delegates.
“Virginia has a math problem. Right now, there simply is not enough revenue to meet our state’s transportation needs. Every year we are forced to divert money from construction to maintenance. Instead of building roads, we’re patching potholes. And that means Virginia is losing ground when it comes to businesses and jobs.
“We have worked closely with Governor McDonnell as he has crafted a plan that will generate real money for transportation. By replacing the gas tax with a comprehensive funding proposal that includes a sales tax increase, new federal money from the Market Place Equity Act and a prioritization of current resources, we can cover our maintenance funding shortfall by 2018 and begin to generate additional money for new construction. This plan will finally solve our transportation funding crisis and allow us to repair and rebuild our aging infrastructure.
“This is about jobs and quality of life. A strong and reliable transportation infrastructure will help grow our economy and ease frustrations for millions of Virginians. If we want to remain a great state for business and continue to grow our economy, we have to invest in a 21st century transportation network. We look forward to working with Governor McDonnell and our colleagues in the House of Delegates to pass this plan.”
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