LTE: LaRock Clueless On Transportation

Virginia 33rd House of Delegates candidates David LaRock has stated he wants to repeal recent transportation funding legislation HB2313, because it is “irresponsible.” He has also made numerous statements that illustrate he obviously doesn’t understand HB2313 and the critical transportation issues it addresses.

He states he will work to increase the percentage of Virginia transportation dollars spent in Northern Virginia. Though HB2313 provides that every transportation dollar raised in NOVA be spent in NOVA.

LaRock has stated repeatedly, and incorrectly, that in Clarke and Frederick each county resident will be paying as much as $1,500 in additional taxes for new NOVA transportation projects they will never use. However, neither Clarke County nor Fredrick County are in the NOVA transportation tax district, and the citizens of these counties will have every opportunity to use the transportation improvements in NOVA.  

He says he will implement a state transportation project prioritization system based on need and projected return. Though HB2313 provides for just such a prioritization system, which is already underway.

LaRock says he will work to ensure transportation spending is focused on increased safety, and has said publicly the appropriate approach is to repeal HB2313. He proposes to take existing funding from Southside and Southwest Virginia, which have the largest number of unsafe bridges, and redistribute this funding across the state.

Lastly, LaRock does not understand that Virginia transportation funding from gas taxes has decreased over the past decade, while population and transportation needs have steadily increased. This funding decrease has occurred because of fuel economy improvements, and because gas taxes are not indexed to inflation. HB2313 provides funding resources to restore lost transportation dollars - not to increase the burden on Virginia taxpayers. 

Do we really want to elect someone making such uninformed statements to public office ? I don’t think so either.

Pat Klein
Leesburg, VA