Commentary

The General Assembly's effort of 2007 to have someone else raise revenue for transportation improvements stalled when the Virginia Supreme Court declared the plan to have appointed members of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority raise taxes and fees to be unconstitutional. As Yogi Berra would say, it's “déjà vu all over again” at the General Assembly as members prepare for a likely special session on transportation funding as early as next month. About one-fourth of the members of the House of Delegates have signed written pledges to never vote to raise taxes, and they tend to dominate the Republican majority caucus which binds its members to a single position on issues of significance. The Senate Democratic majority favors a comprehensive approach that would provide monies statewide to meet maintenance requirements to prevent a depletion of construction funds and that would provide regional funds for Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads special needs.

One Senate proposal would provide about $300 million in new monies for Northern Virginia to increase to $350 million by 2011 by enacting a half-percent regional sales tax. The proposal would also enact a $.40 per $100 grantor's tax paid by home sellers to raise a little over $100 million and a $5.00 per day lodging tax to raise about $39 million per year. For statewide maintenance needs, the proposal would add a one percent increase per year for 3 years in the retail sales tax on gasoline at the wholesale level and a half-percent increase in the vehicle titling tax to raise it to 3.5 percent. Total raised in the first year of the statewide program would be $220 million next year and $535 million by 2011. Without an infusion of new monies, maintenance needs are expected to deplete construction funds by $388 million next year and by $423 million in 2011.

Some House of Delegates members who refuse to accept the state's responsibility in funding transportation needs and who cooked up the scheme to have local authorities raise taxes that was declared unconstitutional have suggested that additional taxing authority be given to local governments. There is little support among local government officials to take on the transportation responsibility of the state and even if they did there would likely be a patchwork of road improvements based on a local government's willingness to act.

In the meantime, traffic congestion increases and road surfaces deteriorate. I am willing to vote for the needed additional funding, but I would like your recommendation on the funding sources that should be used. Give me your opinion by going to www.kenplum.com and click on “Transportation Survey 2008.”

And by the way, as a cleanup to the transportation program passed last year, persons who paid the vehicle registration fee will get a refund from the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV).  Call DMV at 1-866-368-5463 if you need to update your address. Persons who paid the grantor's tax will receive a refund from their settlement agent. Call 703.766.4650 for additional information. For information on the refunding of other transportation taxes, visit www.trs.virginia.gov.

Delegate Ken Plum's Weekly "Virginia Report"
on Reston Comcast Channel 28

View Delegate Plum’s Virginia Report online at http://www.rctv28.com/videosVR.htm.

Tonight – April 2, 10:30 p.m. – Kate Morse and Kelly Schrader, National MS Society – “5 Walks. 1 Destination. A World Free of MS”
 
Tuesday, April 8 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, April 9 at 10:30 p.m. – Patricia Nicoson, President, Dulles Corridor Rail Association – “Dulles Rail Update”

Capital Reception

Announcements

Today is the inaugural celebration of World Autism Awarness Day, a global effort to increase awareness about a disorder that the CDC classifies as an epidemic. Studies confirm that 1 out of every 150 births will result in an autism diagnosis. This means there are nearly 300,000 developmentally delayed individuals in Virginia alone. For additional information call 703.754.9172.

Sorry, but the Route 7 East left turn lane approaching Marshalls Drive will be closed through April 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and agian on Friday, April 4 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. All work is weather permitting. The closures are necessary to allow geotechnical crews to take soil samples in preparation for the future construction of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project. See, rail really is coming.

Procedures to return taxes and fees collected by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority are as follows:

• The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will return the 1% initial vehicle registration fee and the $10 regional registration fee by mail beginning in early April. DMV will publish guidelines for the return of the fees by april 1 on www.dmvNOW.com. Individuals who paid these fees are encouraged to ensure that DMV has their correct mailing address to allow for quick and convenient return of the fees. Call DMV Direct at 1-866-DMV-LINE (1-866-368-5463) to update your address or for additional information.
• The Clerks of the Circuit Courts will work with settlement agents to return the congestion relief fee (real estate grantor’s tax) to the affected settlement agents within 60 days. The settlement agent will in turn refund the individuals or entitites that paid the congestion relief fee. The Clerks will jointly develop uniform guidelines for the return of the fee within 60 days. Call your settlement agent or the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority at 703-766-4650 for additional information.
• The 2% vehicle rental tax, 2% transient occupancy tax, $10 safety inspection fee and the 5% sales tax on motor vehicle repair will be sent to the Unclaimed Property Division of the Department of the Treasury. Citizens may requst refunds from the Unclaimed Property Division. The department is working to finalize guidelines for refunding money. Go to the Deaprtment of Treasury at www.trs.virginia.gov for additional information, or after April 1 call 804-278-0187.
• Additional information on the return of taxes and fees collected can be found at www.hb3202.virginia.gov and www.thenovaauthority.org.

In May the Internal Revenue Service will be sending out Stimulus Payments and you could receive up to $600 — or even more if you have children. What must you do? File a 2007 Tax Return. there are several filing options: complete a 1040 or 1040Apaper form or use IRS “e-file"; locate a Volunteer Income tax Assistance (VITA) site near you for free tax return filing at 1.800.906.9887.

Dial 2-1-1 from any phone in Northern Virginia to be connected to health and human services. 2-1-1 VIRGINIA streamlines access to health and human services in the region. The service helps residents navigate the complicated social services system and get a direct connection to the services they need, resulting in regional cost savings. Services are also accessible at www.211virginia.org.

Virginia Department of Transportation employees and contractors will team up to build awareness about work zone safety with events around the state during the April 7-11 work Zone Awareness Week. For more information about Virginia's work zone awareness efforts, go to www.virginiadoa.org/programs/prog-wzsa-default.asp.

Northern Virginia Family Service and the CARE Advisory Committee invite application for the 2008 CARE Awards to the employer community by supporting, encouraging and awarding employers that provide family-friendly benefits to their staff. Log on to www.nvfs.org/care_app.htm to download your CARE benefits certification and application. The deadline to apply is June 4, 2008.

Delegate Ken Plum was one of the leaders in the successful campaign to prevent a reduction in public education funding in the state budget. View his speech on education funding at www.kenplum.com. Click on the arrow control under the photo/video, “Delegate Plum addresses education in House session on 2/21/2008."

Calendar of Events

A final Public hearing on the FY2009 Advertised Budget Plan for Fairfax County will be held in the Board auditorium of the Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax tonight April 2, at 7:00 p.m. To sign up as a speaker, the public should call the Clerk to the Board of Supervisors at 703.324.3151, TTY 703.324.3903. The Board Auditorium is accessible to persons with disabilities or access the budget on the Internet at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dmb. Reference copies of the FY2009 Advertised Budget Plan are available at all County libraries.

The Northern Virginia Urban League's 18th Annual Community Service Scholarship Awards Dinner will be held on Friday, April 4, 6:30 p.m. at the Hilton McLean at Tysons Corner. Visit www.nvul.org for more information.

Reston’s giving Circle of HOPE is hosting an Empty Bowls fundraiser for the benefit of hunger relief on Friday, April 4, 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at St. John Neumann Parish. Local artists are donating 500 bowls that are individually designed and created just for the Empty Bowls fundraisers. All proceeds will be donated to Food for Others, the largest distributor of free food which is given directly to people in need in Northern Virginia. For a donation of $20.00, each guest chooses a bowl to use that evening for the meal of soup and bread and gets to take the bowl home as a reminder that there are always Empty Bowls in the world. For tickets or more information please contact Marie Kordes at mzkordes@comcast.net or phone 703.860.2749.

Attend the 20th Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup on Saturday, April 5, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.  Coordinate with Reston Association for a clean-up site near you by contacting Ha Brock at habrock@reston.org or call 703.435.7986.

Governor Tim Kaine's Pre-K Initiative presents “Solving the Preschool Puzzle.” Learn more about recent legislation and relevant changes in the Virginia Preschool Initiative and strategies for collaboration among preschool programs. Attend on Monday, April 7, 3:00 to 5:30 p.m., at the Campagna Center, 418 South Washington Street, Alexandria. Contact Carol Farrell at 703.838.0785 or carol.farrell@alexandriava.gov to register or for information.

Ms. Marion Dobbins will present a Living History program focusing on African-American life and genealogy in Fairfax County on Tuesday, April 15, 7:30 p.m. in the Town Hall Chambers, 127 Center Street South, Vienna. The Living History program, sponsored by Historic Vienna, Inc., is free, and refreshments will be served. Call 703.200.7806 for additional information.

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation plans to offer advertising space in certain County bus shelters and wishes to receive public comments about this plan at a public meeting on Saturday, April 19 at 10:30 a.m., Fairfax County Government Center, Conference Rooms 2 & 3. Sign up in advance to speak by calling Katharyn Rogers at 703.324.1120, TTY 703.324.1102 or sign up at the beginning of the meeting. For more information about the advertising plan visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot or call 703.324.1100, TTY 703.324.1102.

Fairfax County's 2007 Earth Day/Arbor Day Celebration is being held at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College on Saturday, April 19, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with the Awards Program beginning at 1:00 p.m.

Attend the Best of Reston Awards Gala and Dinner on April 24. The 2008 Best of Reston Honorees are John Coleman, The JBG Companies, the Volunteer Medical Providers of the Jeanie Schmidt Free Clinic, Ruth Overton, The Reston Garden Club, Tetra Partnerships, and VISTA Wealth Strategies & Judy Redpath. The Awards and Gala are produced in partnership by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce and Reston Interfaith. Last year’s Best of Reston event raised more than $300,000 for Reston Interfaith. Watch here for details about this important event.

IMAGINE 2008, the fundraiser for the Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry, will be held at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria on April 26, 2008, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m. For more information contact lkaterman@novam.org.

The topic of Fairfax Futures’ 4th annual School Readiness Symposium, to be held on Saturday, April 26 in Fairfax will be “Resilient, Resourceful and Ready: the Importance of Social and Emotional Competence for Young Children.” Dr. Daniel Gartrell will be keynote speaker. For more information go to www.fairfax-futures.org.

The Annual Benefit Concert of the Reston Community Orchestra will be “A Family Evening at the Pops” on Sunday, April 27, 5:30 p.m. in the newly renovated Sunset Hills Montessori School, corner of South Lakes Drive and Ridge Heights Road. RSVP for tickets and table reservations to 703.860.1328 by Thursday, April 24.

Join hundreds of bicycle commuters to celebrate Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 16, 6:30 to 9:00 a.m. at the Reston Town Center. Each year since 2002, cyclists have gathered at the Town Center for a free breakfast, raffles of bike-related prizes, and bicycling information handouts including the new Fairfax County Bike Map to be unveiled on Bike to Work Day. Pre-registered riders also get a free t-shirt. Delegate Ken Plum and Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins will greet the riders at 8:00 a.m. Register at www.waba.orga.

The Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival sponsored by GRACE is May 17-18. More information is at www.restonarts.org.

Authorized and Paid for by Kenneth R. Plum

Delegate Kenneth R. Plum | 2073 Cobblestone Lane | Reston | VA | 20191