Abusive driver fee plan could get an update

Virginia Senator asks to repeal the plan.

Deirdre Blake
WFLS News

Date published: 1/7/2008

The call for a repeal of the controversial abuse driver fees in Virginia is on the way.

Spotsylvania Senator Edd Houck has proposed legislation to pull back the fees that he says he didn't support from the start. Houck says he did vote in favor just to get a comprehensive transportation package approved. The vote was delayed after legislators went back to discuss the matter after the regular session in 2006.

The fees were designed to charge fees to the most aggressive drivers. In many cases, those fees have been directed to some of the most poor Virginian's, including the elderly on fixed incomes. Many people became outraged when they found out that the abusive driver fees only affect Virginia residents. Houck says that is yet another flaw in the plan.

Originally, the fees were supposed to provide about 17% of the state's annual transportation funding. Far less than that is anticipated to have been collected already.

Were the repeal to be accepted by lawmakers, we asked Houck how he would make up the difference. He proposes a tax on the sale of real estate, already approved in northern Virginia and a hike in the gasoline excise tax.

Listen to Deirdre Blake's story

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Date published: 1/7/2008