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Pain at pump worth it?

Stafford, Fredericksburg may collect more money for VRE, local transportation projects, from 2 percent local gas tax

Date published: 5/11/2008

By KELLY HANNON

Drivers may seethe about the sharp spike in gas prices, but some of the money they fork over means funding for local transportation projects in Stafford County and Fredericksburg.

The county and city get the money because they back the Virginia Railway Express. All localities that join the commuter train system levy a local 2 percent gas tax on purchases at the pumps.

Most of the tax subsidizes VRE service. Anything left over can be spent on local transportation projects.

Stafford raised more than $2.8 million from July to February this fiscal year, according to the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission, which administers the tax.

That's nearly $500,000 more than the tax brought in during the same period last fiscal year.

The fiscal year is not over until July 1. February sales are the most recent figures available, said Christine Rodrigo, PRTC spokeswoman.

The average price for a gallon of unleaded gas in Virginia was $2.96 in February, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic. This week, the average price had risen to $3.53 a gallon statewide.

There's little, if any, difference in gas prices among area stations with the local 2 percent levy and those in Spotsylvania, Caroline or King George county that don't have it.

But the increase in gas-tax revenue is not universal. The amount collected by Fredericksburg from the 2 percent gas tax at city stations has been nearly level.

Fredericksburg took in $963,850 from July to February, compared with $973,967 over those months in fiscal 2007.

Next year, Fredericksburg will contribute $482,764 to the train system. Stafford will pay $2.9 million.

Still, Stafford and Fredericksburg typically have funds left over after paying VRE. That is rare among member communities in Northern Virginia, said Mark Roeber, VRE's manager of government relations and public affairs.

"In Fairfax's case, they use their 2 percent gas tax monies almost exclusively on Metro, and they pay for our revenue straight out of the general fund," Roeber said. "In Prince William's case, they have not only us, but the OmniRide [commuter bus] system. That actually takes up the full amount for them."

STAFFORD $2,351,807 Fiscal 2007 July-February $2,830,515 Fiscal 2008 July-February FREDERICKSBURG $973,967 Fiscal 2007 July-February $963,850 Fiscal 2008 July-February DOWNTOWN PARKING GARAGE $575,000 construction $320,000 a year debt service $500,000 Annual paving budget this year $680,000 Fredericksburg Regional Transit, Fred Central $155,000 Fredericksburg train station for painting $830,000 Paving on U.S. 1, joint project with VDOT $245,000 Culvert replacement on U.S. 1 $100,000 Autochalk parking enforcement $6.5 million State Route 610 widening, joint project with VDOT $2.6 million Centreport Parkway $500,000 Autumn Ridge public street repair $14,000 U.S. 17 left-turn-lane extension at Eley Road $35,000 County street sign maintenance annually $10,000 Brent Point Road paving

Date published: 5/11/2008

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