By DAN TELVOCK
Spotsylvania County supervisors may vote on joining Virginia Railway Express by the end of the summer.
Supervisors Benjamin Pitts and Gary Skinner, who made joining the rail service a centerpiece of their campaigns last year, said this week that they are laying the groundwork for a VRE vote. Supervisor Hap Connors also supports VRE.
They need one more vote.
Even though voters approved a $144 million 2005 bond referendum that included $12 million for a VRE station, a majority of supervisors have so far been unwilling to join. In 2007, a VRE survey showed 874 riders were from Spotsylvania.
To join VRE, a locality must enact a 2 percent gasoline tax. After the locality pays its share of VRE operations, the leftover funds can be used on local transportation projects.
Another problem for some supervisors is the lifetime contract with VRE.
Now that gasoline has hit $4 a gallon, the sales pitch won't be any easier.
"What we are really trying to come up with is a plan of attack of how we want to approach VRE," Skinner said.
The strategy is trying to figure out who would be the most likely swing vote.
"I think those that are involved are trying to figure out who is the best person to talk to about getting the swing vote. It is going to be either Jerry Logan or Gary Jackson," Pitts said.
Logan and Jackson said no one has approached them about VRE.
"It is not very high on their agendas apparently because, if they are working toward bringing the board back to that issue, I am not aware of it at all," Logan said.
"I have sort of been waiting for someone to raise their hand and make some noise," Jackson said.
The two rural supervisors, Emmitt Marshall and T.C. Waddy, say there is nothing that will convince them that joining VRE is a good idea.
"The people that I represent, not everyone, but a majority, is against joining VRE," Marshall said.
Dan Telvock: 540/374-5438
Email: dtelvock@freelancestar.com