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Stafford has plan to get Spotsylvania involved with VRE Date published: 3/19/2009
BY JONAS BEALS, DAN TELVOCK AND KELLY HANNON
Stafford County officials want Spotsylvania County to know that when it comes to Virginia Railway Express, there are no more free rides. In fact, the Stafford Board of Supervisors voted late Tuesday night to send their neighbors to the south a bill for $295,060 for the nearly 1,000 Spotsylvania riders who take the commuter rail service to the Washington area. Locally, Stafford and the city of Fredericksburg are VRE members and collect a 2 percent gas tax to subsidize the trains for their residents. Despite years of requests from VRE officials, Spotsylvania has yet to join. Spotsylvania contributes no money toward the system, though it has the fourth-highest ridership behind Prince William, Fairfax and Stafford--all member counties. The bill's amount is what Stafford believes Spotsylvania riders cost them each year. Spotsylvania supervisors contacted yesterday about the situation questioned the legality of the bill and said they will not pay it. The Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on joining VRE before the summer. Board members are split over imposing a gas tax and overall costs of VRE. Stafford, having an economic stake in the outcome, would like to influence Spotsylvania supervisors. "Threats are counterproductive," Stafford Supervisor Mark Dudenhefer said. "But we do want them to acknowledge their responsibility. I think they have In a 4-3 vote, the Stafford Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution that will send bills to nearby localities not supporting VRE--Spotsylvania, King George, Fauquier and Caroline--whose residents board VRE trains in Stafford. Stafford Supervisor Paul Milde does not expect Spotsylvania to pay the bill, but he hopes it will convince Spotsylvania to join the system. "I think it's fitting," he said. "The least we can do is make them aware of what they're costing Stafford taxpayers. I think the time for Spotsylvania hiding their heads in the sand is over." Voucher plan offered
Read more stories about Stafford Date published: 3/19/2009
@ BLITZBURGH Consider addressing your concerns to those empowered to make changes... instead of condoning Spotsylvania residents that enjoy a better quality of life down here. Fredericksburg collects $60-$80/month for parking from Spotsylvania residents that would prefer to take (more environmentally-friendly) mass transit than clog up I-95 with more traffic. Spotsylvania residents aren't getting off completely free here.
VRE makes a profit? Not without subsidies and handouts. They can't make it in a normal business model. Educated people want VRE? Not me and my MBA. The only people who want VRE are the few Spotsy riders and their families and the neighboring gov'ts who bought into the VRE debacle (money pit) and want Spoty to pay for their mistake of joining. I commend the Spotsy board for having the fortitude of not buying into the vocal minority of proponents. Stafford BOS look like jack*sses for their bill stunt.
The grown ups, the educated and those who think millions in
profit each year is a good thing, these people want VRE in
Spotsylvania.
We don't want VRE in spotsy. And if there are spotsy residents riding they should move north. Just because 31 people are riding, don't expect the other 120,000 residents to have to pay for somthing they don't want. Period.
in Stafford VRE facilities. In Fairfax, if you don't live in Fairfax you pay to use a Fairfax Park. Let the Spotsy riders pay $200 per month if they don't live in Stafford. “VRE is for people who have better things to do than drive,” A newspaper article said “Besides saving wear and tear on their cars and nerves, VRE riders find the time to catch up on work, read or maybe just decompress after a long day at the office.
http://www.usbusiness-review.com/content/view/1129/79/ So you get what you pay for.
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