BY DAN TELVOCK
Those who missed the June 11 Virginia Railway Express summit can turn to local government channels to watch the event.
The two-hour event will air in its entirety on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Satellite television users do not get the government channels.
Spotsylvania County Supervisor Jerry Logan organized the event because the Board of Supervisors plans to decide late this summer whether to join the commuter rail service. He said he wanted to help residents get facts and debunk some myths about VRE.
At the summit, a panel of elected leaders, VRE officials and others answered questions about the rail service. Stafford County and Fredericksburg are members of the service, but Spotsylvania has avoided joining for almost two decades.
VRE supporters say the county could raise revenue from the 2 percent gasoline tax that must be imposed after joining VRE. That revenue, projected to be more than $2 million annually, could be used for other transportation-related projects in the county. Supporters also say that a VRE station in Spotsylvania would spur economic development, as it did in Lorton.
Opponents of VRE membership argue that it is a financial boondoggle that provides service to a very small portion of the population. There is also fear that the county could have to eventually use general-fund dollars to subsidize VRE because the gas tax collected would no longer be enough to cover the expenses.
According to Logan, he will provide the fourth vote needed to bring VRE membership to a public hearing for the first time.
Dan Telvock: 540/374-5438
Email: dtelvock@freelancestar.com
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