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Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Ramadan Uses Legislative Privledge To Delay Greenway Toll Increases
Posted by:
Sprawl and Crawl
()
Date: March 07, 2014 07:42PM
Ramadan Uses Legislative Privledge To Delay Greenway Toll Increases
http://www.leesburgtoday.com/news/ramadan-uses-legislative-privledge-to-delay-greenway-toll-increases/article_8b1cdfae-a549-11e3-ba84-001a4bcf887a.html
The annual toll rate increase on the Dulles Greenway that was set to go into effect Feb. 15 will now be delayed until at least April 8, at the request of Del. David Ramadan (R-87).
Last month, Ramadan filed a formal request with the State Corporation Commission to delay the automatic rate increase, citing the state statute that allows a case to be delayed until 30 days after the General Assembly session if a legislator is party to it. The General Assembly session ends Saturday.
Based on a request by Ramadan, the SCC has been investigating the Greenway Toll Roads current rate structure since Jan. 30, 2013. Ramadan petitioned the commission to lower the tolls and apply distance-based pricing. In January, the SCC examiner rejected Ramadan’s challenge. That decision has been appealed and will be heard by the full commission most likely this summer, Ramadan said.
“Because I’m party to this case, I can use this legislative privilege to delay this toll increase several months, saving every user that 20-cent increase,” Ramadan said.
TRIP II requested a 2.8 percent increase and a 3-cent addition to pay for an increase in local property taxes paid to Loudoun County and the Town of Leesburg. For a 2-axle vehicle, the proposed increase equates to 15 cents, from $4.10 to $4.25. During peak morning and afternoon weekday periods, the proposed increase is 20 cents, from $4.90 to $5.10. The SCC approval of the toll increase, which occurred Feb. 7, only increased the toll to $4.20, but granted the $5.10 peak-time toll.
In its approval, the SCC noted that the state code provides they "shall approve" any toll increase applied for on the Greenway.
TRIP II’s annual request to increase toll rates is permitted under the Virginia Highway Act of 1988. The act authorizes “annual toll increases between 2013 and 2020 at the greater of growth in Consumer Price Index plus one percent, GDP growth, or 2.8 percent, with additional increases if necessary to offset more rapid growth in property taxes or to ensure that the Partnership has sufficient revenues to achieve debt service coverage ratios.”
Immediately following the Feb. 7 approval, Ramadan filed a motion to stay the toll increases. TRIP II objected to the motion, but Wednesday the SCC granted Ramadan's request.
In an interview Wednesday, Ramadan said he remains committed to fighting for lower tolls. “If I’m not satisfied at the commission level, I will take that case to the Virginia Supreme Court.”
http://www.leesburgtoday.com/news/ramadan-uses-legislative-privledge-to-delay-greenway-toll-increases/article_8b1cdfae-a549-11e3-ba84-001a4bcf887a.html
The annual toll rate increase on the Dulles Greenway that was set to go into effect Feb. 15 will now be delayed until at least April 8, at the request of Del. David Ramadan (R-87).
Last month, Ramadan filed a formal request with the State Corporation Commission to delay the automatic rate increase, citing the state statute that allows a case to be delayed until 30 days after the General Assembly session if a legislator is party to it. The General Assembly session ends Saturday.
Based on a request by Ramadan, the SCC has been investigating the Greenway Toll Roads current rate structure since Jan. 30, 2013. Ramadan petitioned the commission to lower the tolls and apply distance-based pricing. In January, the SCC examiner rejected Ramadan’s challenge. That decision has been appealed and will be heard by the full commission most likely this summer, Ramadan said.
“Because I’m party to this case, I can use this legislative privilege to delay this toll increase several months, saving every user that 20-cent increase,” Ramadan said.
TRIP II requested a 2.8 percent increase and a 3-cent addition to pay for an increase in local property taxes paid to Loudoun County and the Town of Leesburg. For a 2-axle vehicle, the proposed increase equates to 15 cents, from $4.10 to $4.25. During peak morning and afternoon weekday periods, the proposed increase is 20 cents, from $4.90 to $5.10. The SCC approval of the toll increase, which occurred Feb. 7, only increased the toll to $4.20, but granted the $5.10 peak-time toll.
In its approval, the SCC noted that the state code provides they "shall approve" any toll increase applied for on the Greenway.
TRIP II’s annual request to increase toll rates is permitted under the Virginia Highway Act of 1988. The act authorizes “annual toll increases between 2013 and 2020 at the greater of growth in Consumer Price Index plus one percent, GDP growth, or 2.8 percent, with additional increases if necessary to offset more rapid growth in property taxes or to ensure that the Partnership has sufficient revenues to achieve debt service coverage ratios.”
Immediately following the Feb. 7 approval, Ramadan filed a motion to stay the toll increases. TRIP II objected to the motion, but Wednesday the SCC granted Ramadan's request.
In an interview Wednesday, Ramadan said he remains committed to fighting for lower tolls. “If I’m not satisfied at the commission level, I will take that case to the Virginia Supreme Court.”
Re: Ramadan Uses Legislative Privledge To Delay Greenway Toll Increases
Posted by:
Gerrymanderer2
()
Date: March 07, 2014 08:05PM
An Arab delegate standing up for all of you against toll increases.