THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 24, 1995 TAG: 9502230143
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
Clancy Holland, longtime opponent of lifting the tolls on the Virginia Beach-Norfolk Expressway, has conceded he can't lick 'em. But he won't just join 'em: He'll go 'em one better.
The venerable senator from Virginia Beach introduced legislation that would lift the tolls by July 1, three months earlier than the state Transportation Board, concurring with Gov. George Allen, has set for the tolls to come off.
What's the rush, from the senator who twice in the past four years has sponsored legislation to extend the tolls on Route 44 to pay for construction of the Southeastern Expressway and a few other roads to be specified later by cooperative legislators across Hampton Roads?
What's the rush, from the Democrat who could have gotten the tolls off pronto if he had worked with rather than against Republican Del. Frank Wagner, who last year asked the Assembly to lift the tolls as of Jan. 1? This past Jan. 1.
And why no rush from Senator Holland to join Delegate Wagner's move last week to lift the tolls as of May 1, allowing time to dismantle the toll plaza and clearly mark the lanes before the heavy holiday weekend traffic?
Find a more blatant example of political opportunism, and Senator Holland may have to relinquish the prize. That might not take long in what Assembly Democrats have designed as this Year of the Last Laugh.
Meantime, find any assurance from Senator Holland of state funds for the expressway's maintenance and improvement when what's left of the toll revenues give out. His fellow Democrats who demand such assurance of Republicans who want to cut taxes should demand the same of their own.
Taking the tolls off July 1 will cost some $3 million in revenue. Ending the tolls before the road's bond maturity date will mean fewer improvement projects get done, and those left undone will have to survive the free-for-all for state transportation funding. By then, as Democrats like to point out, Governor Allen will be long gone.
So may Senator Holland, if enough voters are turned off by his tantrum turnaround on the tolls, and if on July 1 - one of the tourist season's busiest Saturdays - the tolls end in giant snarls. by CNB