For Immediate Release Contact: Steven D?Amico, 973-951-1489Date: July 10, 2007
Donahue Responds to Rust Defense of Abuser Fees
?It is indefensible for legislators to adopt proposals that discriminate in favor of out of state drivers, excusing them from paying their fair share of our road construction and maintenance costs.?
Jay Donahue, candidate for delegate in Virginia?s 86th district (Herndon/Sterling) wrote the following response to Delegate Tom Rust?s July 6 Herndon Observer editorial defending his abuser fee legislation:
In the July 6 edition of the Herndon Observer, Delegate Tom Rust summarized, and attempted to explain, his ?abuser fee? legislation adopted during the last legislative session of the Virginia Assembly. Under Rust?s law, Virginia residents will pay significantly increased fees in addition to the usual fines for a number of traffic infractions. Out of state drivers committing precisely the same offense will pay only the fine and be immune from the stiffer additional abuser fees.It is indefensible for legislators to adopt proposals that discriminate in favor of out of state drivers, excusing them from paying their fair share of our road construction and maintenance costs. The fact that a drunk or abusive driver from Maryland or Washington, D.C. is able to escape penalties that Virginia drivers must pay is an insult to fairness and common sense.
Two of the primary goals of the abuser concept are at odds with one another. We all favor ?encouraging good driver behavior?. But if this legislation succeeds by getting drivers to modify their driving habits or to stop driving, collection of fees will be down. If the primary objective is to raise funds, how will this help? Inaction over time by the Republican House of Delegates, to address a long term, well thought out, transportation funding bill for Virginia, has produced this ?quick fix? approach to a very complex problem.
Delegate Rust has admitted that the abuser fee exemption he allowed out of state drivers is ?unfortunate?. He has expressed his desire to correct that omission. That omission should have been corrected before the legislation was offered or adopted, especially since Delegate Rust has been working on this legislation since 2005.
I support stern penalties for all irresponsible drivers who refuse to respect our laws. Our interstates and roadways are packed with business, tourist and pass through travelers from outside the Commonwealth. About 25% of drivers on our roads are from out of state. To grant that large group immunity from our abusive driver fees, and thereby partial immunity from paying for the roads they use, is an extraordinarily generous accommodation. It is an accommodation I would not support as your representative in the Virginia House of Delegates.
Jay Donahue
Democratic Candidate, Virginia House of Delegates
86th District (Herndon/Sterling)Comments