Hampton Mayor Seeks Voter Referendum on State Transportation Plan

March 29, 2007

Mayor Ross Kearney, II is seeking an advisory voter referendum for the City of Hampton on the transportation plan recently passed by the Virginia General Assembly.

"I refuse to join the Hampton Roads Transportation Authority without the approval of the citizens whose taxes will be raised to subsidize it," Kearney said. "It is my hope that the other localities included in the Hampton Roads Authority will likewise give their citizens the opportunity to weigh in on this critical decision."

Kearney received unanimous support from the Hampton City Council for the idea at its March 28th meeting.

The plan requires seven of 12 communities in the Hampton Roads region to vote to join the authority before it can impose a series of tax and fee increases, including increases to the vehicle registration fee, the safety inspection fee, and the motor vehicle rental tax, intended to subsidize a number of regional transportation projects.

Kearney further stated his opposition to the plan's failure to include any congestion relief to the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, commonly referred to as the HRBT. "Currently, the HRBT is severely over-capacity, accommodating close to 100,000 vehicles daily in the peak summer season," remarked Kearney. "This crippling congestion is placing an unjustifiable burden on the citizens of the entire Hampton Roads' region."

The mayor also expressed concern with the plan's shift from the commonwealth to the local governments in the responsibility for raising transportation funds.

"The commonwealth's abandonment of its duties in finding a viable transportation solution is forcing our cities and counties to do the job that, by constitution, is the responsibility of the state."