C'mon and take a free ride... (Virginia transportation survey)

Cars traveling southbound on Virginia's Interstate 395 during rush hour traffic near the King Street exit on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 in Arlington, Va. As of July 1, drivers who buy hybrids cars are no longer exempt from the rules governing high occupancy vehicle lanes on Interstates 95 and 395. Solo hybrid drivers will still be allowed on all other HOV lanes in Virginia until July 1, 2007. (AP Photo/Leslie E. Kossoff)

From the AP Virginia wire, "Survey finds little support for most transportation proposals":

A majority of Virginians want transportation improvements but don't like most of the proposals offered by legislators and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, according to a statewide poll published Tuesday.

More than two-thirds of those responding to the Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. survey said they favor a special session of the General Assembly to deal with transportation problems.

However, only 39% said they support higher taxes for transportation, and just 30% favored cutting state spending elsewhere and spending the savings on rail, roads and transit projects. ...

The poll of 625 likely voters was conducted last Wednesday through Friday. Results could vary 4 percentage points in either direction.

Respondents were asked their views on various proposals advanced by Kaine and legislators. The results:

-- 50% opposed tax increases for transportation; 39% favored higher taxes; 11% were undecided.
-- 61% opposed raising the sales tax on cars from 3% to 5%; 32% supported increases; 7% were undecided.
-- 86% opposed increasing fees on car insurance premiums; while 10% supported them; 4% were undecided.
-- 60% rejected increasing vehicle registration fees; 34% favored them; 6% were undecided.
-- 90% backed tougher fines for bad drivers; 7% were opposed and 3% were undecided.
-- 59% opposed a tax on gasoline stored at fuel depots; 25% favored it; 16% were undecided.
-- 53% rejected a plan to finance more road improvements with debt; 32% favored additional borrowing; 15% were undecided.
-- 52% opposed cutting state spending in other areas by $500 million and shifting funds in the highway budget; 30% supported the House-backed concept; 18% were undecided.
-- 49% backed tolls on some interstate highways; 46% were opposed; 5% were undecided.
-- 50% endorsed authorizing localities to impose taxes for regional projects; 43%were opposed; 7% were undecided.
______
I do want to write about more stuff than transit!

Index Keywords: transit