Newspaper Column: Will We Tax Ourselves to Fight Traffic Congestion and Air Pollution

Abstract

I’ve always respected State Senator Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax) and our own State Senator Janet Howell (D-Reston), both of whom serve on the Senate Finance Committee. They were right to insist that Northern Virginia needs far more funding for education and transportation than state and county budgets are likely to provide. They were right to support a referendum in Northern Virginia on an increase in sales tax revenues dedicated to education and transportation improvements. They were wrong in two past years to reject a referendum limited to funding of only transportation improvements. This year they were right at last to accept such a referendum.