Steven Latimer

Yesterday when I saw that the masthead of Thursday's Richmond Times-Dispatch proclaimed that plans are underway to create another unelected transportation (taxing) authority - this time for the Richmond region - I almost had to do a double take. So reports RTD staff writer Will Jones here.

Created in earnest under the guise of raising revenues to fund transportation projects, these regional transportation authorities almost always without fail turn into unelected, regional taxation authorities, which is not what we need. These RTAs, as they are known, severely undermine sovereignty of the people.

I'm not suggesting all taxes and fees are automatically bad. Rather, any taxes and fees need to be approved by the voters via referenda, rather than by unelected regional authorities. If created, the Central Virginia Regional Transportation Authority will do the latter.

Jones of the Times-Dispatch writes:

Authorities were set up for Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, but a Virginia Supreme Court ruling essentially knocked them down as unconstitutional. The central Virginia proposal is structured to avoid a similar entanglement, said Henrico County Manager Virgil R. Hazelett, who prepared the draft.

Now, I understand the need to avoid challenges in court, but you have to realize that RTAs are very unpopular. Just ask former Virginia State Senators Marty Williams and Jeannemarie Devolites Davis, who fell victim to intense public outrage when the Virginia General Assembly passed HB 3202 during the 2007 session.

Whether or not a proposed Richmond RTA can justify itself in court, there is little demand among the people for another layer of government that is difficult to afford. Our leaders would be wise to understand this. Unfortunately, I fear they won't.