I was rather interested to see a letter from Prince William’s Dick Peacock write a letter in this morning’s Free Lance-Star demanding Spotsylvania join the VRE.
Why should 100,000 Spotsylvanians be taxed to support the 900 people who ride VRE?
Of course, I didn’t stop there. Who is Dick Peacock anyway? Why he’s a member the board of directors of VARP, a group committed to getting as many people to subsidize VRE riders as possible (mostly Northern Virginians). Not only has he been recognized via resolution by VRE itself, he’s been riding VRE for 11 years, and every locality that joins eases the pressure on VRE to raise its fares on those who actually use the service.
Not exactly a disinterested citizen, eh?
I’m sure Mr. Peacock is doing what every citizen has the right to do; participate in political activism. The pet cause here just happens to be a government-sponsored VRE system he personally benefits from. Frankly, I have no problems with Spotsylvania joining VRE, provided that (1) VRE pay for the station, (2) the cost of VRE be joined to the price of the ride, and (3) those who ride VRE and use the service pay for it without the subsidization of the local government, and (4) not a dime of public money goes towards the VRE program. In other words, if you ride VRE you’re payin’ for it.
No one pays my ride to work, the gas in my car, or the maintenance of my vehicle but yours truly. For VRE to expect an exemption and a 2% gas tax on 100,000 Spotsylvanians to pay for 900 riders is utterly ridiculous. Should bus riders get some form of subsidization too? What about carpool drivers? Vans? Who else gets to dip their hands in the pie?
VRE. One more instance of government doing something it was never designed to do.