Shaun Kenney | Politics and Religion in Virginia's Public Square

Disingenuous Advocates of VRE
- comment Not Larry Sabato
  
  body
  
  VRE is worth the tax Shaun. I think it worked better then any other system on Sept 11 when everyone wanted to come home. I'd be with you if it was Metro bashing, but the VRE is really worth it.
- comment Shaun Kenney
  
  body
  
  There was no quick or best way home on 9/11 (I managed to get onto I-95 before everyone else did from DEA that day).
  
  VRE isn't worth it at all for folks down here. Maybe for the good people of NOVA it's worth it, but it literally takes 1hr 45m to get from Washington to Fredericksburg -- more for every stop VRE makes too.
  
  It takes about an hour to get from the Pentagon to Fredericksburg via HOV.
  
  In terms of time, I'd rather slug home.
  
  Regressive tax hikes on gas not factoring in quite yet, of course...
- comment Jason Kenney
  
  body
  
  Why are we going to tax people for something they simply don't use? What service does the VRE provide the man who lives and works out near Spotsy Courthouse? As a former VRE rider I feel that those that use it should pay for it, not those that don't.
- comment Carrie
  
  body
  
  I can tell you it usually takes me 40 minutes via HOV to get to Dumfries (not including waiting time) and another hour to get to Fredericksburg, so really the VRE doesn't cut down the time any. It still takes almost 2 hours from Fred. on the VRE, and it doesn't stop at the Pentagon (which is a major inconvenience for the number of people who work there, and then have to ride the metro after taking the VRE). The people i know in N. Va. don't take the VRE because it's too expensive and there are other, better means of transportation in the area (like buses and slugging and carpools and such). Honestly, even though i rode the VRE for a few months while i was pregnant and enjoyed the safety of not having to drive myself but having enough people around to help should something negative happen with my pregnancy while on the train, I don't see the VRE adding much value for anyone, from Fredericksburg or N. Va. I can't honestly say i know anyone who rides it anymore, and those i used to know have found other means of transportation.
- comment Virginia Centrist
  
  body
  
  I agree with you on the expansion to Spots. county
  
  But VRE is definitely effective as a method of transit from Fred to NOVa. it allows people sit and do work or simply NOT STRESS OUT IN TRAFFIC.
  
  In the words of Borat: "I like. It's nice."
- comment D.J. McGuire
  
  body
  
  VRE was "better then any other system on Sept 11 when everyone wanted to come home"?
  
  Maybe if you happened to be near a station. For the rest of us, it served no purpose.
  
  I ought to know, my building was evacuated at 10AM on 9/11 (the floor under our feet shook when the fuel tanks from Flight 11 exploded). I remember everything from that day. Traffic on I-95 was not an issue.
  
  I used to ride VRE; when you throw in the multiple instances of delays, and the time it takes to get from the Alexandria station to my office, it actually takes me less time to drive (and that's in the regular I-95 lanes).
  
  We don't need VRE in Spotsy. What we need is more office space, but that's another discussion.
- comment Jason Kenney
  
  body
  
  The only time I really remember VRE coming through better than any other system for getting out of DC was during the 108 car pile up in the winter of '02. Or was it '01? Ah well, when 95 was shut down, yes, VRE was the way to go. Otherwise, it's just as long as any other system. It's only benifit over, say, the bus is that it's cheaper than Martz (or was when I rode).
- comment Addison
  
  body
  
  "No one pays my ride to work, the gas in my car, or the maintenance of my vehicle but yours truly"
  
  I just wanted to point out that any plan to use general fund revenues to pay for roads would do just that.
- comment Not Larry Sabato
  
  body
  
  1 hour 28 minutes from Fredericksburg to Union Station. Have you ever used VRE? I'm assuming not, because you live in Spotsy. I used it for almost a year, it's amazingly good.
  
  PS- Home values go up around VRE Stations...listings in Burke that are close to the station will list that first everytime. So the residents do get something for their subsidy.
- comment Shaun Kenney
  
  body
  
  I've used VRE.
  
  It takes way too long to get from Union Station to Fredericksburg.
  
  Even from Crystal City, it takes too long.
  
  Slug lanes are by and far the best way to commute IMHO. A "free market" innovation, I must say.
- comment Shaun Kenney
  
  body
  
  Addison,
  
  I just wanted to point out that any plan to use general fund revenues to pay for roads would do just that.
  
  Not in the slightest. There's a difference between paying for and maintaining the rails/roads (which we all do), and paying for the method of transport on those rails/roads (which is up to the user).
  
  VRE works fine for folks in NOVA, but on the other side of the Rappahannock? 100,000 people subsidizing 900 rides to work? No way...
- comment Not Larry Sabato
  
  body
  
  One of the reasons I love VRE, is if you are last station in the morning (Union) you can sleep and they will wake you up when you get there.
  
  That is worth a tax Shaun. :)
- comment Jason Kenney
  
  body
  
  NLS does have a good point there. Fredericksburg to Union Station's a good hour and a half nap....
- comment D.J. McGuire
  
  body
  
  NLS,
  
  This is my commute.
  House to VRE station: 10 minutes.
  VRE Fredericksburg to Alexandria: 1 hour, 15 minutes.
  Bus from Alexandria to my office: 30 minutes (unless the train is delayed and I miss the 6:30 bus, in which case I have to take the 7AM bus, and it's 60 minutes).
  
  Total: 1 hour 55 minutes (2:25).
  Without VRE, drive from my house to my office: 1 hour 40 minutes.
  
  Next time, don't be so glib.
- comment Addison
  
  body
  
  I don't really have an issue with VRE being self-supporting. In fact, I wholeheartedly support
  self-sufficiency.
  
  I'm drawing a broader point. The use of the 2004 general fund surplus to fund transportation, and the transportation plan put forth by the Republican
  candidate for Governor, is bad public policy.
  
  As conservatives, we should want to tie the cost of providing services to the people who use those services. That means that if VRE costs $15 each way, then riders should pay $15 each way. However, it also means that a gas tax and/or tolls are the best ways to fund new road construction. don't take my sales and income tax payments to pay for roads that I don't use. I make sacrifices in house size in order to live
  closer to work, and I'm annoyed that some want to take my money and spend it on roads that I'll never use.


Monday, November 21, 2005 Disingenuous Advocates of VRE 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. posted by Shaun Kenney \| 11/21/2005 12:14:00 AM \| 15 comments 15 Comments: At 7:43 AM, Not Larry Sabato said... VRE is worth the tax Shaun. I think it worked better then any other system on Sept 11 when everyone wanted to come home. I'd be with you if it was Metro bashing, but the VRE is really worth it. At 9:18 AM, Shaun Kenney said... There was no quick or best way home on 9/11 (I managed to get onto I-95 before everyone else did from DEA that day). VRE isn't worth it at all for folks down here. Maybe for the good people of NOVA it's worth it, but it literally takes 1hr 45m to get from Washington to Fredericksburg -- more for every stop VRE makes too. It takes about an hour to get from the Pentagon to Fredericksburg via HOV. In terms of time, I'd rather slug home. Regressive tax hikes on gas not factoring in quite yet, of course... At 10:59 AM, Jason Kenney said... Why are we going to tax people for something they simply don't use? What service does the VRE provide the man who lives and works out near Spotsy Courthouse? As a former VRE rider I feel that those that use it should pay for it, not those that don't. At 11:18 AM, Carrie said... I can tell you it usually takes me 40 minutes via HOV to get to Dumfries (not including waiting time) and another hour to get to Fredericksburg, so really the VRE doesn't cut down the time any. It still takes almost 2 hours from Fred. on the VRE, and it doesn't stop at the Pentagon (which is a major inconvenience for the number of people who work there, and then have to ride the metro after taking the VRE). The people i know in N. Va. don't take the VRE because it's too expensive and there are other, better means of transportation in the area (like buses and slugging and carpools and such). Honestly, even though i rode the VRE for a few months while i was pregnant and enjoyed the safety of not having to drive myself but having enough people around to help should something negative happen with my pregnancy while on the train, I don't see the VRE adding much value for anyone, from Fredericksburg or N. Va. I can't honestly say i know anyone who rides it anymore, and those i used to know have found other means of transportation. At 1:15 PM, Virginia Centrist said... I agree with you on the expansion to Spots. county But VRE is definitely effective as a method of transit from Fred to NOVa. it allows people sit and do work or simply NOT STRESS OUT IN TRAFFIC. In the words of Borat: "I like. It's nice." At 2:17 PM, D.J. McGuire said... VRE was "better then any other system on Sept 11 when everyone wanted to come home"? Maybe if you happened to be near a station. For the rest of us, it served no purpose. I ought to know, my building was evacuated at 10AM on 9/11 (the floor under our feet shook when the fuel tanks from Flight 11 exploded). I remember everything from that day. Traffic on I-95 was not an issue. I used to ride VRE; when you throw in the multiple instances of delays, and the time it takes to get from the Alexandria station to my office, it actually takes me less time to drive (and that's in the regular I-95 lanes). We don't need VRE in Spotsy. What we need is more office space, but that's another discussion. At 3:44 PM, Jason Kenney said... The only time I really remember VRE coming through better than any other system for getting out of DC was during the 108 car pile up in the winter of '02. Or was it '01? Ah well, when 95 was shut down, yes, VRE was the way to go. Otherwise, it's just as long as any other system. It's only benifit over, say, the bus is that it's cheaper than Martz (or was when I rode). At 8:45 PM, Addison said... "No one pays my ride to work, the gas in my car, or the maintenance of my vehicle but yours truly" I just wanted to point out that any plan to use general fund revenues to pay for roads would do just that. At 10:21 PM, Not Larry Sabato said... 1 hour 28 minutes from Fredericksburg to Union Station. Have you ever used VRE? I'm assuming not, because you live in Spotsy. I used it for almost a year, it's amazingly good. PS- Home values go up around VRE Stations...listings in Burke that are close to the station will list that first everytime. So the residents do get something for their subsidy. At 6:46 AM, Shaun Kenney said... I've used VRE. It takes way too long to get from Union Station to Fredericksburg. Even from Crystal City, it takes too long. Slug lanes are by and far the best way to commute IMHO. A "free market" innovation, I must say. At 6:49 AM, Shaun Kenney said... Addison, I just wanted to point out that any plan to use general fund revenues to pay for roads would do just that. Not in the slightest. There's a difference between paying for and maintaining the rails/roads (which we all do), and paying for the method of transport on those rails/roads (which is up to the user). VRE works fine for folks in NOVA, but on the other side of the Rappahannock? 100,000 people subsidizing 900 rides to work? No way... At 7:30 AM, Not Larry Sabato said... One of the reasons I love VRE, is if you are last station in the morning (Union) you can sleep and they will wake you up when you get there. That is worth a tax Shaun. :) At 10:13 AM, Jason Kenney said... NLS does have a good point there. Fredericksburg to Union Station's a good hour and a half nap.... At 4:35 PM, D.J. McGuire said... NLS, This is my commute. House to VRE station: 10 minutes. VRE Fredericksburg to Alexandria: 1 hour, 15 minutes. Bus from Alexandria to my office: 30 minutes (unless the train is delayed and I miss the 6:30 bus, in which case I have to take the 7AM bus, and it's 60 minutes). Total: 1 hour 55 minutes (2:25). Without VRE, drive from my house to my office: 1 hour 40 minutes. Next time, don't be so glib. At 7:46 PM, Addison said... I don't really have an issue with VRE being self-supporting. In fact, I wholeheartedly support self-sufficiency. I'm drawing a broader point. The use of the 2004 general fund surplus to fund transportation, and the transportation plan put forth by the Republican candidate for Governor, is bad public policy. As conservatives, we should want to tie the cost of providing services to the people who use those services. That means that if VRE costs $15 each way, then riders should pay $15 each way. However, it also means that a gas tax and/or tolls are the best ways to fund new road construction. don't take my sales and income tax payments to pay for roads that I don't use. I make sacrifices in house size in order to live closer to work, and I'm annoyed that some want to take my money and spend it on roads that I'll never use. Post a Comment Home
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