Accountability and Petition Plans

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   First, anyone who receives correspondence from their delegate or senator, (or US representative), please post it here (take your name off). I want to read any and all explanations of this vote. To date, I have gotten one email from Toddy Puller, simply stating the fact that the vote for the exemption was unanimous. What a copout. Not even any explanation or the honesty to even tell me her opinion.

	Second, I want to organize a petition drive this summer.

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Bob Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 14 Dec 2001 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Bob Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Accountability and Petition Plans Posted: 28 Feb 2007 at 8:37am
	First, anyone who receives correspondence from their delegate or senator, (or US representative), please post it here (take your name off). I want to read any and all explanations of this vote. To date, I have gotten one email from Toddy Puller, simply stating the fact that the vote for the exemption was unanimous. What a copout. Not even any explanation or the honesty to even tell me her opinion. Second, I want to organize a petition drive this summer.

NoSUV Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote NoSUV Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 Feb 2007 at 9:55am
	Bob, Actually, both my senator and delegate told me last year that they supported the exemption. If you'll recall, I polled many of the candidates before the last election and cound find NONE in either party who was opposed to it. I was rather surprised by Jody's posting from Albo earlier this year to the contrary - that is the only time I've heard of any opposition, and, well, Albo's record speaks for itself. The problem you are likely to run into is that you can vote out the incumbant, but the replacement will probably have the exact same view. After all, the overwhelming majority of people in the Commonwealth believe the hybrid exemption is exactly what is needed - or they have no stake in the matter. You belong to a fringe minority. But, please, don't let that stop you. By the way, I also polled US Rep Davis on this, and he told me that he supported the exemption but that it should be evaluated every year to see if it was still appropriate based on traffic. It was the closest of anyone to not giving a hearty endorsement.

No2HOV-1 Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 01 Mar 2007 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote No2HOV-1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Mar 2007 at 10:40am
	Message sent to VA Delegates: Gentlemen, Last year the voters in Virginia were promised that the exemption for Hybrid cars to use the HOV with less than three persons would not be extended this year. It is my understanding that the exemption has been renewed. The traffic congestion on I-95 is due to volume. Allowing individuals to use the HOV offers no incentive to carpool and help reduce the number of cars on the road. In addition, as traffic becomes more congested, the amount of air pollution from regular cars only increases due to inefficiencies. The near term solution to reducing traffic congestion on I-95 South is to make the HOV three for all cars or even four to help reduce volume. I challenge either of you two gentlemen to travel on I-95 South between Washington and Fredericksburg at 5PM any weeknight and tell me less cars would not improve conditions. Please encourage Governor Kaine to veto the hybrid exemption as a benefit to a vast majority of Virginia voters. Thank you. Response from Delegate Mark Cole: I understand your concerns. The exemption for hybrids purchased before July 2006 was extended for another year. I think most believe that limiting it to hybrids purchased before July 2006 was a reasonable compromise and that will cause a gradual decline in the number of hybrids using the HOV lanes. Of course the real solution is to expand the HOV and regular lanes on I95 which is what I am pushing for. Thanks, Mark Cole Delegate, 88th District Stafford, Spotsylvania, and Fauquier Counties

SpongeBob Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 06 Oct 2004 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote SpongeBob Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Mar 2007 at 11:27am
	OK. Now please write him back and make sure he understands that "expanding HOV" by putting tolls on the existing portion will actually cause the elimination of HOV, since there is no technical way to count the number of passengers in a vehicle, and therefore no way to allow free HOV use. All cars will be tolled at the same rate, and so there will be far less incentive to ride share. Plus, does he know the expected cost of a commute from Spotsylvania to DC on the new tollway? Over $30 EACH WAY. Everyday. Does he really want to vote for that tax on his constituents? They use the road for free right now...

NoSUV Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote NoSUV Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Mar 2007 at 1:01pm
	The letter from No2HOV-1 is riddled with errors. No promise was ever made on not extending the exemption; in fact, it was nearly the opposite. I like the proposal by the Mayor of London reported in the Post 2/28 to charge fees (tolls?) based on emissions, with the worst offenders paying up to $49/day.

MDC Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 04 Dec 2002 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote MDC Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Mar 2007 at 1:34pm
	Mr. Troll, I'm sure that any correspondence you've had with your elected representatives have been fact checked and were found to be 100% accurate. Just like everything you post here.

NoSUV Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote NoSUV Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Mar 2007 at 2:28pm
	MDC - several of the messages I sent to candidates were provided to Robert Lang, including the responses. Thanks for helping.

sluDgE Members Profile Find Members Posts Master Slug Joined: 27 Oct 2003 Status: Offline Points: 501	Post Options Post Reply Quote sluDgE Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Mar 2007 at 6:03pm
	Bob, Goober wrote about the canned response he got from a delegate in another string and is now contemplating writing to the Governor. Info below is FYI.. About the comment on contacting the Governor ... Here's a quote from the current Governor's website at http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/biography.cfm "In transportation, Governor Kaine is working to promote greater accountability, with a focus on measurable improvements, better connections between land use and transportation planning, and greater investments in road, rail and public transportation infrastructure. During his first year in office, he has recruited innovative transportation professionals and made significant advances in land use reforms that will make Virginia�s transportation network serve people better." If you want to "contact" him, you can send a message at http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm It would be interesting to see what, if any, response you would get.

darkprime Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 05 Jul 2006 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote darkprime Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 02 Mar 2007 at 9:34am
	I just sent a nice long explanation and mentioned this site too.

No2HOV-1 Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 01 Mar 2007 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote No2HOV-1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 02 Mar 2007 at 9:46am
	The correspondence is factual. That is what was sent to Delegate Cole and that is his response. Delegate Cole voted against the exemption last year and this year he abstained from voting. Whether there was a "promise" for July 06 thru Jun 07 to be the last year, that's debatable. That was my inferrence as well as others. However, I've come to realize that the exemption will always continue because there are only a few of the delegates and senators who could care about this issue and they will never have the number of votes to reject the bill. The only way to stop it is to not have it introduced or to not have the Transportation Committee refer it to the House or Senate, but that will never happen because voting for the exemption makes the delegates and senators look good on the environment.