McDonnell to Reopen Rest Stops
The Washington Post reports that Governor-elect Bob McDonnell plans to reopen rest stops within 90 days after his inauguration. This good news for all travelers, especially if you need a rest break on a long trip down I-95. McDonnell’s plan is to shift money within the Department of Transportation and allowing for businesses to adopt a rest stop.
While this is one possible way, what about privatizing the VAABC stores? This takes some considerable time, especially considering that the General Assembly needs to address this issue during session. Since private business can’t buy rest stops, privatizing VAABC stores is the only viable alternative.
Another point mentioned in this article is the fact that McDonnell has pledged that there will be no tax increases and has promised to amend Governor Tim Kaine’s budget if there is any mention of the increase (especially the car tax). A tax increase is the last thing that Virginians need right now, and McDonnell has pledged to cut government spending as one possible way to generate revenue.
Posted on December 9, 2009, in Economy, Virginia Politics and tagged Bob McDonnell, Economy, Rest Stops, Transportation, VDOT. Bookmark the permalink. 3 Comments.
Or, frankly, how about privatizing the rest stops themselves?
Allow a business to “sponsor” the stop, paying for the maintenance and upkeep that the Commonwealth is currently paying for.
And make it worthwhile for them by allowing them to post advertising, or sell goods, or do pretty much anything that would return value for their money spent…?
I agree with you, Brian! I would rather see the rest stops privatized, but the Federal government kinda stood in the way when they blocked Rep. Frank Wolf’s proposal after the news of the closures came up.
Interesting – I must’ve missed that story. If nothing else, it illustrates quite succinctly the problem of turning every little thing into a Federal issue (in this case, causing motorists inconvenience to protect a loud but no longer relevant interest group).
The link, for those who are interested:
http://www.heritage.org/Research/SmartGrowth/wm2724.cfm