The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (one of the bastard twins spawned by HB3202 – the transportation tax hike of 2007) has decided to starting imposing taxes on northern Virginians before the State Supreme Court rules on the legality of said taxes (Washington Examiner, emphasis added):
Northern Virginians will begin paying new taxes and fees to fund transportation Jan. 1 even though the state Supreme Court will not have ruled on the levies’ legality.
The state’s high court is scheduled to hear arguments in January in a lawsuit challenging the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority’s power to impose the new taxes and fees.
. . .
“We realized we need to start right away,” said David Snyder, who heads the authority’s legal subcommittee. “We would rather have to deal with refunds than give up the revenue we would not collect during that waiting period.”
Thank you, Mr. Snyder, for reminding us all that in a decision like this, bureaucrats like you always err on the side seizing more taxpayer money.
Sadly, even one of the very few elected officials who stood up to this nonsense last spring is standing down now:
“I am still opposed to the taxes and fees being collected, but if they are going to be collected, it seems to me that the NVTA should get on with its work,” said Del. Jeff Frederick, R-Prince William County, an NVTA member who fought the funding package.
I can only assume Delegate Frederick was bored by his 59% victory a few weeks ago and wants the excitement of his 2005 nail-biter race back.
There is one voice of sanity quoted in the article:
“It shows how excited they are to raise taxes,” said James Parmalee, head of the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance. “Some of the fees would be easier to refund than others. It is one thing when the government has a record and can send you a refund check, but every single auto repair shop would have the burden of refunding money to all of their customers.”
“It shows how excited they are to raise taxes.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.
December 31, 2007 at 9:43 am |
[...] tax hike of 2007. never mind that the mere existance of these taxes is being challenged in the courts, the greedy politicians want your money right [...]
December 31, 2007 at 9:44 am |
[...] tax hike of 2007. never mind that the mere existance of these taxes is being challenged in the courts, the greedy politicians want your money right [...]