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News Archive
TDX Progress Stifled in Richmond
February 13, 2007
We all realize that “you” are not the only constituent to whom your representative must answer. We are all constituents and we don’t always agree with each other. So, we must be fair to these folks we have elected and recognize that they have a difficult task, at best.
Even so, it should not be a difficult choice to make between support of party leadership (whichever party it might be in any given season) and support of initiatives to enhance the economic development and quality of life for his or her constituents and for the Commonwealth as a whole.
Last year a number of delegates chose party leadership over immediate needs and planning for future critical needs of their constituents. Might committee seats and chairmanships have been at risk? Hmmm..., there’s a cogent question. To lose a seat of power and be relegated to a lesser position could reasonably cost a region its legislative sway. But, to be voted out of office for failing to fight for the constituents might be a larger failure.
When does the electorate win? Does it feel secure that its representatives have seniority, even when they respond like “sheeple” in order to keep their seats? Or might it be better to temporarily lose some seniority and reinfuse the passion to represent the real needs of the people?
These are questions we must each weigh. But, while we’re weighing them, keep in mind that it was party leadership in the House that prevented the many transportation issues from being included in a viable budget, that set back long-range planning for initiatives reaching far beyond transportation, some for perpetuity. Transportation does not exist in a vacuum any more than education does. These core services impact every other facet of our personal, business, municipal, state, and national health.
Were we served last year? Yes. TDX was served up as a sacrificial meal. But, we were not alone.
“Today” is the result of the decisions made and not made in the past. “Tomorrow” critically depends on the actions we take today. And those actions are shaped by our attitudes, vision, and willingness to risk. It might be nice to remind our legislators and administrators that a failure to make a decision is, in itself, a decision to fail.
TransDominion Express leadership and supporters are not involved in partisan politics. In fact, we are witnessing the harm created by extreme partisanship. We would ask the people of Virginia to carefully examine the critical transportation funding needs while looking at our future through the lens of current policy; then shifting the focus through a visionary and practical lens to actively plan for a better outcome.
The bottom line is that we need a level of dedicated transportation funding that allows for planning well into the future. Experience has shown us that transportation projects, to be effective, should consider 20-years out to be short-range. Looking for return on investment and profit generation must not be tied to fare box or toll booth returns, but to the enhanced business income, lifestyle, and taxes generated as a result.
The TDX is far more about environmentally responsible economic development than transportation. But, the transportation element cannot be ignored. Part of enhanced transportation funding must include a much larger percentage for rail initiatives as a solution of the future.
Despite hardships related to unresolved tensions in the 2006 General Assembly, in the 2007 session, TDX will have two bills whose passage will determine our ability to move forward. One will amend the 30% matching requirement for the Rail Enhancement Fund. The other is a second run at creating a TDX Authority or Commission.
Letter to Governor Kaine on Behalf of TDX
This letter was written by TDX board member, Farnham Jarrard, and mailed to Governor Kaine in December, 2006.
Dear Governor Kaine:
My name is Famham Jarrard, Jr. I currently am Mayor of Bristol, Virginia. ...I have been involved in the effort to have Train Service since creation of the effort to create TDX. The number of trips I have made to go to meetings in Lynchburg, VA, or wherever we were asked to go over the past decade is not possible for me to remember.
After your victory my wife and I met you and your wife.... I do not expect you to remember me. But I feel that I must make this appeal. TDX is long overdue. We in Southwest Virginia are at a cross roads. It is a way of opening our State to a means of travel that frankly made Bristol originally, and which will open Southwest Virginia to opportunities that one can only imagine, not to mention its impact on the total length of this great State. The payback of this effort may take five or ten or even twenty years, but to create a passenger rail transportation system across our long State is long overdue.
I attended a TDX meeting in Lynchburg, VA on November 30th and we are planning what I would call, unfortunately, what maybe our final effort. I must ask you to make it known that you expect your current government to work with our staff in Lynchburg and help us develop our last effort in the form of creating a Commission setting forth the requirements needed to launch the TDX effort. This Commission will need first total support by you and your staff, second sufficient funding for making this commission a viable effort, and lastly must be high on your list and not fall through the cracks.
This is not just a Southwest Virginia project this is a State program that will help all along the line from Richmond to Bristol. I know you are a young and dynamic and I am reaching the end of the line, but railroads can move thousands of people and lessen the cost of travel for first thousands of college students along this line, and secondly, with families that would like to see Richmond and Washington DC.
It will some day connect with rail in Tennessee and will go north as far as Richmond, VA and Washington, DC. That means it will open up the opportunity to make connections and use rail travel on the eastern seaboard.
You are not rolling the dice, you are creating an alternate means of travel; one that made America what it is, rail service. I know that the Norfolk and Southern Corporation moves thousands of tons of coal and more thousands of tons of freight in piggy backing trucks that are offloaded in their yards and reach their final destination by truck. Without their support I do not feel that this will happen. We are led to believe that they do not oppose this effort; however, we need their open support. You are the only one who can make that happen.
In closing I want you to know that I see this as an important link in moving Virginia into this new century and giving an edge to our State by demonstrating what rail service can do. This ball is in your court and it will either happen or not happen based on how real your effort is on making it happen. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely yours,
C. Farnham Jarrard, Jr.,
Mayor Bristol, VA
A Message from TDX Chairman, French Moore, Jr.
February 13, 2007
During the Warner administration we made great progress with the active support of Transportation Secretary Clement and former Director Rae of the VA Dept.of Rail & Public Transportation (VDRPT). Change of administration coupled with the decision by House leadership at the 2006 General Assembly to sideline legislation related to transportation or potential bonding has thrown us into a crisis situation. Here are the regrettable facts, as we are currently experiencing them.
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Governor Kaine used the TDX initiative as part of his campaign platform, but that support has not been as actively translated as before, with some possible reasons. It took several months to replace Director Rae, and George Conner as Director of Rail. Now, those positions have been filled by Director Matthew Tucker and Kevin Page (promoted to Rail Director), but the agency is involved in an assessment addressing policies of the agency and changes in the Rail Enhancement Fund application process, consuming available man hours and focus.
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Prior to the 2006 General Assembly, a meeting with Secretary Pierce Homer for permission to purchase the five VRE rail cars (for the TDX Demo project), with money already set aside for TDX capital expenses, culminated in a new requirement to first create a governing body. The TDX Committee applied for and was granted corporate non-profit status, and during the 2006 session, worked with Sen. John Edwards on a bill to create the TransDominion Express Authority, a statewide governing body. VDRPT and a coalition of other rail and business advocates supported the bill.
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The Senate passed it unanimously.
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In the House, party leadership took the bill hostage, voting to send it back into committee (after the committee had adjourned for the session). All delegates of the other party and several of the leading party voted in favor of the bill. But, House leadership wished to make a statement regarding transportation, bonding, and other funding mechanisms, and refused to allow floor votes on this and other transportation-related initiatives, as they wrangled over the two-year budget.
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A meeting with VDRPT this November revealed that because we failed to create the Authority, the administration would not work to release the money for purchase of the rail cars, effectively killing the TDX Demo project.
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The TDX Board has identified two critical legislative moves that must be made to save the TDX, and it has begun working with Delegate Shannon Valentine to put together a bi-cameral, bi-partisan coalition to sponsor them.
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Delegate Valentine has met with Legislative Services to redraft and update last year’s bill. A number of legislators are being contacted for co-sponsorship.
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Wiley Mitchell, of the Rail Advisory Board offered to craft legislation to amend the requirement for a 30% match for applicants of the Rail Enhancement Funds. The 30% match effectively removes from competition small and start-up projects like the TDX.
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The litany of set-backs suffered by the combination of an unwilling legislature to fund transportation, in general, the lack of a state and federal rail policy, the “newness” of the worthiness of passenger rail in planning and funding for economic, environmental, and transportation strengths, and the lack of stable commitment from an administration which turns over every four years has caused many supporters to lose sight of the need for sustained contributions in the uphill endeavor.
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Voluntary contributions have dropped off each consecutive year, often with the complaint that they are still not seeing a train rolling down the tracks.
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The Lynchburg Regional Chamber can no longer support the project as it has in the past, dedicating a large portion of a staff member’s workload to TDX.
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Although the position of full-time Executive Director has been offered to that staff person, there is no money for salary or benefits, meaning she probably will not be available to lobby in Richmond, as in the past several years.
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Although the TDX applied for two grants, totaling more than $300,000, they remain in limbo and the TDX does not have money enough to continue, even into the 2007 General Assembly.
As you can see, we have much yet to do, much to be gained for the communities to be directly served; for the whole of Virginia in opening up job creation, tourism, and transportation options; for the nation as the TDX will serve as a feeder system for the Atlantic high speed rail corridor. But, we have run out of funds and have a critical need to raise a great deal of money very quickly. If we can raise just $60,000 in the next few weeks, we might retain our executive director and start working in earnest, on a daily basis, to effect needed legislation and policy at all government levels. And there will be someone in place to put in the hours needed for multiple grant applications to keep the needed funds coming in.
Websites, reports, newsletters, visitations, travel involved with lobbying, and monitoring legislation and rail initiatives, development, execution, and distribution of marketing/educational materials all require massive man hours and reasonable expenses. There is much to be said for volunteer board members and community activists. But, without the pack mule and the focused worker bee, nothing of this magnitude can hope to become reality.
The Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce staffs the Committee to Advance TransDominion Express, Inc., providing it with a headquarters and a legislative liaison.
For more information, please contact
Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce
(434) 845-5966, or email: info@lynchburgchamber.org
News Archive:
February 13, 2007: TDX Progress Stifled in Richmond
February 13, 2007: Letter to Governor Kaine on Behalf of TDX
February 13, 2007: A Message from TDX Chairman, French Moore, Jr.
June 27, 2006: The Three-Foot Rule
June 27, 2006: Legislative Progress and Administrative Changes
June 27, 2006: Meanwhile... Back at the Ranch, TDX Reaches Critical Juncture
July 25, 2005: TDX Discusses Next Steps: Organizational Models/Funding
July 25, 2005: TDX Reaffirms Support for Entire Route
July 25, 2005: Tennessee Connection - DC to Memphis!?
July 25, 2005: Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer: A New Perspective
March 31, 2005: Demonstration Project May Open Door for TDX
March 31, 2005: Track and Other Norfolk Southern Concerns
June 28, 2004: TransDominion Express Prepares for “Starter Train”
July 2003: Track Development at Farmville
July 2003: General Assembly 2003 and Beyond - TDX Making Headway
March 2003: TDX to Move Forward, Thanks to Successful Combined Efforts
June 22–26, 2002: TDX Committee sponsors successful study tour to Oregon and Washington State.
April 26, 2002: Train Station Revitalization in Lynchburg Attracts More Than 4,000.