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Delegate Shuler briefs Bath on legislative action
BY CHARLES GARRATT • STAFF WRITER
 | | Del. James M. Shuler smiles as he listened to Bath supervisors Tuesday night. Shuler was on hand to give a legislative update and to hear concerns from supervisors before the next session of the General Assembly. Funding to VDOT for road maintenance was one of the main topics discussed. (Recorder photo by Charles Garratt) |
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WARM SPRINGS - "The elections are over and it's time to get to work," State Del. James M. Shuler told the Bath board of supervisors Tuesday.
Shuler was at the top of the agenda for the meeting and spent 40 minutes reviewing the upcoming legislative session and responding to concerns from board members.
Topics discussed ranged from community service boards to lodging and tourism taxes with funding for repairs and maintenance of roads by Virginia Department of Transportation being a major concern.
Supervisor Jon Trees asked Shuler to press for more funding for VDOT. He also expressed concern for the trend to have private contractors handle many maintenance functions. "There is not as much accountability when you farm it out," Trees said.
"VDOT has always been a whipping post," Shuler said. While things may be difficult in the counties in his district, the overall big picture for state roads is grim, Shuler said. He told the board the state would need a billion dollars a year in new state revenue for the next 20 years to keep up with maintenance needs of the state's road system.
Virginia has more than 50,000 miles of roads to keep up with. Shuler said the Senate has always come up with a good plan but the House of Delegates has failed to pass the senate plan. A deadlock over roads and revenue forced an extension of the session last year. The current plan passed
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