Lockbox, lockbox, lockbox

Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

Remember the “Saturday Night Live” skits about Al Gore and his Social Security lockbox? Might be time to dust them off.

“It is time to put ‘trust’ back in the Transportation Trust Fund,” said House Transportation Committee vice-chair Glenn Oder, R-Newport News, in announcing Monday that he has introduced legislation for consideration in next week’s special legislative session on transportation that will create what he calls a “constitutional lockbox” for the Transportation Trust Fund.

The proposed state-constitutional amendment would prohibit the General Assembly from appropriating monies that are supposed to be earmarked for transportation maintenance and capacity improvements toward non-transportation purposes.

“This constitutional amendment provides a guarantee to the citizens of Virginia that money dedicated to transportation will be spent on transportation. To prevent similar diversions and raids, we approved a constitutional amendment to protect funds for education raised through the State Lottery. We should protect transportation dollars as well,” Oder said.

The Republican leadership in the House of Delegates has signed on in support of the legislation.

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