Roads, taxes and the working class

Op-Ed by Denise Smith

After reading Gov. Tim Kaine’s current initiative to fund transportation in the state of Virginia all I can say is, “Wow, more taxes.” That is just what lower-income people need to get to work at low-wage jobs in Virginia – something else to pay for to take what little we have. Thank you.

Mass transportation, what is that? It just isn’t applied in extreme Southwest Virginia. There is no bus service. There is no train service other than for freight. Being from an old railroad family I can see the railroad companies going “Ka-ching” on a cash register for these state initiatives and still leaving Southwest out.

In Southwest Virginia, it wasn’t always so. Once upon a time here in Southwest, you could take a train to so many of our communities. Some of the small towns had street cars and there was bus service! Yes, over the old treacherous mountain roads.

Now, Gov. Kaine, what will we get out of this for our tax money?

Denise Smith resides in Rocky Gap.