Legislative Watch 
LEGISLATIVE
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7/22/05-Virginia’s Republican candidate for governor, Jerry W. Kilgore, says he wants to make transportation funding a regular part of the state’s general fund budget.
Kilgore told the Richmond Times-Dispatch a growing budget surplus would enable the state to pay for some transportation projects out of the general fund. Transportation money typically comes from the state’s fuel tax, motor vehicle tax and other special funding sources.
With the surplus, “we can begin to build a line item for transportation in our general fund budget,” Kilgore told the newspaper.
Kilgore has ruled out a statewide transportation tax increase but has proposed allowing regions to set up authorities to borrow money or raise taxes, if approved by voters.
Both Kilgore and his Democratic opponent, Lt. Gov. Timothy Kaine, have campaigned that they would make transportation a priority without raising taxes. The candidates have proposed using the general fund to help pay for transportation projects. In addition, both say they will prevent the transportation trust fund from being raided for other uses.
