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AAA Supports 'Bad-Driver' Fees After Bashing Them

AAA MID-ATLANTIC actually supports the "bad-driver" fees in Virginia and it doesn't think a special session of the General Assembly is necessary to address public concerns about them, the automobile organization says in a new statement. That comes after John B. Townsend II, the group's director of public and governmental affairs in Washington, was quoted last week as saying the fees are "a lightning rod for controversy" and that "it's clear the fees cannot continue as is."

Huh?

According to The Post's Tim Craig, AAA's newest statement, released over the weekend, follows some contradictory statements that led to confusion over the group's stand on the unpopular fees.

Here's what AAA says now:

As all parties involved have acknowledged, changes need to be made in order to improve the abusive driver fee legislation. ... However, AAA believes the fees themselves, when properly and fairly applied, provide Virginia the opportunity to improve the safety of its roads while generating needed transportation funding.
According to Craig, AAA issued a statement supporting the fees last month. When House Speaker William J. Howell announced that GOP lawmakers would amend the fees in January if they remained in control of the legislature after November's elections, the AAA Richmond office issued a statement in support of that, too. AAA's Washington office issued a separate statement, and in follow-up interviews, Townsend pushed for a special session of the legislature to address the fees.

The newest statement comes, you guessed it, after a meeting between the Washington and Richmond offices.

» "Clarifying Its Stand, AAA Issues Statement in Support of Fees" [WaPo]

EARLIER:
» "Prompt Change Urged in Va. Fees" [WaPo]
» "Special Legislative Session for Va. Driver Fees?" [Free Ride/Express]

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COMMENTS (1)

  • I think Virginia isn't going far enough with the fees, frankly.

    We've got several clear goals:
    1. Fund VA road work
    2. Improve driving conditions through stiff penalties.

    If they increased the fees to a modest, say, $25,000 per offense, they would generate A LOT more revenue and make the streets A LOT safer.

    By AUA , Posted August 28, 2007 9:42 AM
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