Future expansion of Virginia rail should not be carried out on local government’s dime, according to Lynchburg City Council.
On Tuesday, officials agreed to send a letter to the state rail department objecting to suggestions that local tax dollars be tapped to help pay for new rail service.
The letter will be offered as a comment on a new draft of the state rail plan currently being circulated for public scrutiny.
The updated plan, formed by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, supports several additions to passenger train service in the commonwealth, including a new line that would run between Lynchburg and Washington, D.C.
Local officials have lobbied heavily for that particular project’s approval, as have many other communities within the U.S. 29 corridor.
Council members balked, however, when it came to the possibility of having to shoulder part of the cost of the additional service. The sought-after train would require $1.9 million in annual operating subsidies, according to Amtrak estimates.
Officials argued rail funding was a state responsibility, much like highway maintenance. Shifting the burden to the local level, they said, would unfairly strain already cash-strapped communities.
“If we go down this path and start subsidizing rail, what else is going to happen?” Vice Mayor Bert Dodson asked. “This is supposed to be a state issue.”
The Virginia First Cities Coalition has already sent its own letter of protest to the governor. Lynchburg is a member of that advocacy group, but was not asked to endorse the missive before it was sent.
Council members agreed to send their own letter, which will be drafted by staff and signed by the mayor.
In other action, City Council:
Voted to spend $25,000 to hire a part-time truancy prevention coordinator. The new position is part of a pilot program aimed at deterring student absenteeism before it escalates to criminal behavior. The early intervention effort, which will be operated by the Department of Juvenile Services in cooperation with city schools, will provide home visits to truant students and make recommendations for follow-up services. The funding for the lone staff person was taken from the existing Juvenile Services budget.
Approved a rezoning that allows Areva to add 885 new parking spaces to its local facility. The new parking lot is part of the nuclear energy company’s recently announced expansion plans, which include hiring 500 new employees over the next several years.
City officials also appropriated $500,000 in incentive funds from the Industrial Development Authority, which offered the money to pay for related streets improvements around the Areva complex. Projects include installing a traffic light at the intersection of Kings Drive and Old Forest Road, and widening Kings Drive itself.
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