From today’s Richmond Times Dispatch:

Transportation has dominated several sessions of the General Assembly.

Disagreements regarding funding contributed to budget stalemates that embarrassed everyone involved. A 2006 special session devoted to transportation accomplished little. Finally, this year the legislature passed, and the governor signed, a comprehensive transportation plan.

Then all heck broke out.

The citizenry, or at least loud portions of it, reacted against the so-called abusers' fees -- i.e., the penalties imposed on habitually abusive drivers. Last week Republican legislative leaders announced a plan they hope -- pray -- will resolve the crisis by applying the fees to out-of-state drivers, as well as to Virginians. They earn credit for responding to the perception of public will.

This has been quite a story, and continues to be. The fees generated scant controversy during the protracted transportation debate. Indeed, they may have rated among the least controversial aspects of proposals floated over several years.
In a Commentary column appearing last Sept. 24, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling said, regarding the special session, "I encourage the members of the General Assembly to take the following actions:"

Item four recommended: "[Finalize] an agreement on a plan to increase fines and penalties for traffic-related offenses by at least $50 million a year. Again, both houses of the General Assembly have indicated they support this proposal, but they have not acted to implement it."

Bolling now reportedly supports repeal. He is not the only Virginia politician to execute a U-turn. Yet as his words suggest, in some form the fees had won support in previous sessions. They were not the reason that prior to this year the Assembly could not agree.

Voters also might want to note that Bolling's original column did not receive a rebuttal. Politicians now railing against the fees did not write letters to the editor or denounce Bolling from the floor. Private citizens did not respond. The blogosphere remained serene. As we have observed on previous occasions, controversy regarding various transportation proposals related primarily to taxes, bonds, regional authorities, and the general fund.

Republicans control the Assembly; blame goes with the territory. Democrats deserve no praise, however. When they had the opportunity at least to speak out against the fees before enactment, they did not take it. Where were they?

The entire exercise, both parties included, rates as the General Assembly's most pathetic performance of the past 30 years.