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<br />R-13-61 <br /> <br />A RESOLUTION BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA IN <br />SUPPORT OF SENATOR L. LOUISE LUCAS' SENATE BILL 19 PRESENTED TO THE 2014 <br />GENERAL ASSEMBLY. <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the Virginia Supreme Court's ruling in Meeks vs. VDOT and Elizabeth River <br />Crossings OpeD, LLe, allows the imposition of an initial tolls burden of over $1,000 per year on the <br />average commuter through the Midtown/Downtown Tunnels and the Martin Luther King Expressway <br />beginning in February 2014 and the siphoning of a huge amount of funds out of the Portsmouth and <br />Hampton Roads economies; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the tolls' burden on citizens and businesses that use the project facilities and the <br />funds being removed from the Hampton Roads economy will increase annually by 3.5% for 58 years; <br />and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, during the 2014 General Assembly Session, Senator L. Louise Lucas has <br />introduced Senate Bill 19 (SB 19) relating to the Virginia Toll Relief Act; Virginia Casino Gaming <br />Commission to allow casino gaming within the Commonwealth of Virginia under certain conditions, <br />and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, under the proposed new Virginia Code of Sections 59.1-577 and 59.1-578 in <br />Article 7 of SB 19, 90% of the proceeds from the taxes imposed on gaming establishments will be paid <br />into a Toll Mitigation Fund to offset the tolls imposed for the construction and maintenance of the <br />Downtown Tunnel/Midtown Tunnel/Martin Luther King Freeway Extension Project, with the remaining <br />10% collected to be placed in the State Local Casino Gaming Proceeds Fund; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, under the provisions of the proposed new Virginia Code Section 59.1-580, in <br />Article 7 ofSB 19, the proceeds from the taxes imposed on gaming establishments will be paid into the <br />State Local Casino Gaming Proceeds Fund to pay each locality in which casino gaming establishments <br />are located and in which admission taxes are collected. <br /> <br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, <br />that it supports and endorses the legislative efforts of Senator Lucas to have the General Assembly pass <br />legislation to allow casino gaming within the City by which by which revenues from casino gaming can <br />help mitigate the cost of the tolls thereby reducing the severe financial burden and negative impacts on <br />the citizens and businesses in Portsmouth and the entire region; and <br /> <br />BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Manager is directed to forward a copy of the <br />forgoing Resolution to Senator L. Louise Lucas and the other Portsmouth General Assembly delegation. <br /> <br />ADOPTED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia at a meeting held on December <br />18,2013. <br /> <br />Teste: <br /> <br />City Clerk <br />