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<br />May 22, 2007
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<br />WHEREAS, the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia has
<br />enacted, and the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia has approved, the
<br />Hampton Roads Transportation Authority Act, Sections 33.1-391.6 et seq. of Chapter
<br />10.2 of the Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended (the "Act");
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the Act, which becomes effective July 1, 2007, creates the Hampton
<br />Roads Transportation Authority (the "Authority") as a body politic and political
<br />subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia embracing the Counties of Isle of Wight,
<br />James City and York and the Cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk,
<br />Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg;
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the voting members of the Authority consist of the chief elected
<br />officer of the governing body (or his or her designee, who shall be a current elected
<br />officer of such governing body) of the counties and cities embraced by the Authority;
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the Act empowers the Authority, among other things, to impose or
<br />assess certain specified fees and taxes for imposition or assessment by the Authority,
<br />including a gasoline sales tax, a real property conveyance grantor's tax, a vehicle rental
<br />tax, a vehicle safety inspection fee, an initial vehicle registration fee, a sales tax on auto
<br />repair labor and an annual vehicle registration fee, in all the counties and cities
<br />embraced by the Authority;
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the Act provides that the fees and taxes authorized by the Act for
<br />imposition and/or assessment by the Authority shall only be imposed and/or assessed
<br />by the Authority if (i) at least seven of the twelve governing bodies of the counties and
<br />cities embraced by the Authority that include at least fifty-one percent (51 %) of the
<br />population of the counties and cities embraced by the Authority pass a duly adopted
<br />resolution stating their approval of such power of the Authority to impose and/or assess
<br />the fees and taxes specified in the Act no later than December 31, 2007, and, thereafter
<br />(ii) at least seven of the twelve voting members of the Authority that include at least fifty-
<br />one percent (51 %) of the population of the counties and cities embraced by the
<br />Authority vote in the affirmative to impose and/or assess all of the fees and taxes
<br />authorized by the Act for imposition and/or assessment by the Authority in all of the
<br />counties and cities embraced by the Authority; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, approves of the
<br />powers granted to the Authority under the Act
<br />
<br />NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth,
<br />Virginia:
<br />
<br />1. That the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, as contemplated by
<br />the Act and in accordance therewith, hereby approves the powers granted to the
<br />Authority under the Act to impose or assess the fees and taxes authorized thereby and
<br />in the amounts specified therein.
<br />
<br />2. That the Clerk of the City Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, shall
<br />provide a copy of this Resolution to the Clerks of the House of Delegates and the
<br />Senate of the Commonwealth of Virginia as soon as practicable after this resolution is
<br />enacted.
<br />
<br />3. That this Resolution shall take effect on July 1, 2007."
<br />
<br />Ayes: Heretick, Psi mas, Randall, R Smith, Holley
<br />Nays: Moody
<br />Abstained: D. Smith
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