News
Chamber letter to Loudoun Board on Dulles Rail
January 21, 2012
December 28, 2011
The Honorable Scott York
Loudoun County Board of Supervisors
1 Harrison Street, S.E.,
Fifth Floor
Leesburg, VA 20175
Chairman York,
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, I would like to share with you some important information concerning the Chamber’s position and efforts on the planned extension of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project to Loudoun County.
The Loudoun County Chamber has long supported the successful completion of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project and that support remains steadfast. Recently, the Chamber has supplemented its position by also advocating for additional federal, state and private-sector funding to reduce projected toll increases that will be borne by the Dulles Toll Road drivers in order to fund the project.
The Loudoun County Chamber has led the business community’s efforts to support the Dulles Corridor Metrorail extension because we believe that Loudoun’s long-term economic competitiveness and quality of life is directly tied to this mass transit link to Dulles Airport and to our Nation’s Capital. The Dulles Corridor rail line will help relieve congestion on Northern Virginia’s overburdened roads, connect workers throughout the region to companies in Loudoun County and will provide a strong economic development boost through Transit-Oriented Developments near the rail stations in and near Loudoun County.
With Phase I of the Project under-way and negotiations on Phase II having reached a critical stage, the Loudoun County Chamber Board created a special Public Policy work group late last year. The mission of this work group is to focus on advocating for the Loudoun business community’s interests on this project.
Among its successful efforts, the “Rail to Loudoun” work group was instrumental in the creation of the Silver Line Coalition, a collaboration of chambers of commerce and other business organizations from Loudoun and western Fairfax. This coalition has successfully led the business effort to reduce the cost and scope of Phase II and to oppose the mandatory imposition of Project Labor Agreements that will drive up costs and discriminate against Virginia’s merit-based construction firms. We hope you will consider this collaborative work group as a resource to you as you consider various issues related to the Rail to Loudoun project.
As you are aware, early in your new term as a member of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, you and your colleagues will be asked to decide whether the County should remain a part of the funding partnership created to complete Phase II of the Dulles Rail Project.
I am certain that the members of the Board of Supervisors will give much serious thought to this decision and that the innumerable economic and quality of life benefits that this project will bring will be weighed against the total costs to Loudoun’s taxpayers and Dulles Toll Road users.
On behalf of thee Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, our Board of Directors and all of our nearly 1,200 members, I strongly urge your support of Loudoun County’s continued participation in Phase II when that decision comes before you.
I also pledge the Chamber’s commitment to help the County ensure that Phase II is completed in the most responsibly, cost-effective manner that fully protects the interests of Loudoun’s residential and business taxpayers, as well as those Loudoun citizens who use the Dulles Toll Road.
Thank you for considering the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce’s perspective on this critical business and quality of life issue. Please contact me directly at (571) 209-9020 or at thoward@loudounchamber.orgif you should have any questions about our positioning on the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.
Sincerely,
Tony Howard
President & CEO
The Honorable Scott York
Loudoun County Board of Supervisors
1 Harrison Street, S.E.,
Fifth Floor
Leesburg, VA 20175
Chairman York,
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, I would like to share with you some important information concerning the Chamber’s position and efforts on the planned extension of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project to Loudoun County.
The Loudoun County Chamber has long supported the successful completion of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project and that support remains steadfast. Recently, the Chamber has supplemented its position by also advocating for additional federal, state and private-sector funding to reduce projected toll increases that will be borne by the Dulles Toll Road drivers in order to fund the project.
The Loudoun County Chamber has led the business community’s efforts to support the Dulles Corridor Metrorail extension because we believe that Loudoun’s long-term economic competitiveness and quality of life is directly tied to this mass transit link to Dulles Airport and to our Nation’s Capital. The Dulles Corridor rail line will help relieve congestion on Northern Virginia’s overburdened roads, connect workers throughout the region to companies in Loudoun County and will provide a strong economic development boost through Transit-Oriented Developments near the rail stations in and near Loudoun County.
With Phase I of the Project under-way and negotiations on Phase II having reached a critical stage, the Loudoun County Chamber Board created a special Public Policy work group late last year. The mission of this work group is to focus on advocating for the Loudoun business community’s interests on this project.
Among its successful efforts, the “Rail to Loudoun” work group was instrumental in the creation of the Silver Line Coalition, a collaboration of chambers of commerce and other business organizations from Loudoun and western Fairfax. This coalition has successfully led the business effort to reduce the cost and scope of Phase II and to oppose the mandatory imposition of Project Labor Agreements that will drive up costs and discriminate against Virginia’s merit-based construction firms. We hope you will consider this collaborative work group as a resource to you as you consider various issues related to the Rail to Loudoun project.
As you are aware, early in your new term as a member of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, you and your colleagues will be asked to decide whether the County should remain a part of the funding partnership created to complete Phase II of the Dulles Rail Project.
I am certain that the members of the Board of Supervisors will give much serious thought to this decision and that the innumerable economic and quality of life benefits that this project will bring will be weighed against the total costs to Loudoun’s taxpayers and Dulles Toll Road users.
On behalf of thee Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, our Board of Directors and all of our nearly 1,200 members, I strongly urge your support of Loudoun County’s continued participation in Phase II when that decision comes before you.
I also pledge the Chamber’s commitment to help the County ensure that Phase II is completed in the most responsibly, cost-effective manner that fully protects the interests of Loudoun’s residential and business taxpayers, as well as those Loudoun citizens who use the Dulles Toll Road.
Thank you for considering the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce’s perspective on this critical business and quality of life issue. Please contact me directly at (571) 209-9020 or at thoward@loudounchamber.orgif you should have any questions about our positioning on the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.
Sincerely,
Tony Howard
President & CEO
