Second, Congress never passed a national sales tax on online purchases, which based on the 2013 plan would have generated billions of dollars for Virginia roads, rails, bridges and other infrastructure.

Transportation funding solutions are obviously something Fredericksburg-area officials want to hear about. The chamber and Regional Alliance have invited the crowded field of Republicans and Democrats running for governor to address key local issues— and transportation is chief among them.

Local officials point out that although the Interstate 95 express lanes will be extended through Stafford County in coming years and new southbound lanes and a bridge over the Rappahannock River are planned, the state hasn’t allocated funding for the proposed northbound bridge and lanes—even though it’s been a high priority to ease the bottleneck on the East Coast’s main street.

“It all starts with money. We need to be able to fund these projects first,” Wagner told officials here. “Every candidate wants to grow and diversify the economy, but do we have the transportation to support it?”

Wagner has proposed a sliding gas tax statewide that would fall when prices at the pump go up and rise when prices go down.