RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe and the Republican House Appropriations Committee chairman say new rules are needed to protect taxpayers from faulty public-private transportation projects. McAuliffe and Delegate S. Chris Jones proposed legislation Tuesday that they say would increase transparency and reduce risks for the state on public-private partnership deals. Last year, McAuliffe shut down predecessor Bob McDonnell’s bid to build a $1.4 billion toll road along U.S. 460 before any work had begun. The state paid $300 million on the project before any dirt was moved or any environmental permits were obtained. McAuliffe and Jones have been critical of the way the McDonnell administration handled the 460 project. The pair is also proposing changes to the state’s transportation funding formula that McAuliffe said would help promote key statewide goals.
