They came. They ate. They talked.

Thirty legislators from Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia met in suburban Richmond today for more than four hours to discuss new ways to finance transportation improvements in their traffic-clogged regions.

Democrats outnumbered Republicans 2-1, generally reflecting the partisan breakout across the Washington-to-Virginia Beach urban crescent.

Del. David B. Albo, R-Fairfax, said the issue of paying for roads and rails ultimately would be settled by two people who weren't in the room -- House Speaker William J. Howell, R-Stafford, and Senate Majority Leader Richard L. Saslaw, D-Fairfax.

Howell and Saslaw are worlds apart. Howell is resisting higher taxes, and says the General Assembly -- in its special session next month -- should only adjust regional features of last year's hard-fought transportation plan to comply with a Virginia Supreme Court decision. Saslaw is pushing for higher fuel taxes, saying they're necessary to cover growing maintenance and construction costs.

Democrats on both sides of the Capitol have different ideas, too.

House Democrats favor a penny increase in the sales tax; it's currently a nickel on every dollar.

Senate Democrats would rather increase the gasoline tax, now 17.5 cents per gallon. It was last raised in 1986.

The meeting followed the release of a letter to legislators and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, urging $1 billion in new taxes to finance transportation projects across the state. -- Jeff E. Schapiro