Local News

Senate leaders unveil $15B transportation proposal

Okanogan Country Radio & Associated Press


Feb 13, 2015

Senate majority leaders on Thursday unveiled a $15 billion transportation revenue package that includes an incremental gas tax increase of 11.7 cents.

Senate Transportation Committee chairman Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, introduced the proposal on Thursday and said he was confident that the measure would pass with bipartisan support. He was joined by Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn, and Democratic Sens. Marko Liias and Steve Hobbs.

In addition to the gas-tax increase over the next three years, the plan also seeks to redirect sales-tax money from transportation projects to a transportation fund instead of the state's general fund.

Seventh District Sen. Brian Dansel, R-Republic, released a statement shortly after the proposal came out, saying he could not support it.

Dansel said, “I cannot support a package that would force drivers in my district to pay nearly 12 cents more per gallon, while also hiking fees by millions of dollars over the next seven years.” He said, “A gas-tax increase would be especially hard on people in my district because of its size and rural nature.”

Dansel said Washington already has the third highest gas tax in the nation.

He said, “Now is not the time to sell the public on a large transportation package, while folks are still struggling or trying to recover from the Great Recession.” He said, “We need to focus on cost-drivers and figure out how to make our tax dollars go further.”

 


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