Posted on 05/20/2026 5:18:10 AM PDT by Libloather
Oregonians are on track to overwhelmingly reject hikes to the state’s gas tax, payroll tax and vehicle registration and title fees that would have gone toward funding the maintenance and operations of public roads and bridges.
Initial election results from the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office shortly after 8 p.m. showed the measure failing by a 4:1 margin.
Had it succeeded, the measure would have doubled most vehicle registration fees, raised the gas tax from 40 cents to 46 cents, raised title fees from $77 to $216 and doubled the payroll tax used for public transit from 0.1% of a paycheck to 0.2% until 2028.
For cities and counties, the rejection means they won’t be receiving more funding deeply needed to fix many sidewalks and potholes, particularly in rural areas. Half of the money raised by the gas tax, car registration fees and title fees goes to cities and counties.
“Without sustainable revenue, counties will face increasingly difficult decisions that directly impact road user safety and increase long-term costs to the public, such as making long-overdue safety improvements on Oregon’s most dangerous rural roads, ensuring county road departments can maintain staffing levels and avoid operations and maintenance cuts and preserving investments counties have made in our shared transportation system,” Association of Oregon Counties spokesperson Erin Good said in an email.
Measure 120’s unpopularity doesn’t come as a surprise. Nearly 250,000 Oregonians frustrated by potential gas tax hikes signed the petition that placed the measure on the ballot. Plus, gas tax hikes in Oregon are historically unpopular. Oregon voters have rejected gas tax hike proposals on the ballot more than five times since 1928.
The vote also comes as gas prices continue to rocket upward because of the Iran war. As of Tuesday, motor club AAA tracked average prices...
(Excerpt) Read more at oregoncapitalchronicle.com ...
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You mean in 2028?
Have no fear, their legislature will ignore this vote and pass a law to do it. Their commie governor will happily sign it.
“Oregonians are on track to overwhelmingly reject hikes to the state’s gas tax, payroll tax and vehicle registration and title fees ... “
Bunch of gosh darn hypocrites! Look, if you’re going to vote for communists, you have to get with the program. But it’s ok, keep voting for communists and they’ll find a way to get your money, all of your money. There are illegal immigrants and other criminals who need it!
Had those tax hikes been worded as going to support illegals, trannies and criminals, Oregon voters would have overwhelmingly passed it, I’m sure
My last visit-gas had to be put in my car by the attendant.
Exactly correct.
If it fails to pass they’ll thwart the will of the people some other way.
California proposition 8 comes to mind.
The voters spoke and some woke judge overrode the will of the majority of the people.
Bingo! The “voters”? Barely an inconvenience
A margin too big to cheat away.
As if we needed more proof that ‘government service’ attracts the least-capable.
If they were going to increase taxes & fees, etc.,right now would certainly NOT be the time to do it.
This is a yuge win in Oregon. Even Portland is tired of Portland.
Not needed in most of the eastern(our sort) counties. Go up/down US97 And not once in the last few years have I needed to have someone pump gas. They changed the law a while back. Most of I84 is the same.
FWIW, the referendum shot down legislature passed then signed by kotek.
No doubt the thieves will try again.
I think New Jersey and Oregon are the only states doing that.
Kotek’s machinations failed, but searching ‘Oregon gas tax’ one finds 5 stories headlining defeat, while the NYT headlines the vote thusly:
....Results: ‘Raise Gas Tax and Transportation Fees’
hhmmm....?
Oregon is doomed. The city of Portland is irretrievably infected with cancerous progressive failures that can not be effectively un done
Deep State has to steal OR’s elections for a reason...
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