Posted on 04/25/2005 10:55:16 AM PDT by lilylangtree
OLYMPIA--Breaking a legislative logjam on Sunday, state lawmakers approved a 9.5-cent increase in the state gasoline tax that will start with a 3-cent rise in July.
Much of the 16-year, $8.5 billion spending package will be spent on "mega-projects" in the Puget Sound area, including replacement of Seattle's Alaskan Way viaduct, repairs to Interstate 405 and work on the state Highway 520 floating bridge.
Gov. Christine Gregoire called lawmakers who voted for the package "courageous," braving a tough tax vote to fix some of the state's most serious hazards. It undoubtedly helped that Gregoire had threatened Sunday morning to veto any bare-bones, no-new-taxes transportation budget that didn't include money for the mega-projects.
"How would I have felt in a year or two if the viaduct hap collapsed and hundreds of lives had been lost and the economy of the state had literally come to a stop?" she said. "On the brink of disaster, I cannot stand by and do nothing."
Asked if she worries that unhappy motorists will take revenge in the next election, Gregoire said she can't worry about that.
"I didn't come here to be shy," she said. "I didn't come here to do the politically correct thing."
Sunday's vote, on the session's final day, capped hours of closed-door meetings, arm-twisting and heavy lobbying by proponents and foes. Gregoire spent much of Sunday morning meeting separately with Democrats and Republicans.
"I just did some brokering," she said. "I simply asked them to stand up and do the right thing."
It worked. Without a word of debate, House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, opened the electronic voting machine in the House of Representatives. The billj--which had failed on Saturday--passed, 54-43.
Among area representatives, it was strictly a party-line vote. Spokane Democrats Timm Ormsby and Alex Wood voted for the increase. Voting "no" were Republican Reps. John Ahern, Larry Crouse and John Serben of Spokane, David Bkuri and Don Cox of Colfax, Joel Kretz of Wauconda, Lynn Schindler of Otis Orchards and Bob Sump of Republic.
Manky local lawmakers were unhappy with the list of projects, aying that too much money would be spent in the central Puget Sound area.
"It's not just King county-centered. It's Seattle-centered," said Kretz. Yes, the improvements need to be made, he said, but with the gas at record high prices, it's a terrible time to boost the tax, particularly for rural motorists.
"For a lot of us, it's 40, 50 miles to town," he said.
Sen. Bob Morton, R-Orient, said he is upset that money for a bridge in his 7th District disappeared in the final version of the budget.
"If you come to the beautiful city of Omak, bring your swimsuit if you want to cross the Okanogan River," he told lawmakers, angrily describing concrete crumbling away from rebar.
The spending packages also includes new "vehicle weight fees" of $10 to $30 per year based on the weight of cars and small trucks. It also raises the cost of driver's licenses, permits, license plates and related fees.
The gas tax will be phased in over four years. The state gas tax is 28 cents per gallon now.
"I don't know how the people out there are going to be able to afford the extra tax," said Schindler.
Proponents cited studies indicating that the Seattle viaduct and the approaches to the 520 bridge are in danger of failing during an earthquake.
Rep. Sherry appleton, D-Kingston, voted against the bill Saturday only to reverse herself and vote for it Sunday.
"If the Alaskan Way viaduct ever fell down, I could never live with myself," she said. "We have a duty to each other as a community."
She said her stepsister just mised being on the two-tier Bay Area bridge than pancaked in the 1989 quake.
Crouse agreed that the work needs to be done, saying the Puget Sound area's infrastructure is critical to the state's economy. But he voted against the bill, saying the state could come up with billions of dollars in savings rather than new taxes.
"If you don't think we can't find an extra billion dollars a year, you're wrong," he said.
I'm glad I live in "no state income tax" Florida!
I moved to FL two years ago from Spokane, WA. Washington does not have a state income tax either. They make up for it with oppressive B&O taxes on small business, outrageous sales tax, "luxury" tax, hotel tax, and "sin" tax.
Wouldn't surprise me one bit. You've hit the nail on the head.
The state constitution is specific about the use of gasoline tax money. It can only be used for roads/highways. They've tried to get around it before, and our Supreme Court shot them down.
That doesn't mean that they will spend the money wisely, however. It will probably get eaten up by outrageous "consulting fees" charged by attorneys and cronies of the rats, just like it always is. Sigh...
Courage. The people of Washington state will be forever thankful that their legislature continued to fund highways primarily with the gas tax.
Here in Texas, we let it lapse, and are now being socked with toll roads and attempted freeway conversions to toll roads.
Do the math people - you'll see that the gas tax comes out to an average or maybe $60 per vehicle per year.
Here in Texas, certain unfortunate people are getting socked thousands of dollars per year in tolls (since most people don't drive on toll roads, the people that do have to carry the water for everyone else - it sucks).
did you find my denver post link?
Thanks, I hadn't read it.
That whole thing is bizarre.
Who the heck is going to take a super-priced toll road, when there is a parallel freeway as the alternative. That is, unless you make the freeway VERY unpleasant to use.
Now we Texas aren't that dumb to think people will gladly pay 20 cents per mile, when there is freeway alternative.
Unfortunately our idiot Republican governor is that dumb, and now we're getting the shaft.
Well, considering that the state Dems are not only refusing to fund auditors, but actively impeding their duties as well, the state constitutions stipulations on how fuel tax monies are to be spent are somewhat less than assuring...JFK
isn't interesting that the task of pushing toll roads falls to the governors?
have any of them thought outside the washington d.c. box and come up with gasoline tax increases?
We select a "target" (Sen. Dan Swecker(R-INO) would be my first choice!) and unceremoniously dump him on his fat rear, demonstrating what happens to turncoats.
Gov. Christine Gregoire greets Sen. Dan Swecker, R-Rochester, on Sunday just inside the Senate chambers in the Capitol. Swecker, ranking Republican IN NAME ONLY on the Senate Transportation Committee, was one of seven Republicans IN NAME ONLY in the Senate to support an increase in gasoline taxes to fund transportation projects.
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