© 2024 KLCC

KLCC
136 W 8th Ave
Eugene OR 97401
541-463-6000
klcc@klcc.org

Contact Us

FCC Applications
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Washington Senate Majority Unveils New Gas Tax Package, Votes Lacking

File photo of the Washington State Capitol Building
Colin Fogarty
/
Northwest News Network
File photo of the Washington State Capitol Building

Members of the mostly Republican majority in the Washington Senate say they want to jumpstart talks on a gas tax package to fund roads and transit. Previous negotiations stalled out in December.

They unveiled a revised funding proposal Thursday, but also acknowledged they don’t have the votes to pass it.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and Governor Jay Inslee say the time is right to pass a gas tax increase of 10 cents to 11.5 cents per gallon.

The latest proposal from Republican Curtis King, co-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, makes some concessions to Democrats – like more funding for transit. But King also insists on a list of what he calls transportation reforms.

One example: Currently the sales tax paid on any transportation projects goes into the state’s general fund. King says this money should be reinvested in transportation.

“We must have these reforms," he says. "It’s the only way that we can sell this package to the public.”

King needs 25 votes to pass his gas tax package out of the Senate. He says he has 13 votes at this point.

Washington House Democrats say they already passed their version last year. House Transportation Chair Judy Clibborn it doesn’t make sense to resume negotiations until the Senate has enough votes to pass its own package.

Copyright 2014 Northwest News Network

Since January 2004, Austin Jenkins has been the Olympia-based political reporter for the Northwest News Network. In that position, Austin covers Northwest politics and public policy, as well as the Washington State Legislature. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) Emmy-nominated public affairs program "Inside Olympia."