Chopp

Spanel

House ships gas tax to Senate

BRAD SHANNON, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Saturday, March 2, 2002

OLYMPIA -- Majority Democrats joined by four Republicans agreed Friday to send an 8-cent-a-gallon increase in the gasoline tax to the voters.

The 54-44 vote sends the tax package to the Senate, which plans to announce a rival plan today.

The House plan to raise $6 billion over 10 years would mark the first increase in the 23-cent-a-gallon gas tax since the early 1990s. The plan includes a 1 percent surtax on sales of cars and a 20 percent increase in weight fees for heavy trucks.

"It's a good step forward for the state of Washington," House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, said after the vote. "It's going to address safety concerns on our public roads. It's going to help relieve traffic congestion and it's going to help grow the economy."

In passing House Bill 2969, House Democrats rejected a $5 billion plan favored by Republicans. The GOP offered a gas-tax increase of 7 cents and, by omitting the auto sales surtax, would have put less money into public transportation. By contrast, the Senate plans to push for a 9-cent increase.

A higher tax is not out of the question, Chopp said. "(But) I think we need to keep in mind what will pass with voters."

Based on polling by business groups, Chopp said the House's higher investment in public transportation will make the issue more favorable to voters. The Democratic plan puts nearly $1.2 billion over 10 years into buses, rail, ferries and other alternatives to highways.

Senate Democrats will unveil their plan at 2 p.m. today. It's intended to raise more than $8 billion, including a 9-cent increase in gas and diesel taxes. It will be released at the Senate Transportation Committee meeting, where Chairwoman Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, will have a hearing on both the Senate and House proposals.

Even if the House and Senate agree on the level of taxes, a major disagreement is brewing between the two chambers over whether to let voters have the last word. The House proposal would put the package on a statewide referendum on or before June 20.

"We strongly believe it should be done here so it can get started immediately," said Senate Democratic Caucus Chairwoman Harriet Spanel, D-Bellingham.

But in the House, there aren't the votes to do that. Few, if any, Republicans would support that, and Chopp said he has only 35 Democratic votes to raise the taxes without a public vote.

Party votes

The final House vote on the tax package was split mainly along party lines with all 50 Democrats and four Republicans approving it.

Republicans who crossed over were Reps. Tom Campbell of Roy, Steve Van Luven of Bellevue, Gigi Talcott of Tacoma and Mike Carrell of Tacoma.

Among South Sound legislators, Republicans Gary Alexander of Thurston County and Richard DeBolt of Chehalis voted no. Voting yes were Democrats Sandra Romero of Olympia, Sam Hunt of Olympia, Kathy Haigh of Shelton and Bill "Ike" Eickmeyer of Belfair.

Alexander and DeBolt have complained that the measure won't pay for interchange improvements near Centralia. DeBolt said Friday that car dealers in his district oppose the 1 percent surtax on car sales, which contradicts an agreement reached by the Washington State Auto Dealers Association and Democrats on Monday.

The package deserves to go to voters because it includes accountability measures such as a Transportation Accountability Board that ensures money "gets spent on the top priority -- easing traffic congestion," Romero said.

"By passing this bill today, we are saying we are not afraid of the citizen voting on this package," she said.

Chopp, pleased to get four crossover votes, predicted that more Republicans might vote for the package that eventually is negotiated with the Senate.

That's because transportation issues are urgent in many urban and suburban districts.

"I don't think they can go back to their districts and say they voted to do nothing," he said.

GOP response

Republicans disputed the idea that the tax plan will raise enough money to really fix crowded roads.

They also complained that Democrats were not giving voters enough reasons to approve a package by rejecting GOP proposals to open car-pool lanes on weekends and in the wee hours and to require greater project efficiencies.

Among the major traffic choke points to be fixed by the new revenue are the Interstate 405 corridor in Bellevue and the Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle.

It also would pay for a new Tacoma-to-Edgewood freeway, a new north-south corridor in Spokane and new car-pool lanes on Interstate 5 in Tacoma.

In South Sound, projects include $1.8 million for a Chehalis Western Trail footbridge over Interstate 5 and $25 million for Chehalis River flood-control work to keep parts of I-5 from flooding near Centralia.

There also would be high-speed rail projects in Thurston and Lewis counties, as well as freight rail projects in Grays Harbor and Lewis counties.

On the Web:

- Washington State Treasurer

- Gov. Gary Locke

- Washington State Legislature

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