Inslee Considering Fuel Standard that Could Jeopardize Biking, Transit and Walking Funding

Governor Inslee signs the transportation
funding bill last week

There are a lot of people unhappy with Governor Jay Inslee tonight. On Friday, Inslee told the folks at Washington Bikes, a group that works for better laws and more funding to grow bicycling statewide, that he is considering implementing a low carbon fuel standard. 

As you may remember, the recently-passed Washington State transportation revenue package includes what's referred to as a "poison pill" that says if the Governor signs an executive order to implement a low carbon fuel standard, all funds generated for the multimodal account will revert to the "Connecting Washington" account. The Connecting Washington account is basically the funding bucket for roads.

Put into perspective, this means that over $400 million in the transportation package to go to transit, walking and bicycling projects and programs would be gone.

The Seattle Times takes a look at the situation, and the Washington State greenhouse gas emissions, in this article. 

Transportation Package Officially Signed Into Law

Washington governor Jay Inslee signed a package of transportation bills into law yesterday that includes an 11.9 cent gasoline tax increase and about $16 billion worth of projects around the state.

The package took nearly three years of negotiations, compromises, false starts and debates in the Legislature.

The first 7 cents of the new gas tax starts Aug. 1.

The list of projects to be paid for with the gas tax increase includes about $1 billion for the Spokane area. Eight hundred seventy nine million of that will go to finish the North Spokane Corridor over approximately the next 14 years. The package also includes money for interchanges on Interstate 90 for Medical Lake and Liberty Lake, a passing lane on U.S. Highway 195 between Spangle and Colfax, the Spokane Transit Authority’s proposed Central City Line, the University District Gateway Bridge for bikes and pedestrians, and the Palouse River and Coulee City Railroad rehabilitation. Construction on the projects is scheduled as far out as 2031.

Transportation Tax Bill Passed By Both House and Senate

The State's new $16 billion transportation tax package (see below) finally passed the Senate this morning at 5:15 a.m., after being expected to be approved yesterday, according to the Spokesman-Review.

While the bill contains money for highways and bridges, mass transit and ferry projects, and was praised by some as a way to create jobs and boost the economy, opponents labelled it the biggest tax increase in state history. Some suggested it should be put on a ballot to give voters the final say.

Voting didn’t begin until after midnight as Republicans tried but failed to add an amendment that would automatically send the tax increases to the ballot for voter approval.

Rep. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane said the package is good for Spokane and would keep the community moving forward. For every $1 Spokane County residents are estimated to pay in taxes, they will get $1.29 in projects.

Rep. Matt Shea, R-Spokane Valley, though said the higher gasoline taxes will prompt some drivers to go to Idaho to buy gas, and could prompt businesses to move out of the state.

Senate Passes Transportation Budget. House Considering It Now

The State Senate yesterday passed and sent on to the House a plan to spend $16.1 billion on transportation projects over the next 16 years. The Spokesman-Review reports that the transportation budget raises gas taxes 11.9 cents per gallon over two years. The tax would go up by 7 cents this Aug. 1 and 4.9 cents on July 1, 2016. It also increases weight fees for trucks and passenger vehicles and levies a $5 fee on all new studded tires sold after July 1, 2016.

During the 16-year span of the budget, it would spend more than $1 billion on Spokane-area projects, including $879 million to complete the North Spokane Corridor.

Also on the project list for our area: $26.5 million over the next four years for the Medical Lake/Geiger interchange project on the West Plains, and about the same amount to expand I-90 between Barker and Harvard roads in Spokane Valley.

The University District Gateway Bridge would get $8.8 million, and improvements to U.S. Highway 195 between Colfax and Spangle total $17.6 million during the next six years. And $47 million would be set aside for renovations of the Palouse River – Coulee City Railroad. The Spokane Central Line, a transit project in the city of Spokane, would receive $15 million.

The House will take up the transportation budget today. If it passes without any amendments, it also will go directly to Inslee. 

Talks Stopped on WA State Transportation Funding Package

Washington State House Democrats yesterday stopped negotiations on a transportation revenue package until a deal is reached on the state operating budget.

According to Everett's Heraldnet.com, House Transportation Chairwoman Judy Clibborn, (D) Mercer Island, said she was asked to temporarily halt talks with Senate Republicans, which have been going on for weeks. Clibborn says both sides were close to coming to agreement on a transportation funding package that would include a gas tax increase to fund projects across the state.

The Democratic-controlled House and Republican-controlled Senate are currently in a second overtime legislative session after adjourning both a regular 105-day legislative session and a 30-day special session without reaching a budget deal.

Some state offices may have to close completely if a budget isn’t signed into law before midnight June 30, when the current two-year budget expires.

As far as transportation packages go, both the House and Senate are looking at $15 billion plans that include an incremental gas tax increase.

State Transportation Bill Passes House and Heads to Senate

The Washington state House of Representatives passed a $5.1 billion transportation budget Wednesday, as reported by the Spokesman-Review. Now the spending plan goes to the Senate, which could pass it before the first special session ends today.

The bill is being called the “current law” transportation budget, using existing taxes and fees, to distinguish it from other proposals that would raise the gasoline tax to pay for new projects. It calls for spending about $100 million on Spokane County projects over the next 10 years, with about $46 million in the upcoming 2015-17 biennium.

Among the local projects getting money would be the North Spokane Corridor, slated for about $36 million.The Spokane Transit Authority would get nearly $2 million for design, engineering and planning on the Central City Line project. Although that project was part of an unsuccessful ballot measure last month, STA is looking to introduce a revised measure. There is also $1.7 million allocated to STA for a West Plains Transit Center.

The Interstate 90 corridor between Spokane and the Idaho state line would receive about $1.5 million and state Route 290 (Trent Avenue) between Sullivan Road and the Idaho line would get about $1.8 million for repaving.

Local elected leaders who voted yes on the budget include Democrats Timm Ormsby and Marcus Riccelli and Republican Kevin Parker. Republicans who voted no were Mary Dye, Jeff Holy, Bob McCaslin, Joe Schmick, Matt Shea and Shelly Short.

2015 State Transportation Funding Initiatives

Washington isn't the only state fighting to have transportation funding legislation considered. Twenty-one other states are in the same boat, with more expected throughout the year.

The staff at the Transportation Investment Advocate have already tracked 48 transportation funding bills introduced in 2015, with over 70 bills in total pending legislative action. That's a lot of attention on transportation!

Eleven states are currently considering increasing their gas taxes, Michigan voters will decide on a ballot measure that would result in a transportation funding increase, and three states are currently considering legislation to protect their transportation funds. And there's lots more.
Here's a quick summary of everything that's happening from TransportationInvestment.com.

Governor Calls for New Funding For Transportation Projects In State of the State Address

In his State of the State address yesterday, Gov. Jay Inslee called for the Legislature to pass a package of major transportation projects. He also said that would require some sort of new tax to pay for them.

For the last two years, the Democratic-controlled House has approved such a plan, but Senate Republicans have killed the plans.

Republican response to yesterday's speech was that the governor's plan doesn’t do enough to reform large transportation projects that have been plagued with problems, like the stalled tunneling operation under Seattle to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

Here's the Spokesman-Review's summary of the State of the State address.

Puget Sound MPO Suggests Taxing Themselves To Pay For Transportation Improvements

The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) is preparing a new transportation plan separate from a statewide road package in case Olympia lawmakers fail to pass a new transportation plan of their own. PSRC is the Puget Sound equivalent of SRTC.

While it is still months from containing any specifics, the plan would allow the four counties encompassed by PSRC (King, Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap) to tax themselves to fill the need for transportation improvements.

The story, from KING5 News, is below. So what do you think? Is it time we do the same to finish the North Spokane Corridor and other projects?

Lack of Public Works Projects Impact Local Businesses

A local construction company says the state legislature passing a transportation bill would not only help his company that's been losing money, but would also create jobs, spur the economy through money they spend on materials, and encourage workers to buy homes.

CPM Development Corp., the Spokane-based holding company of Inland Asphalt Co. and Central Pre-Mix Concrete Co., has seen its revenues fall about 20 percent over the last four years. And company officials are blaming it on the lack of public works projects, which are scarce without a transportation funding package. The Journal of Business has the story.

Plan Says Funding Shortfall Straining State Transportation System

Washington state’s transportation system will fall into a long-term decline under the current funding scheme that relies on motor vehicle fuel tax, according to a draft report by the Washington State Transportation Commission.The commission released a draft of it's 20-year transportation plan last week and is asking members of the public to weigh in on it.

The Spokesman-Review's "Getting There" column looks at the plan.

Study Says Area Bad Roads Are Hitting You Where It Hurts- In the Wallet

Not to sound like a broken record, but our local roads aren't in great shape. We told you that when developing our long term tranpsortation plan Horizon 2040, and now a new study by national transportation research group TRIP is telling you that.

TRIP says damaged roads costs the average Spokane driver $1,423 a year in increased maintenance, fuel, traffic accidents and time lost in traffic. But there's also costs incurred by collisions and the cost to the economy that bad roads take.

The Spokesman-Review looks at the numbers.

Legislators Warn Not To Get Hopes Up For New Money For North Spokane Corridor

It wasn't the message business, civic and political leaders wanted to hear when they traveled to Olympia last week for the annual Greater Spokane Incorporated trip to network with legislature members, but they were told not to get their hopes up for new money for the North Spokane Corridor (NSC).

The legislators told the group (including SRTC's Executive Directory who attended) that the chances of passing a transportation package to fund major projects using a gas tax are slim to none. They blamed politics, problems at the Washington State Deparment of Transportation and a lack of support by Spokane Republican leaders.

Others said any kind of package like that would end up on the ballot, where voters would reject it. Why? The Spokesman-Review looks at the issue.

Inslee Asks For Transportation Package in State of the State Address

In his State of the State address yesterday, Washington Governor Jay Inslee challenged the Senate to pass a transportation package to restart negotiations with the House, which passed a plan last year.

He also called for action on climate change, although he didn't mention any specifics. Republicans say that if that action includes promoting low-carbon fuels that raise the price of gas, they'll oppose it.

The Spokesman-Review tells us why, plus has the full report on Inslee's State of the State speech.

Taxpayers In What State Pay The Most in Road Taxes and Fees?

If you think you pay a lot in taxes to keep up our state's roads, take comfort in that you don't pay as much as the folks in Delaware. Drivers there pay a bigger share of the state and local costs of keeping up roads than those in any other state, according to a new report from the Tax Foundation.

Tolls, state gas taxes and fees for licenses and registrations covered 79 cents out of every dollar Delaware spent on roads in 2011, the latest year for which data is available.

How do northwest states, and all other states compare? Stateline has the numbers.

State Transportation Package On Hold Until Next Session

If you follow transportation much, you've probably heard that negotiations have failed to produce a new state tax package for transportation projects this year.

In a statement released last night, Governor Jay Inslee and House and Senate transportation leaders said they’ll try again when lawmakers meet next month for the regular legislative session.

The legislature struggled all year to reach agreement on a transportation plan, even making it one of hte subjects of a special session in November.

Inslee had hoped to settle on a transportation package by the end of the year in order to better make a case that Boeing should build its new 777X line here, as the company has said it would like to see transportation infrastructure improvements.

Here's more from the Spokesman-Review.

Work Resumes On State Transportation Package

Legislators resume negotiations today on a state transportation package after the long weekend. Governor Inslee is hoping legislators will be able to reach a deal in time to pass a bill before Christmas or soon after the new year. This would require a special session of the Legislature.

Transportation Issues Daily looks at the compomises that have been made to date by the House and Senate in an effort to reach an agreement.

Lots of Discussion, But No Conclusion, On State Transportation Package

A proposed transportation funding package that would raise the gas tax by 11.5 cents over three years and spend $12.3 billion on transportation projects and maintenance of existing structures warranted four hours of discussion yesterday by the Senate Transportation Committee but still no conclusion on moving it forward to the Senate in a special legislative session.
 
Dozens of representatives of businesses, social service groups and local governments testified on the plan at the meeting, including representatives from Cheney, who feel the SR 904 widening project should have been included in the proposal.

The Spokesman-Review has the story.

Poll Results Show 60% of Washingtonians Willing To Pay Higher Taxes For Transportation Improvements

Sixty percent of Washington State residents are "willing to consider raising some transportation taxes and fees" to pay for transportation improvements (a nine percent increase from a year ago), according to results from the latest "Voices of Washington" Survey.

 

Participants were asked how they feel about the transportation system, what their transportation investment priorities are, and if they think the state has enough revenue to meet future needs. And the 5800 people that participated had some interesting responses.

 

Transportation Issues Daily has the details.

WA State Transportation Plan Details Leaked

I've mentioned on this blog a couple times that Washington State lawmakers have been at work behind the scenes crafting a highway spending package. No one was sure what is included in that plan- until now. Someone leaked the details to the Seattle Transit Blog and early reviews call it "the same type of expensive, cars-only policy that Washington residents have rejected in the past."

It allegedly reduces bike and pedestrian funding even further, adds new highway projects, and doesn't offer much in the way of public transit. DC Streetsblog has more of the details on the supposedly "secret" plan.