I blogged last week about the new Democratic members of the Washington State House Transportation Committee. Well now, it’s the Republican's turn. The committee will have five new Republican members and nine returning members when the Legislature convenes on January 14. Transportation Issues Daily looks at the makeup of the group.
Showing posts with label Transportation Legislation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Transportation Legislation. Show all posts
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Spokane Democrat On WA State House Transportation Committee
Do you know who represents you on the Washington State House Transportation Committee? I have to admit, I didn't know all of them either. Thanks to Transportation Issues Daily though, we've got a handy cheat sheet of members. We'll focus on the Democratic side of the Committee today, just because that's what the article focuses on. Transportation Issues Daily promises to post the Republic members in an upcoming story though, so I'll link it too.
In the meantime, the Democrats have seven new members and ten current members returning to the Committee when the Legislature convenes on January 14. Here's a look at the players, including newcomer Marcus Ricelli from Spokane.
In the meantime, the Democrats have seven new members and ten current members returning to the Committee when the Legislature convenes on January 14. Here's a look at the players, including newcomer Marcus Ricelli from Spokane.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Why Isn't Transportation Playing A Bigger Role In The Presidential Election?
What's missing from the presidential race? Planes, trains, roads and bridges, perhaps? As Superstorm Sandy reminded us, we can't afford to do without them, so why isn't transportation a hot topic this election season? The World has some ideas in this article.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Senate To Vote Thursday On Two Year Transportation Bill MAP-21
The Senate is scheduled to vote tomorrow, Thursday, on the first of two procedural votes on MAP-21, the two-year, $109 billion transportation bill, according to Transportation Issues Daily.. It is anticipated that the Senate will clear the sixty-vote threshold on that vote, as well as the second vote which is likely to occur on Monday and Transportation Issues Daily says passage of the bill is likely but not a given.
Also next week, the House is scheduled to debate and vote on the American Energy and Infrastructure Act, a five-year, $206 billion proposal. Here's what comes next..
Also next week, the House is scheduled to debate and vote on the American Energy and Infrastructure Act, a five-year, $206 billion proposal. Here's what comes next..
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Proposed Fee Increases Include 80% Increase For Driver's Licenses
It could soon cost you a lot more to get your drivers license renewed. Washington State's Senate Transportation Committee yesterday passed some proposed fee increases to raise money for road repairs and other transportation needs.
The fee increases, including an 80%(!) hike for driver's licenses, would raise an estimated $52 million next year and an average of $80 million each year over the next decade.
Other proposed fee increases include those for car dealership licenses, replacement motorcycle license plates, copies of drivers' records, and incresing the cost of a title application from $5 to $12.50.
The Seattle Times has more information on these proposed fees.
The fee increases, including an 80%(!) hike for driver's licenses, would raise an estimated $52 million next year and an average of $80 million each year over the next decade.
Other proposed fee increases include those for car dealership licenses, replacement motorcycle license plates, copies of drivers' records, and incresing the cost of a title application from $5 to $12.50.
The Seattle Times has more information on these proposed fees.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Committee Spends 18 Hours Marking Up Proposed Transportation & Infrastructure Bill
Holy cow, I'd never make it in the political world; I just need my sleep too badly. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee set a record with a nearly 18-hour markup of the proposed energy-infrastructure package yesterday. The session started Thursday at 9 a.m. and finished Friday just before 2:50 a.m. I'd been in bed for almost five hours by the time they wrapped up!
Around 100 amendments were debated, including letting states increase the Interstate truck weight and size limits and restoring funds to the Transportation Enhancement and Safe Routes to School programs.
Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) even called it the worst day of her life and the worst bill she's ever seen. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood apparently agrees, according to this article in Politico, as do several other representatives.
Around 100 amendments were debated, including letting states increase the Interstate truck weight and size limits and restoring funds to the Transportation Enhancement and Safe Routes to School programs.
Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) even called it the worst day of her life and the worst bill she's ever seen. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood apparently agrees, according to this article in Politico, as do several other representatives.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Proposed Bill Would Give WA Cities Power To Charge Own Gas Taxes
A bill expected to go to a hearing of the state Transportation Committee today would give Washington cities the power to charge their own gas taxes and increase car-tab collections.
Senate Bill 4306 would amend existing law to allow cities to enact a local gas tax of one. The tax would have to be approved in a ballot measure by city voters. Also under the bill, cities and counties could add a 1 percent motor-vehicle excise tax, or $100 on a $10,000 vehicle per year, with voter approval.
I haven't heard anything yet on if the Committee has already had the hearing, but will post an update when I do. In the meantime, the Seattle Times has the whole story.
Senate Bill 4306 would amend existing law to allow cities to enact a local gas tax of one. The tax would have to be approved in a ballot measure by city voters. Also under the bill, cities and counties could add a 1 percent motor-vehicle excise tax, or $100 on a $10,000 vehicle per year, with voter approval.
I haven't heard anything yet on if the Committee has already had the hearing, but will post an update when I do. In the meantime, the Seattle Times has the whole story.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Unveiled Federal Transportation Bill Gets Lots Of Criticism
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee officially unveiled the “American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act,” today and it's not going over so well so far.
According to the DC Streets Blog, there's something for everyone to dislike in the proposed Federal transportation bill.
Among what some are calling it's low points: no more dedicated bike/ped funding; no more TIGER or other discretionary transit programs; more money for highways, less accountability for state DOTs and increased drilling for oil and exploration as a way to make up the gap between what is needed for transportation funding and how much the gas tax actually brings in.
Don't worry though, the bill isn't going through as-is. It will be marked up on Thursday and even Chairman Mica says it will take some time, telling reporters to “get some hemorrhoid cream ointment and hang on” during long negotiations.
According to the DC Streets Blog, there's something for everyone to dislike in the proposed Federal transportation bill.
Among what some are calling it's low points: no more dedicated bike/ped funding; no more TIGER or other discretionary transit programs; more money for highways, less accountability for state DOTs and increased drilling for oil and exploration as a way to make up the gap between what is needed for transportation funding and how much the gas tax actually brings in.
Don't worry though, the bill isn't going through as-is. It will be marked up on Thursday and even Chairman Mica says it will take some time, telling reporters to “get some hemorrhoid cream ointment and hang on” during long negotiations.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Federal Transportation Bill Language To Be Released Tomorrow
I posted last week that House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chair John Mica was expected to release a draft of a proposed federal transportation bill last Friday, and he did.
According to Transportation Issues Daily, House Transportation Committee members received a copy of the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act late last week and, interestingly, they were individually marked. The speculation is that was done to track leaks, as some text from the bill had already been leaked to the public previous to it's official release.
The House Transportation committee is expected to release bill text to the public tomorrow, and debate and pass it out of Committee on Thursday. The House Ways and Means Committee, charged with writing the funding provisions of the bill, is tentatively scheduled to act on Friday.
Those activities put the full House on track to debate and vote on the bill during the week of February 13. Don't get too excited that we're finally going to have a federal transportation bill though (hey, this is exciting stuff to folks like me), it's a huge battle for the House and Senate to negotiate a final bill before the March 31 expiration of SAFETEA-LU. And USDOT Secretary LaHood last week reminded transportation stakeholders that Congress is very unlikely to pass a multi-year transportation bill in 2012.
According to Transportation Issues Daily, House Transportation Committee members received a copy of the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act late last week and, interestingly, they were individually marked. The speculation is that was done to track leaks, as some text from the bill had already been leaked to the public previous to it's official release.
The House Transportation committee is expected to release bill text to the public tomorrow, and debate and pass it out of Committee on Thursday. The House Ways and Means Committee, charged with writing the funding provisions of the bill, is tentatively scheduled to act on Friday.
Those activities put the full House on track to debate and vote on the bill during the week of February 13. Don't get too excited that we're finally going to have a federal transportation bill though (hey, this is exciting stuff to folks like me), it's a huge battle for the House and Senate to negotiate a final bill before the March 31 expiration of SAFETEA-LU. And USDOT Secretary LaHood last week reminded transportation stakeholders that Congress is very unlikely to pass a multi-year transportation bill in 2012.
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