Hours before the House Transportation Committee hearing on the Senate’s transportation bills, the Washington Research Council has released its analysis of the Senate legislation.
The Senate’s opening bid in the transportation budget process includes a budget bill (ESSB 5988), a revenue bill (ESSB 5987), and eight policy reform bills. The package would increase the state gas tax by 11.7 cents over three years and would deliver $13.8 billion in new transportation spending through 2031. This would be the state’s first major transportation investment program since 2005.
Today’s House hearing will be on the the budget and revenue bills. Opportunity Washington strongly endorses passage of both. As the WRC concludes, the Senate legislation funds essential maintenance and preservation. In addition,
…the package would fund many infrastructure projects that will help get goods to market and people to work. The economic costs of poor road conditions accrue broadly to Washington’s residents, businesses, and government. Reducing congestion, improving freight capacity, and enabling new growth would help make the state more competitive and make Washington a better place to live. The investment is past due.
It’s time to act.
