The Washington legislature convenes next Monday for a 105-day session. Transportation funding is one of the top agenda items.
Lawmakers failed to move a roads and transit package last year and pressure continues to build for the legislature to act. But there are also sharp partisan differences.
One of the big roadblocks and sticking points has been that Republicans want to take some of the sales tax revenue we charge for transportation projects and put that back into transportation.
That’s been basically a non-starter with Democrats who say, "You’re robbing Peter to pay Paul; that money should go into the state general fund," as it has traditionally and historically to fund schools, corrections, social services.
It’s been a decade since Washington lawmakers last raised the gas tax. That 9.5-cent increase was challenged at the ballot, but survived.
