OLYMPIA…Senator Don Benton, R-Vancouver, today lead a contingent of Senate Republicans who voted against the 9.5-cent gas tax increase and the doubling of the motor vehicle tax. During debate on the measure, Benton proposed amendments to allow voters to make the final decision about the increased taxes and fees.

“If voters want to increase the gas tax and reverse Initiative 695, they should have the opportunity to approve it,” said Benton, who has been the Republican lead on transportation issues in the past. “Taxpayers should have the ultimate say about this size of tax package. Instead, the bill’s emergency clause forces it on our taxpayers immediately, preventing the measure from going to a vote of the people. This is just flat wrong and not to mention a violation of the rights guaranteed to Washingtonians by our state’s constitution.”

Benton made two different attempts to give voters the opportunity to vote on the tax package during the general election in November. The amendments he proposed:

• Add a referendum clause to the tax package, requiring it to go to a vote of the people; and

• Remove the emergency clause that requires the plan to take effect immediately, giving voters time to place the tax package on the ballot themselves.

Both amendments were rejected by the Democrat-controlled Senate.

The four-year Senate plan, which includes a 9.5-cent increase to the state gas tax, a three-increment increase to the motor vehicle registration fee based on vehicle weight and a $75 flat fee for motor homes, amounts to more than $7.5 billion in tax and fee increases to fund transportation projects statewide.

Benton said, “It is unacceptable to continue raising taxes and fees with the promise of improving our state’s transportation infrastructure without first showing the taxpayers that we are building roads as efficiently and effectively as we can. We may have been able to negotiate some accountability measures, but until they are implemented and followed through with, we are just throwing good money after bad.”

The Senate approved the multi-billion dollar tax increase, Senate Bill 6103, on a 26-22 vote. Senate Bill 6091 is the spending package associated with this measure and was approved by the Senate 31 to 17. The House will now take up consideration of these measures.

“This spending package is by no means equitable for most of the state,” Benton said. “For example, Clark County is one of the fastest-growing areas in the country, yet the spending package funds only a fraction compared to the nearly $3.5 billion appropriated for Seattle-area projects,” Benton said.

Critical congestion relief in Clark County would include widening I-205 from Vancouver Mall Drive to the 83rd Street/Andresen Exit. This project is not included in the package.

Benton cited this as one of the many reasons for not supporting the measure.

“Clark County is already receiving an unfair return on investment,” Benton added. “For every dollar spent on the gas tax in Clark County, we only get back 60 cents.”

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For more information contact Tami Davis (360) 786-7519, davis.tami@leg.wa.gov