Benton offers amendment to protect toll revenues from becoming a "general revenue" source

March 5, 2008

OLYMPIA…During debate on a bill to adopt a tolling policy for state transportation projects, Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, asked his colleagues to protect toll revenue from being used for nonhighway purposes. 

“My amendment restricts the use of tolls to building and maintaining the highway facilities for which the tolls are meant,” Benton said. “I’m offering the same protection as is in the state constitution for the gas tax.” 

The 18th Amendment to the Washington State Constitution restricts the use of gas tax revenue to road and highway projects. 

“As you know,” Benton said during the debate on his amendment, “if we don’t restrict this revenue in the same fashion as we restrict the use of gas tax revenue, you will end up with tolling to pay for all kinds of different government expenses that have nothing to do with roads and highways. It will ultimately be looked upon as a general revenue source. 

“Please protect this tolling money to be used for what we desperately need in this state and that is capacity improvements to relieve congestion,” Benton added. 

Benton’s amendment was defeated along party lines on a vote of 19-29, with Sen. Jim Kastama, D-Puyallup and Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Potlatch, joining the Republicans in voting “yes.” 

On final passage, Benton called the bill a mistake. He warned that there will come a time when revenue for tolls being paid in one area will be used elsewhere in the state, and maybe not even on highway projects. 

The tolling bill, Engrossed 2^nd Substitute House Bill 1773, passed the Senate along party lines, with Kastama and Sheldon again joining the Republicans by voting “no.”  

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Additional Contact: Penny Drost (360) 786-7522 or drost.penny@leg.wa.gov