On Thursday, Sept. 26, the transportation tour led by the Senate’s Majority Coalition Caucus will make its stop in southeast Washington at the Columbia Basin College in Pasco. The goal of the forums is to gather public input on a possible transportation package funded by increases in the state’s gas tax and other fees. Pasco will be the fifth in a series of ten cities to host a forum; last week’s meetings in Bellevue and Everett yielded crowds in the hundreds and hours of public testimony.
I strongly encouraged interested area residents to take part and share their thoughts. Over the past few months we’ve heard from plenty of people in Olympia – including the governor – who want to move forward with a new package of infrastructure projects. The question is whether that’s something the public would support. We want to make sure we’re listening to our constituents and moving forward in a direction they support.Transportation policy was a source of major debate during the 2013 legislative session with some advocating for the passage of a $10 billion package of transportation projects that would be funded primarily by a gas-tax increase of around 10 cents. The proposal ultimately stalled – due primarily to concerns about the state’s lack of efficiency in building projects – and neither the House of Representatives nor the Senate approved a transportation package and an accompanying funding mechanism.
Following the 2013 legislative session, the Senate’s bipartisan governing coalition formulated plans for what became the statewide transportation tour to provide information on reforms that could improve the transportation system and gauge public sentiment on a gas-tax increase.
Right now it costs more to build a road in Washington than just about anywhere else in the country – it’s no wonder people are skeptical about throwing more money at the same old system. What we’ll be looking to learn is whether folks would be more open to the possibility of a transportation package if reforms were enacted first to ensure the money is being spent wisely.
We all know that we have infrastructure needs. What we need to decide – as a state – is whether this is the right time to make additional investments in transportation.
Details on the forum can be found below. For those not able to attend, I would welcome receiving comments via email at Mike.Hewitt@leg.wa.gov or by phone in Olympia at (360) 786-7630.
- What: Transportation Listening Tour
- When: Thursday, Sept. 26 from 6 to 9 p.m.
- Where: Columbia Basin College, Gjerde Center; 2600 N. 20th Ave., Pasco
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