Yesterday was the official first day of the 2015 legislative session. What does the future for transportation in legislature hold?
Here’s what we’ll be working on.
Last month, we tried to look into the crystal ball to predict how this legislative session would unfold. Not much has changed since December except more details and discussions potential if funding proposals have emerged. Education and the non-transportation operating budget will still likely be the major focus of debate but the momentum for a transportation funding package has been picking up some steam.
The Governor proposed a transportation funding package that is directly connected to to his carbon cap and trade legislation. The package contains a lots of great stuff including local options for Sound Transit and Community Transit and an increase in active transportation and transit grants.
But we do have concerns.
54% of the package goes towards new roads. More importantly the package assumes that funding for desperately needed maintenance will come from carbon revenues freeing up gas tax dollars (that would have been used for maintenance) to build new roads.
We’re pretty clear about how we think carbon revenue should be spent on transportation. It’s simple – let’s use carbon dollars to invest in projects that reduce carbon emissions in the long-term. Spending carbon revenue to build new roads sets us back on on efforts to reduce congestion and foster good land use.
The Senate Republicans are also turning up the noise around a transportation package. Curtis King is the Senate Transportation Chair and called for a transportation funding package in the Seattle Times opinion pages. Meanwhile moderates like Senator Andy Hill and Joe Fain are crisscrossing the Puget Sound saying a gas tax transportation proposal is on the way. If the Senate Republicans put out a plan (in writing) and whether they have the political will to muster votes for it remains to be seen.
At the same time, House Democrats are standing firm.They passed a transportation package last session only to watch as the Senate take no action. We are willing to bet that this time around, they will wait for action from the Senate before they vote on a package again.
In the meanwhile our top priority headed to Olympia is securing taxing authority for Sound Transit 3. Giving the Puget Sound region the option to raise their own revenue to fund a much needed transit expansion should be a slam dunk, but sadly it is not. And that is where your help and voice are needed in this upcoming session.
Check out our legislative agenda, sign up for our email alerts, and join us as we head to Olympia to fight for more transit.
