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Tweet??function fbs_click() {u=location.href;t=document.title;window.open('http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u='+encodeURIComponent(u)+'&t='+encodeURIComponent(t),'sharer','toolbar=0,status=0,width=626,height=436');return false;}ublished: Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Senate's transportation budget would levy $100 annual fee on electric carsBy Jerry Cornfield,?Herald Writeradvertisement?|?your ad hereOLYMPIA -- State lawmakers are driving forward with a plan to charge electric vehicle owners $100 a year to help take care of the highways on which they travel.
Senate transportation leaders penciled the new fee into the proposed $8.9 billion spending plan for the 2011-13 budget that they unveiled Tuesday. A public hearing on the budget proposal is scheduled this afternoon in the Senate Transportation Committee.
While the fee will only generate around $500,000 for roadwork in the next two years, they said it's an important drop in the revenue bucket for the state.
Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, who is chairwoman of the transportation panel, said all automobile owners need to share the burden of maintaining highways, which is becoming increasingly difficult with gas tax revenues on the decline.
She said the state expects to collect fewer gas tax dollars in this budget than in the current one. That's why she and her Senate colleagues expressed agreement Tuesday with House transportation leaders on the need to put some sort of a revenue-raising package before voters next year.
For the most part, the Senate proposal mirrors the transportation spending plan released by the House on Monday. Once each chamber passes its own plan, negotiations will be held to iron out any differences.
Both will make travel on state ferries more expensive and slightly less convenient though not quite in the same way.
The Senate is proposing to increase fares by 5 percent in the next two years and add a 25-cent surcharge on each ticket to put toward building new ferries. The House is calling for raising fares by 7.5 percent with no surcharge.
Service is cut in both budgets. While the Senate lets Washington State Ferries management decide which sailings to cancel, the House came up with a list. It includes eliminating the last runs of the night between Mukilteo and Clinton.
On the matter of boats, the Senate joined the House in requiring the next new 64-vehicle ferry be assigned to the Coupeville-Port Townsend route. That boat is due for delivery this year.
This puts lawmakers at odds with Gov. Chris Gregoire who wants the boat available for use elsewhere in the ferry system.
Senators are backing $87 million to start construction of two new 144-car vessels. Moreover, they want ferry officials to see if both boats can be built to run on liquefied natural gas, a move they said will save the state money on fuel costs. The House is only looking toward building one larger boat.
Both budgets do retain funding for fixing the intersection of Bickford Avenue and U.S. 2. But unlike the House, the Senate plan does not provide funds to Community Transit for restarting a minimum level of service on Sundays.
SB 5176 and HB 1175, the transportation budgets for the Senate and House respectively, can be read online at www.leap.leg.wa.gov.
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com
On the Net
To see a comparison of the House and Senate Transportation budgets, go to tinyurl.com/WaTransPlans.Story tags??? ‧ Legislature ‧ Road Repair ‧ Traffic ‧ Community Transit
RelatedHouse's proposed transportation budget raises ferry fares, restores Community Transit's Sunday bus service3/22/11???Tweet??function fbs_click() {u=location.href;t=document.title;window.open('http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u='+encodeURIComponent(u)+'&t='+encodeURIComponent(t),'sharer','toolbar=0,status=0,width=626,height=436');return false;}Comments Log in or register to post a new comment.
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Changed mindOriginally, when I first read about this proposed tax I thought here we go again. Then I thought about all the tax dollars that were and are being spent to put in charging stations....for only electric car owners, They save way more than $100 per year, but still use the roads in this state just as much. I think it is only fair that they have to pay an extra tax. Especially since we are putting in those charging stations. I never did hear....are they even going to charge people that use them? I know the businesses that are putting in charging stations will probably profit from them, but what about the state charging stations?
Mar 24, 2011 5:21 pm | 0 replies | Request removal Judy Balsom
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(No heading)Which "state lawmakers" are pushing for this tax?
Mar 24, 2011 9:19 am | 0 replies | Request removal John Zomok
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Tax the Bicycles as well!!While they are at it charge the bicyclist an annual fee as well. I know they don't tear up the road like cars but a lot of money is spent making special lanes and making signs and striping for the bicyclist. so only fair they share the cost as well.
Mar 23, 2011 3:50 pm | 0 replies | Request removal David K
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Well, it does make cents..The fact is, with only a $35.00 car tab, the only other funding for roads is through gas taxes. And really, an extra $100 isn't much. You will still be saving in the long run.
Think about it, if electric cars represent a loss in revenue, then they will just find a way to shoot them down entirely. It's tough to make everyone happy. I don't typically agree with added taxes, but in this case, it really does make sense.
Seriously, if you use the roads, you should help pay for them. If you REALLY don't like it, then get a bicycle.
Mar 23, 2011 12:46 pm | 0 replies | Request removal tmcally
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GO GREEN! REDUCE FOSSIL FUEL CONSUMPTION!!But if you do .. the State will Tax you for doing it!
So, instead, go out and buy that gas guzzler! Either way the state gets your ca$h, so may as well enjoy it!
The State obviously care less about the enviroment than they do about Tax $$$$sss ....
Washington State, Their Hand in Your Pocket!
Mar 23, 2011 11:17 am | 0 replies | Request removal Pete Eaton
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$$For years we've been told we're using too much gas. Now that people are using less gas, the .gov is screaming about losing gas taxes. Any .gov solution is all about power and control, it's all they want.
Mar 23, 2011 11:14 am | 0 replies | Request removal chuck finley
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power and controlFor years they were screaming we were using too much gas, so now that we use less gas, they scream about less tax revenue.
It's all about power and control. No solution is palatable to the .gov unless they have power and control over our lives.
Mar 23, 2011 10:17 am | 0 replies | Request removal chuck finley
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Thanks for the good newsThe do-gooders who buy electric cars have half the price paid for by the rest of us. They should drive for free?
If the PUD gets their way and convinces 20% of the people to drive electric cars and the buses are electrified, where will the extra electricity come from and what will it cost?
If there is no electric fuel tax on the electric cars, will there be a general rate raise so that the 80% who can't afford to pay the extra ten grand for en electric car get stuck with the electric bill for thos who can?
Mar 23, 2011 9:11 am | 0 replies | Request removal bill wald
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Begging YOUR Pardon, but ....
Begging YOUR pardon, but IF the tax monies which are collected in the name of the transportation infrastructure WERE NOT BEING SPENT ON EVERYTHING ELSE, then maybe there would be the money needed to do the job.
.
Mar 23, 2011 3:00 am | 1 replies | Request removal Royal Scots Highlander
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Re: Begging YOUR Pardon, but ...Begging YOUR pardon, but EV's do use the road and contribute to the decimation of the infrastructure. They should pay a reasonable contributions to road use, or you'll never get anywhere.
$100.00 almost seems reasonable.
Mar 23, 2011 8:29 am | Request removalVictor Harris
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