Governor Seeks $3.6 Billion Fee for Transportation
In her State of the State address delivered this morning, Governor Christine Gregoire proposed a new $1.50 fee on each barrel of oil refined in Washington to fund a $3.6 billion, 10-year program for maintaining and upgrading the state’s transportation system.
The Governor said the fee would fund 5500 jobs per year. “Our oil companies are get all the profit and leaving us with the bill. We can do better,” she said. The Governor’s office confirmed this would be a “fee” – not a tax – and therefore could be enacted by the legislature with a majority vote.
The Governor also asked the legislature to approve her proposed ½ cent sales tax increase, projected to raise $494 million before an expiration proposed for July 1, 2015. This tax increase would be subject to a referendum, raising the possibility of a November election with two major tax increase referenda on the ballot.
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