Oregon Proposes $1 Billion-Plus Transportation Investment
In a sweeping proposal intended to create jobs, inject life into the state’s economy, repair infrastructure, and bring Oregon’s transportation network into the 21st century, Governor Ted Kulongoski unveiled more than $1 billion in road, rail, bridge, mass transit and port funding yesterday.
The new transportation investments would be paid for with a myriad of tax and fee hikes, including:
- a 2-cent per gallon gas tax increase
- doubling the vehicle titling fee to $110
- raising the vehicle registration fee from $27 per year to $81 per year
- creating a first-time fee of $100 for titling cars new to the state
- raising the tobacco tax by 2½ cents
The plan also calls for borrowing $600 million and using and additional $16 million in lottery money.
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Kulongoski said that that it would create 2,100 jobs annually for the first five years and raise $500 million per year. The package immediately drew intense scrutiny from anti-tax advocates and, if approved by the state legislature, would be the state’s largest-ever transportation improvement effort.
Yet, it may not be that Kulongoski, a Democrat, has much to worry about in the way of oppostion. After last week’s election, Oregon Democrats have increased their majority in the state house and obtained a supermajority in the state senate. Rather smartly, he’s put this proposal out there at a time when the Republican party seems to have become an afterthought in Oregon politics.
Regardless of politics, the AAA of Oregon thinks that most of the tax and fee increases will sit fine with Oregon’s citizens, saying, “Certainly, a 2-cent gas-tax increase should be palatable to most people.” And if it creates jobs and boosts Oregon’s economy, even the typically anti-tax, conservative business owners will be forced to get in line.
As an Oregon resident for most of the last decade, I say it’s about damn time. I drive the highways on a daily basis and have always thought the condition of Oregon’s roads, bridges and rails is embarrassing.
I mean, we still have trains that cut off traffic on major roads in major cities at rush hour; we don’t do emissions testing except in one metro area (Portland); our highways are slowly, but surely, turning into the next California-style traffic mess; and, we have only a few bridges that cross the Willamette River over a nearly 150-mile stretch (where most of the people in Oregon live).
Plus, most of Interstate-5 (THE ONLY major north-south highway in Oregon) has a huge median strip which currently just takes up space, but could be used for a high-speed commuter train. What daily commuter wouldn’t jump at the chance to give up their stressful car ride and sit on a train listening to music and surfing the internet?
If this plan gets passed, I hope that a high speed commuter line is at the top of their agenda, along with developing a network of charging stations for electric cars, drastically improving mass transit options statewide, and fixing our bridge situation. If we ever hope to compete in a world in which India and China are dominant, we need these types of improvements now.
As Governor Kulongoski said, “Investing in transportation in tough times sets us up for success in good times.” Although I don’t always agree with him, those are wiser words than I’ve heard spoken in Oregon politics in a long time.
Sources: The Oregonian & The Statesman Journal
Image Credit: OregonDOT’s Flickr photostream under a Creative Commons License
Oh, wait. Oregonians are short-sighted and stubborn, and will never approve a sales tax because they like it when things that are priced at $0.99 stay that way. Idiocy.
The traffic in Portland is nothing to complain about. YOU PEOPLE HAVEN’T SEEN TRAFFIC. Coming from Atlanta, I can tell you neither Seattle or Portland need to complain about that. Your cars move. In Atlanta on 285,75,85 and 20, they don’t. Your going to have less traffic coming up as people tighten spending and drive less or lose their jobs and don’t drive at all.
The last thing you need is to raise taxes in a deep recession with the possibility of depression. Wages are falling. Jobs are vanishing. Unemployment is going higher and higher with projections of 9% after the first of the year. The only additional spending on tri-met should be turnstiles for the trains to actually make people pay. Maybe the system would actually pay for itself that way!
Venture capital is leaving Portland. It takes money to open and start a business. Those are the people who create jobs. If you tax them more, they won’t want to start a business and create jobs. State income tax is already at close to 10%. One of the highest in the nation. Auto dealers are already struggling and going bankrupt. You think people are going to drive if you raise the registration? What happens to all the auto industry jobs like dealers, mechanics, parts warehouses, detailers and others when there are less cars (customers) for services. They are going to lay off workers or go out of business.
You want to help, cut all discretionary and wasteful project spending in government. Slash gov jobs and payroll. Do more with less. Government produces absolutely NOTHING. It can only take (by force) and redistribute after taking a cut (or all of it).
Ted Kulongoski is the biggest idiot of the Northwest. A true socialist retard if there ever was one. Oregon has a 2 Billion deficit and he wants to spend more. F’ing idiot.
We’ll see how much you like things when it’s you turn to have money taken from you.
[...] under the leadership of Governor Ted Kulongoski, has recently announced an initiative to provide more than $1 billion dollars to upgrade Oregon’s t…. Along with these recent announcements, the state is planning on providing a $5,000 tax credit on [...]
As an Oregon resident all my life, I must say I’m NOT one whom the increases will “sit well” with. 81 dollars a year to register my car? ANOTHER 100 bucks on top of the myriad “dock fees” and assorted bullsh*t fees they hit you with for a new car? A ‘zero down’ new car still cost me close to 600 bucks in fees! And that was 7 years ago! Every time I turn around, the people we elect that said they had our best interests in mind are making it so that we’re living to work, instead of working to live. I agree that Oregon’s road infrastructure needs help, but for crap’s sake, turnip, blood, anyone???
Wow Bill, you want some cheese with that whine. It cost me $200 a year to register my car in Alabama, so forgive me if I find $81 far from earth shattering. As to the $600 on the car, hust get the dealer to pay it, it is what I have done on every car I have ever purchased. Save the turnip drama for something that needs it, like the economy.
@Bryan
No, Oregonians are NOT short sighted, they’re twice shy from being ten-times bitten. Most longtime residents know that if a sales tax were voted in, it would end up being IN ADDITION to all the other property, income, road, fuel, etc taxes already in place, further bleeding us dry. If a sales tax measure was put before us that eliminated some other taxation, it would likely fly. We’ve learned from experience.
@RuPauls
Telling someone they don’t have a problem because someone else’s situation is even worse is an unhelpful and baseless position. If your sister was mugged, would you tell her to stop whining because you neighbor had been mugged twice?
I am fervent for alternative transportation investments and creating jobs now. But Kulongoski is doesn’t know how to do it. Two cents per gallon!? That’s about $8 a year if a 25mpg car goes 10,000 miles. But he wants to charge around $200 to $300 to title and register economy cars? Yeah, thats a good way to encourage drivers to buy smaller fuel efficient cars. I see more of the same problems in this country, sorry. I hope Obama can make some real changes.