Transportation Issues

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Washington's Transportation Funding Dilemma

Fix the Gas Tax

What does this proposal do?

Replace RCW 82.36.025 and raise the gas tax and establish a price threshold where by the tax rate becomes market adjusted. This will provide tax relief when market prices are high and increased revenue when the market is low. This will help stabilize tax revenue even when the market is unstable.

What are other states doing?

Washington State’s total gas tax is 37.5 and states with comparable traffic are currently at 49.5. Other states are using a traditional gas tax.

Why do we need a market adjusted gas tax?

The public is weary of taxes. Let the market fluctuations on gasoline work toward everyone’s advantage. Gas price goes up and the gas tax goes down, gas price goes down and the tax rate goes up. Relief when prices are high and increased revenue when prices are low.

The public is paying the price for bad roads, 6.5 billion annually. Washington state commerce suffers when bridges fall down. WSDOT needs the funds to repair 131 structurally deficient bridges and paint 110 steel bridges. WSDOT also has to meet the growing ($2.4+ B) backlog of fish passage barriers.

What would change?

The jobs would get a boost! A 2007 analysis by the Federal Highway Administration found that for every $1 billion invested in highway construction approximately 27,800 jobs were created. The economy gets a boost! Invest $7 billion in state transport needs and $42 billion in benefits will come to Washington State.

Yes, gas prices will go up and drivers will continue to move toward higher efficient forms of transportation.

Will this work?

Raising the gas tax won’t pay for everything needed but it continues to raise the incentives for more fuel efficient cars and alternate forms of transportation. This proposal will raise the revenue needed to maintain the existing infrastructure but not raise the required revenue to fund the unfunded WSDOT road projects. Additional forms of funding will be required.

References: 

(“WSDOT - Budget and Financial Analysis - State by State Fuel Tax Comparison,” n.d., p. 2)

(TRIP: A National Transportation Research Company, 2014).

(“FHWA - Employment Impacts of Highway Infrastructure Investment,” 2007).

(“Study: Invest $7 billion in state transport needs, $42 billion in benefits will come to Washington state - Puget Sound Business Journal,” n.d.)

(Washington State Department of Transportation, 2015)

The Power of Power

Ah the mystery. I spent a lifetime struggling, in imagination, against my creation as well as against the big creation. I existed in the realm of power and perceived it as the only game in town. I tried to take power from those around me and I gave away my power to those I placed above me. I languished and was excited, I submitted and exercised.  In doing so I struggled, complained, manipulated and cried out for more power in order the break the power that I had given to others to rule over me.

The power of us and them, nationalism, religion, consumerism, sex, hierarchy, wow, it’s pretty amazing to look in on. I may have been rescued, or just chose to step away, but not a day goes by that I’m not somehow drawn in to participate. I’m not really sure how to explain it. It’s all around; actually it’s contained within us. 

Am I Part of a Bigger System?

Are we part of a larger narrative?

My vision today is my position, say in this chair, in this house, on this block. A human who eats because his body needs energy, a student who goes to school with many other students, who are all getting together their books and grabbing breakfast and whatever, in their house on their block. This narrative of living is so much bigger than I. We place so much on our position in this narrative, what we like to eat for example, missing out perhaps on the life cycle that is our natural desire for eating. The birds, they eat, sit, startle, chirp, fly, these are the things that birds do because they are birds. How do we look as we wake up, dress, eat, drive, talk, eat, talk or walk… doing the things that humans, in the US, on this continent, the global north, do every day. Do we, can we, stop and zoom out leaving ourselves as just a part of the big picture? Recognizing that I eat and drink for the same reasons as the birds? Do I need to stop, interrupt this cycle, to recognize and acknowledge my position, even skip a meal or two, to show that I can be human and recognize that I am a part of a system, narrative, that is much bigger than I??

Just a little thinking out loud for today.