By Sen. Mark Schoesler

OLYMPIA–I’m very disappointed, even disgusted, with the Democrats’ transportation funding plan that recently was unleashed on the Legislature. Let me count the ways.

In my nearly 30 years as a legislator, it has been common for the chairs of the legislative transportation committees to welcome input from their counterparts on the opposite side when creating state transportation budgets or funding plans.

Unfortunately, bipartisanship on transportation apparently is not happening this year, as Democratic transportation leaders unveiled their new transportation funding plan – called “Move Ahead Washington”–without accepting input from Republican leaders in those committees.

The majority’s plan is expected to produce about $16.8 billion in revenue over 16 years, including $5.4 billion from the “Climate Commitment Act,” the extremely expensive law requested by Gov. Inslee that is more accurately called “cap and tax.” It also uses $3.4 billion from the federal infrastructure package passed in D.C. last fall, plus a one-time transfer of $2 billion from the state operating budget. The plan would spend $2.6 billion on new road projects, $3 billion for highway preservation and maintenance, $2.4 billion for fish-passage culverts mandated by a court ruling, $1.4 billion for existing funding gaps, plus money that goes toward ferries, railroads, transit, and bicycle and pedestrian routes.

Using part of the state’s enormous revenue surplus and some of the feds’ infrastructure money on transportation needs makes sense. But I absolutely oppose how the Democrats’ plan also would reach deep into drivers’ pockets to pay for it.

Democrats could and should have incorporated Senate Republican transportation-funding ideas that would not cost people more. One idea would take tax revenue from vehicle sales and redirect it to transportation projects. But Democrats ignored these proposals and instead chose to jack up fees we will all pay.

Instead of really addressing road and highway needs across Washington, the Democrats’ plan puts too much emphasis on transit, rail and other transportation modes that MIGHT help people living in the Puget Sound region but don’t help our district or the rest of the state. If you live in the 9th District, you’d need to drive far west to I-5 to see any highway improvements, or reach distant Puget Sound to try out a new electric ferry.

The Democrats’ plan punishes anyone who drives or owns a car by raising taxes and fees related to driving, including:

• increasing fees for an enhanced driver’s license by 75% (from $24 to $42);

• increasing fees for a state identification card by 75% (from $24 to $42);

• increasing fees for vehicle license plates by 500% (from $10 to $50 for an original plate, and from $10 to $30 for a replacement plate);

• increasing fees for motorcycle plates by 500% (from $4 to $20 for a new plate, and $4 to $12 for the replacement fee);

• increasing fees for a new photo for a driver’s license or ID card by 100% (from $10 to $20);

• a potential 2% tax increase on heating homes with natural gas;

• a potential 2% tax increase on telephones; and

• a potential increase in the state sales tax by another tenth of a cent.

It’s unfair to impose all of these higher fees and taxes on people across the state when it’s likely that the funding raised by this latest money grab will benefit only part of the state instead of all of Washington. So much for the Democrats’ talk about “One Washington.”

When this transportation plan reaches the Senate floor, I will be a definite “no” vote.

Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, has served the 9th District since 1993.