By John A. Charles, Jr.
The Oregon legislature ended on June 27 without addressing the deterioration of Oregon’s road system. This turned out to be a stunning defeat for the Democratic majority on House Bill 2025-B, also known as the Transportation Reinvestment Package (TRIP).
For more than a year, Democrats held several hearings promising to address the problem with a “transportation package” of reforms. They never introduced their proposal, however, until June 9, less than three weeks before the close of the legislative session. The $12 billion (official revenue impact) transportation funding proposal included a dozen new taxes and fees on everything from personal income to car tires. Not only did every Republican legislator oppose it, but key Democrats did as well. The bill never had a chance.
As time ran out, Democrats introduced a different bill HB3402, generating even more opposition. Before the legislature adjourned, not a single floor vote had been taken on the transportation package.
If Democrats want to solve the transportation finance problem, they should return to the user-pay system which has served the state well for decades. In a user-pay philosophy, transportation users pay a fee in proportion to the cost they impose on the system. If it is fair to all users, they will find political support. Voters aren’t interested in unfair and heavy-handed new transportation taxes.
John A. Charles, Jr. is President and CEO of Cascade Policy Institute, Oregon’s free market public policy research organization.
