House passes ODOT funding package; on to the Senate

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Oregon House passed the transportation funding package during a special legislative session, and the bills now move to the Senate for consideration.

The vote was almost exclusively along party lines except for one Republican and one Democrat.

Not surprisingly, House Democrats hailed the package while Republicans condemned it in statements released nearly simultaneously.

“Safe, reliable roads, bridges, and transit are what make it possible for workers to get to their jobs, parents to bring their kids to school, seniors to reach medical appointments, and small businesses to move goods,” House Speaker Julie Fahey said, noting this package was passed on Labor Day.

House Republican Leader Christine Drazan took a different tone.

“This is a massive tax increase that ignores the voices of thousands of Oregonians. Taxes are not the solution to every challenge we face as a state. It is wrong and shameful that we are doubling the payroll taxes for Oregon workers on Labor Day, while also increasing the cost of gas and DMV services,” Drazan said in a statement.

The two bills in the transportation package, HB 3991 and HB3992, passed the Oregon House hours apart during Monday’s special session.

“You know, I am disappointed that we couldn’t be more persuasive with my colleague,” Drazan told KOIN 6 News. “But this process is one where we all go home at the end of the day and we face our constituents.”

Anessa Hartman, the lone Democrat to vote against the bill, said in a statement: “I remember the days when just a $20 unexpected cost would negatively impact us for weeks … I remember the days where the choice to risk not paying your car registration and getting caught was less than the risk of not being able to pay for food.”

The bills, sponsored by Gov. Tina Kotek, call for a 6-cents-per-gallon hike on the gas tax, a hike in titling fees, doubling registration fees and doubling the payroll tax for public transit. The package now moves to the Senate for consideration.

The Senate will have a second reading of the bills on Tuesday. The goal is to have a vote by Wednesday.

If the bill fails to pass, Kotek said ODOT will have a massive budget gap and will be forced to lay off 500 people.

KOIN 6 News has a crew at the State Capitol in Salem and will have more information later in the day.