Drivers divided over ODOT funding tax hikes

SALEM, Ore. (KOIN) — As the Oregon Senate debates the funding package for the Oregon Department of Transportation, drivers who spoke with KOIN 6 News seem as divided as the legislature.

The transportation bill, passed by the House on Monday in a special session, aims to avoid layoffs and service cuts by raising a number of taxes — including hiking the gas tax by 6-cents per gallon.

Salem resident Eric Mason supports the bills to fund ODOT.

“Any chance that you could save jobs and also improve our roads — an extra 6 cents, an extra 10, an extra 25 cents is not going to hit me,” Mason said.

But another Salem resident, David Lopez, is against the plan and thinks Oregonians already pay too much in tax.

“They’re not fixing the roads (now),” Lopez said. “To fix the roads, that would be different.”

Republican legislators against the bill argue the ODOT funding gap can be filled by reallocating existing funds. Hikes, they say, are not in the best interest for the taxpayers.

State Sen. Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) said he has a stack of public testimony opposing the plan.

“We’re up to thousands of pieces of testimony, individual pieces of testimony,” Bonham said. “Some simply say I oppose this bill, and others articulate very clear reasons why their opposition.”

Some Democrats, like State Sen. Lew Frederick of Portland, said they would rather not raise taxes and fees but that this is the only way to keep jobs and people safe on the roads.

“Those are higher registration fees. They trouble me,” Frederick said. “But frankly, we need to have some situation where we’re going to be able to provide the resources that we need in order to make sure that we have the roads that are safe.”

If the bill doesn’t pass, pink slips will be going out to ODOT employees in less than two weeks.

Eric Mason said he thinks the legislature needs to pass this.

“Let’s improve the roads. Let’s make sure that folks at ODOT all keep their jobs,” he said. “It’s time. With everything going on, we need security. Absolutely.”

David Lopez had a much different message for lawmakers.

“I would tell them don’t do it. Please don’t do it,” Lopez said.