Senate Transportation Budget: “We really felt we couldn’t do a major tax increase”

Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen is introducing the Senate’s version of the transportation budget. Despite earlier talk of a major transportation package, Haugen said they “really felt they couldn’t do a major tax increase” this year.

Sen. Curtis King thanked Haugen for the bipartisan process by which they wrote the budget. He said he wants to highlight ferries and reforms. King said the budget includes $2.9 million in fuel savings that ferries achieved through smarter purchasing, authorized by the Legislature last year. The budget also includes funding for a second 144-car ferry. He said those and other changes to the ferry system don’t solve all the ferry system’s issues, but they do put it on the right track.

On the subject of reforms: He said the budget reduces the administrative workforce in the Department of Transportation by 5 percent. He said WDOT is required to increase the ratio of workers to managers. He said they’re also asking for more project updates from WSDOT. “These reforms will save the state money,” he said, and help “to make our overall transportation system more transparent” and less costly.

Sen. Tracey Eide said freight mobility is critical. “All the projects that we have put up play an important role in moving goods” into, out of and through the state. She also said rising gas prices necessitate better mass transit, and this budget provides for that.

Sen. Joe Fain said that the lack of a large transportation package doesn’t mean they’re slowing down on planning for the future. He said the northern portion of I-405 came in under bid, freeing up tens of millions of dollars in the budget.

Sen. Steve Hobbs said the budget makes three key investments in the state patrol, including upgrading their radio system. He said it also funds the facial recognition program, which he said will enable the Department of Licensing to catch 8 to 12 applicants each day who are illegally using another person’s identity.

Haugen said there just weren’t the votes for Gov. Chris Gregoire’s proposed fee on oil barrels.

She also said the transportation budget isn’t the most exciting — and that’s just fine with those on the committee.

Tags: Budget, Senate, transportation