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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
State lawmakers are close to an agreement on the 2013-15 operating budget. I'm hoping there is a handshake sometime tonight and all of the necessary bills can be passed in the next few days. When I have the details on what this budget looks like, I will pass them along. You can find an article from today on the progress of the negotiations here.
Another issue that is front and center in the second special session is a new transportation revenue package. The package – House Bills 1954, 1955 and 1956 – would generate almost $10 billion over 12 years from the following revenue sources:
- A state gas tax increase of 10.5 cents per gallon (6 cents beginning in August of this year and 4.5 cents beginning in July 2014).
- Weight fee increases for commercial and passenger vehicles.
- Various fee increases.
- Bond proceeds.
Below is a list of some big-ticket items:
- $1.3 billion for the SR 167/SR 509 Puget Sound Gateway for new alignment and new lanes.
- $1.1 billion for maintenance, operations, and bridge and road preservation.
- $835 million for various bicycle, pedestrian and transit projects.
- $675 million for I-405/SR 167 widening and construction of a new flyover connector.
- $450 million for the Columbia River Crossing project (plus $650 million in toll revenue bonds).
- $420 million for the US-395/North Spokane Corridor.
- $397 million to advance the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal and Colman Dock in Seattle.
- $200 million for SR 520 toward the west end.
- $175 million for JBLM/I-5 corridor improvements.
- $160 million for fish culverts.
- $15 million for US 2.
I want to hear from you
Do you support a new transportation revenue package, including a state gas tax increase of 10.5 cents, to pay for projects statewide? Share your views here.
In your service,
Dan Kristiansen
