OLYMPIA – House transportation leaders this week rolled out a plan to fund basic but overdue improvements for road maintenance and preservation, the State Patrol, ferries and transit. The plan is paid for by updating several transportation fees, many of which haven’t changed in years. Realigning the fees will better reflect their actual administrative costs and would fund about $129 million worth of projects per biennium.
“We’ve made huge progress on transportation over the last several years. Nearly 300 projects are complete with more on the way from the 2003 and 2005 gas-tax packages, plus dozens more from federal economic recovery funds. But a backlog still remains,” said Rep. Judy Clibborn, chair of the House Transportation Committee and sponsor of House Bill 2053. “This bill would fund very basic needs, such as a long-overdue ferry boat, road preservation funds for cities and counties, and equipment for the State Patrol.”
The funding breaks out to $29 million for the State Patrol, $10 million (debt service) for a 144-car ferry vessel, $25 million for ferry operations, $8 million for special-needs transit, $31 million for local government and freight road projects, and $26 million for state highway preservation and maintenance. Of the local government funding, $2 million would go toward the Safe Routes to Schools grant program. And $5 million of the state highway funding would be used for stormwater permit compliance.
Examples of the increased fees on licenses and vehicles include a $15 increase to $40 for driver’s license renewals (last updated in 1999), a $10 increase to $30 for a driver’s license exam (last updated in 2005), a $20 increase to $30 for a commercial driver’s license knowledge exam (last updated in 1989), and a $7.50 increase to $12.50 to apply for a certificate of ownership (vehicle title; last updated in 2002).
Some fees haven’t seen an update in several decades, including the fee for vehicle wreckers to renew their first set of plates, which has stayed stagnant since 1961 at $5. Clibborn’s bill would raise it to $15.
“Because these are flat fees that haven’t been adjusted in years, their purchasing power has eroded, yet the demands on our transportation system are greater than ever. For most people, the effect is a $3 per year increase for their driver’s license,” said Clibborn, D-Mercer Island.
“Some counties are now turning their roads into gravel because they can’t afford the upkeep. Nobody likes to pay more in fees, but the alternative is to skimp on maintenance and safety projects now that will cost us more in the long run. We need a strong infrastructure for a prosperous future.”
At a House Transportation Committee work session on Jan. 10, the Washington State Department of Transportation reported that basic maintenance, preservation and operations needs at both state and local levels are underfunded by roughly $3.5 billion over the next 10 years.
A public hearing for Clibborn’s bill is set for 8 a.m. on April 11. Bill information is available here. For a breakdown of the transportation projects to be funded under the bill, click here. A breakdown of the fees is available here.