Gas tax Senate passes gas tax increase

OLYMPIA — The Senate passed a bill on Monday to increase the gas tax by 11.7 cents per gallon to help fund a long term transportation package.

“This was a very, very difficult vote,” Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, said.

Senate Bill 5987 would increase the gas tax by 5 cents in July of 2015, 4.2 cents in 2016, and 2.5 cents in 2017, totaling in a 11.7 cent increase over the course of three years. The tax increase is part of a $15 billion transportation revenue package that would be implemented over the course of the next 16 years.

Warnick voted to approve the tax increase, but she said it was a decision she deliberated over for some time.

“They proposed a package that I felt was truly statewide,” Warnick said. “It was not slanted toward one area or another.”

The bill passed 27-22, with yea votes and nay votes coming from both sides of the aisle. Sen. Sharon Nelson, D-Maury Island, said she voted against the bill because of environmental concerns and because education should take priority over transportation this session.

“That should be the first piece moving across this floor tied to new revenue in my opinion,” Nelson said.

Some Republicans took issue with the bill as well. Sen. Brian Dansel, R-Republic, said he couldn’t support an increase because many expenses, like the minimum wage, are already higher here than they are in other states.

“I just wonder how the state of Washington is stacking up against other states and the global economy, other countries, when we raise taxes to the point we are the highest everywhere,” Dansel said.

For the first time in 23 sessions as a legislator, Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, supported a transportation revenue package.

“I believe these are very modest reforms,” Schoesler said. “If it was my choice they would be stronger and more sincere reforms.”

The bill will be sent to the House for consideration. The bill may have a more difficult time in the House, where Democrats are in control.

Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, who presides over the Senate, delivered two rulings prior to the vote on the bill. First, Owen ruled that the transportation package included new taxes. New taxes require a two-thirds supermajority vote for passage under rules put into effect the first day of the session. Immediately following the first ruling, however, Owen determined that the two-thirds supermajority rule is unconstitutional.

“The Senate may adopt an unconstitutional rule,” Owen said, “but the president will not enforce it.”

The supermajority rule was proposed and supported by Senate Republicans. Sen. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, said he disagreed with Owen’s ruling on the Senate floor.

“The intent of what we did was to make taxes a last resort,” Baumgartner said. “I think this body works better when taxes are a last resort.”

Baumgartner also noted Republicans are having discussions about whether Owen has the constitutional authority to make the ruling.