House Panel OKs Regional Transportation Plan

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Story Published: Feb 7, 2006 at 5:23 PM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 2:12 AM PDT

By KOMO Staff & News Services

OLYMPIA - The House Transportation Committee has approved a regional transportation overhaul for central Puget Sound, and the region has agreed not to seek a public vote on a $7.2 billion plan this fall.

Rep. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, the committee chairman, announced the deal Tuesday, although full House and Senate approval still is required.

The legislation includes a ban on placing the big package of proposed regional tax increases on the ballot in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties this year.

Elected officials from the tri-county area cobbled together the package, which includes $4.5 billion in projects for King County, including action on the aging Alaskan Way Viaduct and a new cross-Lake Washington bridge. Pierce and Snohomish would share the remaining money.

The regional approach is designed to augment state and federal tax dollars and tolls. In November, state voters upheld the Legislature's 16-year, $8.5 billion transportation plan, including a four-step gas tax increase of 9½ cents a gallon.

The tentative regional add-on package would include a local sales tax increase of one-tenth of a cent on the dollar, and a car-tab tax increase of up to $8 for every $1,000 of the vehicle's value.

Murray said lawmakers and the county leaders need to do a better job of handling the way the region deals with its transportation needs. He backed away from his original plan to abolish the tri-county Regional Transportation Investment District in favor of a new commission.

He said a fall vote would be premature, since Tim Eyman is running an initiative that could roll back weight fees and other taxes, eliminating $3 billion in state finances.

"If that passes, we would have to go back and cut out projects and the RTID's numbers would all be off," he said. "They wouldn't have the kind of state match they have been counting on."

The House measure also would expand the list of eligible projects to include non-highway options, allow a different mix of revenue proposals and allow financing of Seattle transit with the Monorail's taxing authority.

"With this bill, we have an agreement on how to move transportation forward in the central Puget Sound region," Murray said.

"I think we've moved past the transit-versus-roads debate and can now focus on a balanced transportation solution," said a Republican co-sponsor, Fred Jarrett of Mercer Island.

Murray said lawmakers are continuing to consider the region's request for authority to issue bonds to finance projects.

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The legislation is House Bill 2871.

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