Gregoire to propose major transportation package
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Gov. Chris Gregoire said Tuesday she is preparing a new transportation package that would rival the multi-billion-dollar deal she helped approve in 2005.
In an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Gregoire said that she will detail her plan during a budget proposal next week. The 2005 package included a 9.5-cent gas tax increase and other revenues that were slated to total $7 billion over the span of 16 years.
Gregoire says there are great needs to fund basic maintenance of the Washington's transportation infrastructure. The state is also looking to pay for major projects such as the Columbia River Crossing in Vancouver, the 520 bridge in Seattle and the North Spokane Corridor.
The Democrat hadn't settled on how the projects will be funded. Gregoire said she'd be having a meeting on Wednesday to discuss possible funding options for a transportation package, and she said a gas tax is in the mix.
"You can't take that off the table," she said, noting that there a limited number of places you can look for transportation money. "The only things that give you a decent amount of money are things like the gas tax."
A spokesman for Gov.-elect Jay Inslee wouldn't say he supports Gregoire's proposal.
"We are working on a number of things, including a legislative agenda," said spokesman Sterling Clifford. Inslee said during the campaign that he would veto tax increases but indicated that he would support asking voters to approve a transportation package with revenues.
Gregoire said that her conversations with Inslee have included discussions about the state's transportation needs.
"A lot of people want a transportation package," she said. "I've really focused on that in my conversations with him."
Gregoire said that she would have a proposed transportation budget to release alongside her general budget next Tuesday. She said that while all of the road projects are important, she stressed that any transportation package is "going to have to be dominated by maintenance and operation."
The 2005 gas tax package that Gregoire helped usher into law helped provide funding for more than 200 projects around the state, including cash for the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement, money to replace bridges and projects targeted at fixing congestion.
In an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Gregoire said that she will detail her plan during a budget proposal next week. The 2005 package included a 9.5-cent gas tax increase and other revenues that were slated to total $7 billion over the span of 16 years.
Gregoire says there are great needs to fund basic maintenance of the Washington's transportation infrastructure. The state is also looking to pay for major projects such as the Columbia River Crossing in Vancouver, the 520 bridge in Seattle and the North Spokane Corridor.
The Democrat hadn't settled on how the projects will be funded. Gregoire said she'd be having a meeting on Wednesday to discuss possible funding options for a transportation package, and she said a gas tax is in the mix.
"You can't take that off the table," she said, noting that there a limited number of places you can look for transportation money. "The only things that give you a decent amount of money are things like the gas tax."
A spokesman for Gov.-elect Jay Inslee wouldn't say he supports Gregoire's proposal.
"We are working on a number of things, including a legislative agenda," said spokesman Sterling Clifford. Inslee said during the campaign that he would veto tax increases but indicated that he would support asking voters to approve a transportation package with revenues.
Gregoire said that her conversations with Inslee have included discussions about the state's transportation needs.
"A lot of people want a transportation package," she said. "I've really focused on that in my conversations with him."
Gregoire said that she would have a proposed transportation budget to release alongside her general budget next Tuesday. She said that while all of the road projects are important, she stressed that any transportation package is "going to have to be dominated by maintenance and operation."
The 2005 gas tax package that Gregoire helped usher into law helped provide funding for more than 200 projects around the state, including cash for the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement, money to replace bridges and projects targeted at fixing congestion.
Governor Christine Gregoire, you should face the fact that you are a lame duck that has fouled
up the states economy by overspending. You now want to go out with one more huge spending
package that the state cannot afford. Get real woman.
Well the data shows just for the last 6 years your full of crap Gregoire. In fact the budget went up over 10% in 2012, and lets not discuss the revenue that is up 20% over year 2011. So your obviously not going to tell the truth and actually tell taxpayers what your currently collecting and spending, and where the money really goes. you can just jump on your broom and not talk to us about raising transporation taxes
budget Year
9.9 2012
8.9 2011Â
8.8 2010
8.7 2009
7.4 2008
7.0 2007
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Hey, alright!! More taxes and healthcare I don't want!! 2013 is going to be a banner year for me! If I could only pop out 5 kids in the next two weeks, I would be able to stay home and make more money than I'm making now!! But, I didn't vote for Locke, or for her and I sure as heck didn't vote for Inslee AND I live on the east side of the state where our votes really don't count for squat, so...King County-you get what you vote for!!!
Tax and spend. Stick it to the people. This will make Washington's gas the highest in the nation. How do other states make their ends meet? Perhaps it is fiscal responsibility.
Still spending money we don't have right up to the very end !! And she's really good at it.
 @lmdk2 Unfortunately Jay is going to pick up where she left off.
As a life long pedestrian who has never owned a car, as long as none of the money goes to bike lanes, im fine with this.  There are projects in our state that need funding and the majority of cyclists absolutely refuse to pitch in.Â
 @kinison So you're saying that those cyclists never buy anything? They do pay our high sales tax, you know.
@kinison So, what you are saying is that you are a freeloader.
Oh my its a picture of Da.. Da... da... DA GRINCH!
if only we could turn a lane on I-5 to a bike lane, then everything would be alright.
Doesn't it make you feel like saying, "Christine, just stop talking"?
Where did the money go with the last tax hike. I-5 in south seattle has to be the worst freeway in the nation. Just another way to raise taxes for special interests
I am not opposed to the use of tax dollars for purposes that gov't is supposed to concern itself but they engage in so many areas where they have no legitimate concern that there is not enough money leftover for projects like roads and bridges. They need to figure out what their job is and then do it. Unfortuantely the areas that are not the role of gov't are their favorites. As long as this is the case I'll be against the tax.
Yeah she made that big mistake back then, sounds like she wants to leave another mark, or should I say scar on everyone before she leaves. I'm just glad we only have to deal with one more month of her crap.
 @Zoso If only that were true, Inslee is Gregoire with a penis!
C U Next Tuesday
As much as I want to say no more taxes, the reality is over the last decade traffic in Puget Sound has become some of the worst in the country - now ranked fourth. Our ferry system is literally rusting away. If you live in eastern Washington and you're reading this going so what - the roads and bridges in the eastern part of the state are falling apart, some rural roads destroyed by flood or landslide remain unrepaired. The reality is to just tread water, we NEED $2.1 billion. It SUCKS. I agree. There are no good options. Unlike some of the rants below, we DO NOT have the highest gas tax in the United States, not even close anymore. A gas tax is remotely fair (more fair than worse options) and needs to come in a lock box that it only goes to roads and ferries. This is a rare case where I'll say we need to spend a dollar, to make three. Public works projects mean LOCAL jobs for Washington citizens. Improving our failed infrastructure means more jobs, improved commerce, and less wasted time. If you think this is all a load of crap, think about it tomorrow while you spend 60 to 90 minutes on I-5 or I-405 or I-90 or 167 or 520 to drive 15 miles to work. Without improvements, it will only get worse, and the bad economy is masking how much worse it could be. We have to break this, and I reluctantly support an increased gas tax.
 @Howard Beale It isn't just the gas tax at the pump. The state has other taxes on oilproducts all get passed on to the consumer. There are taxes on fuel trucks besides the yearly tags,there are taxes on refined gas on the refinery. Many of the fees and taxes are put in place to stop the revenue from going to transportation.  Explain to me why many feel the oil companies make to much profit on a gallon of gas,but both the federal government and state make far more than the oil companies for doing absolutely nothing.
 @Maynard G Krebbs  @Howard Beale "other taxes on oilproducts all get passed on to the consumer."
And you would want the businesses to pay for them?
 @OrcasThunder  @Maynard G Krebbs  @Howard Beale Yes, out of their obscene profits.
 @Howard Beale But they continue to squander the money in other area's that it was not intended for. And now they want to add more toll roads, raise gas tax more, talk AGAIN of income tax, and employer's are NOT giving raises, citing the economy.
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They are soon going to make it to expensive to even goto work. Or if you take public transportation, you will be gone from your home for 75% of your day, with the way they keep cutting route's.
Well................Why don't you just get on that thing,called a broom and fly away......
There are some sick puppies on KOMO's message board! Â
Â
Lots of FOX News, World Net Daily, NewsMax, right wingnut blog reading folks out there. Â That's an unfortunate fact. Â So much hostility. Â And look where it's directed! Â At unions, at poor people, at the unemployed, at women, at gays, but the big winner...government. Â God forbid we do the CHRISTIAN thing and support the most vulnerable and needy. Â God forbid we try to solve the worst budget crisis in lifetimes with BOTH our hands, i.e. revenue and cuts. Â And God forbid we come together to try and rebuild our failing infrastructure. Â Nah. Â Leave the inevitably and insanely high tax rates that are needed to keep our society moving to our children and grandchildren and let's think only about today and ourselves! Â
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Or demonize the government. Â Because that's what you've been programmed to do by your 'news' outlets. Â Oh, the government and illegals. Â I can't forget about the illegals. Â Sad state of affairs this country is in. Â
@seattleways LOL Welcome to the KOMO GOP complaint board! I think you've got the majority of the people who post here figured out pretty well. No matter what the subject, you can always depend on them hating something!
@seattleways Why go off on just the right? They haven't controlled this state for decades. You say "Let's think only about today and ourselves" but I'd suggest that that's exactly what got us where we are today. You suggest that the right doesn't want to spend on the needy - but at times the left has wanted to spend like there's no tomorrow. Well, it's tomorrow - thanks. The truth is that we are a divided nation. Feel free to cast aspersions at those you disagree with, but they didn't get us here alone.
 @AuburnGuy No Republican's absolutely didn't get us here.  There is a whole lot of blame to go around.  It'd be hypocritical to blame Bush for the national problems we are in while not blaming Gregoire and the Dems for the problem the state is in.  Though...to be fair, it is largely federal policies of the Bush years that led to a housing bubble, crazy revenues and out of control spending, and a Dem controlled state that didn't have the foresight to build a large rainy day fund.  Regardless, we'd be where we are today, just in a bit better position.Â
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The aspersions I cast are on the hyper angry rhetoric of the right that demonizes government and taxes and, whether intentional or not and I believe intentional, propagate income inequality and the trickle down 'it's a spendin' problem, not a revenue problem' mentality that the political left hasn't had the testicular fortitude to counteract. Â That complicates and minimizes the real solutions to fix today's problems. Â
 @seattleways  @AuburnGuy The housing bubble bust was brought on by Clinton and Greenspan years when they were pushing the housing loans to those who had no business in getting a large house loan, we all saw the blowup coming, it was just a matter of time before it happened.
 @Maynard G Krebbs HAHAHAHA.  Thank you for the morning laugh!
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Stimulus worked, check nonpartisan analyses. Â Yes, of course, I still blame Bush. Â He was the CEO and built an imaginary economy that crashed to Depression era-like times before he weaseled out of office and 4 years is, duh, not enough time to recover from that completely. Â And the best part of your comment...
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FOX News has repeatedly been shown, would be better NOT watched. Â People who watched NO news at all had a firmer grasp on reality than FOX News watchers. Â Goodness gracious. Â
 @seattleways  @AuburnGuy You still blame Bush ? The democrats controlled congress the last two years of Bush and the first two of Obama. Obama voted for everything he claims to have inherited . Obama and the Democrat congress passed the stimulus which did not work,invested in companies that went bankrupt,claimed the money was going to raods and bridges,instead it was spent on state governments inflating those budgets. You have to stop watching MSNBC and CNN . Fox News has for the past several years been voted to be the most reliable news source. Do not confuse news reporting ,with commentary. Bill O'Rielly is commentary and opinion,others are reporting news.Â
@seattleways In case you missed it, I blame both parties. You see, the obsession with labeling people and pointing fingers is exactly what enables them to keep doing what they're doing. But if it makes people feel better to see it differently, that's fine. Four years from now - or fourteen years from now - please tell me what will be different? Nothing. As for your other comments, I'm not sure where you get off thinking how I vote or what I think? I never said more revenue isn't needed. However, I don't think the spending is ever going to change so it's all gonna get flushed into more election season promises and vote buying. They're all complicit.
 @AuburnGuy It's been a rough stretch trying to dig out of the hole that was dug, that much is true.  It'd help to see how we got here.  Unfunded liabilities, tax cuts and loopholes for the privileged, etc.  And you yourself don't get labeled anything.  I know why people on the right believe that:  because they lost an election, because their media tell them they are being called that (over and over and over and over again), and because well...polls show that a very significant part of the right do believe in things like Obama being a Muslim and from Kenya and a socialist, etc.  I blame the media for that.  As for this state, we had high revenue and increased spending because of inflated and unsustainable revenue coming in from property taxes and an imaginary Bush economy.  Our government grew and we didn't prepare for a crash.  Now it's here.  We're back to 90's level and soon well earlier than that spending levels per capita in this state.  So, I'd say your leverage has worked.  Very.  Very.  Well.  It's time to stop and look at this for what it is.  A revenue AND spending problem.
@seattleways Sure, but there are a lot of people who have watched government become bloated, arrogant, and out of control - yet nothing changes. In fact, I would say the partisan bickering has enabled them to use us as their willing stooges by getting us to focus on our personal feelings rather than analyzing THEM. I'm on the right and want good things for our nation. I don't withhold support because I'm greedy, own a gun, am racist, or whatever else I'll get labeled as because I lean right. I withhold support at times because it's all I have left to bargain with. And it ain't working no more either.....we're screwed.
Why don't we have the indians pay for this -- they are getting a free ride in this state with their casinos that pay no tax to the state
 @Thedudeabides Ah!! I thought you meant the ones in the Bellevue crossroads area!!! :D
 @Thedudeabides Why dont you go to Lapush or Neah Bay and find out. I'm sure you dont mean it if you put a face on it.
Let's raise taxes during our never-ending Obama Depression.
Whoopee!
 @Attila Its a republican economy so long as they hold it hostage to lower taxes on the rich.
Well at least us voters can turn you down this time, we are onto your rediculous ways. the democrats don't have a majority anc can't pull the tax wool over us.. just get out of washington....
 @Ringmaster2000 No, they will just do what they did in 2005, they will rubber stamp it as state emergency, overriding the voter.
A spokesman for Gov.-elect Jay Inslee wouldn't say he supports Gregoire's proposal.
...Oh yes he will. Gregoirs hand appointed successor to the Golden Throne will march to the drum...just wait & see.
Millions & millions wasted on sound barriers, engineering mistakes, ship canal sound curtains, a freakin' tunnel, new 520 contractor errors.....
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Oh well, the beat goes on...Jay will be the new drummer boy, and the broken record will continue to skip in place.
I just read all these comments and NOT ONE has any suggestions to solve the tough issues we face when it comes to transportation in this state. It's so easy to be critical when you don't have to solve anything. You are all nothing more than a bunch of windbags full of hot air, spouting off endless vile and destructive comments.
 @ferryguy I would start by firing you...That would be a start.
Either your a politician or ignorant... Â What do u suppose the state should do?
 @ferryguy here you go. Have the ferry system pay their own way. have the bike lanes come out of another department as bikes do not pay into the transportation fund. Have public transit pay their own way. Stop the leeching of transportation $$ going into the general fund through no sales tax on road projects. Stop the % of $$ from roads to art.Â
 @Maynard G Krebbs The ferry is part of the state highway system and paying its own way was tried before, and it's why the state took over operations in 1951.I hate ignorance, and yours shows through not knowing state history.
 @StevenRosenow  @Maynard G Krebbs Judging by your other posts here, I'm guessing "ignorance" is a word you perceive to be one of those big intelligent words to throw in a conversation to wow people.
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On behalf of everyone here: wow.Â
My suggestion is for Christine Christ to go away and soon.
 @ferryguy How many times have they raised the gas tax....and solved nothing?
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If you feel so inclined, then write the state a check yourself. The rest of us want some god**** accountability.
 @Dredd57 The reason they haven't solved much is because the state isn't making enough revenue off of the gas tax. There's plenty of accountability. Just not enough funds. Do the math. And stop being so ignorant.
 @the unvarnished truth  @Howard "THis POS software keep erasing comments"
Perhaps it's what you are saying in those comments...<G>
 @the unvarnished truth  @Chico "Go back and study the NIMBYs that fought the Interstate system tooth and nail."
Then go back and talk to the people who would have lost their homes and businesses to the R.H. Thomson.
 @Chico  @the unvarnished truth Exactly. Nor did we have the technologies, advanced materials, and many of the protections of the rights of property owners.
 @Dredd57  @StevenRosenow "paying for expensive studies"
You would prefer to build projects WITHOUT making the studies?
 @the unvarnished truth  @StevenRosenow  @Dredd57 "then come back and report how many multiples they are over."
How about YOU do the work, then report to us?
It's not just "inflation", it's also the costs of meeting better standards, using newer technology, better materials, and many other factors.
When those older projects were built the land cost a LOT less - partly because the State was able to force the purchase without having to go through the legal hoops that are now needed, hoops that protect the private land owner from the abuses of "Emanate domain" - do you really want those protections of others rights tossed out simply to save YOU money?
Face it, things simply cost more these days - the house I paid $13K for in 1971 is now valued at over $325K...over 300 times what it cost back then.
So show us the multiples...
 @the unvarnished truth  @Howard run for office if you dont like it. we already have the snobs pushing initiatives down our throats, privitizng the schools because the immigrants that work at microsoft dont want to pay for anything.
 @StevenRosenow  @the unvarnished truth  @Dredd57 while that may be true, I wouldn't believe a report done by a government agency showing they aren't making enough money so they can have ammo to raise taxes again.
@the unvarnished truth @StevenRosenow @Dredd57 while I agree it was cheaper in the 60s and 70s it was short sighted voters, so typically of this region that killed transportation package after transportation package. We could have had full regional light rail and subway right now, paid by the federal government - well 90% of it - and the locals said take your train and stuff it. Atlanta has MARTA and the Olympics and a new stadium for their basketball team and we have crippling gridlock. Your argument on inflation per lane mile falls apart on one key point, it isn't getting any cheaper, and if you think it's bad now, what happens when we kick the can down the road another 10 or 20 years. Because you know what will start to happen, commuting time will grow as a recruiting issue (it's already a problem for larger employers) and they will start to leave. Boeing parts sitting on gridlocked Seattle highways cost the company millions upon millions in lost productivity. I HATE the idea of anymore increases, but there is little choice, and kicking the can down the road is no answer
 @the unvarnished truth    Wow, only inflation? Try adding in increased right of way costs, new environmental regulations among other items. And let's not forget the drag it out forever political fights that do nothing but increase planning or design costs. Didn't have all that back in the 60s.
 @the unvarnished truth @Dredd57 Why don't both of you look at reports done by the American Society of Civil Engineers and reports done by the Federal Highway Administration, plus numbers from the Census Bureau and Congressional Budget Office - by state level, then get back to me. Bottom line: The state isn't making enough. Not by a long shot.
 @StevenRosenow No, they are mismanaging the money, paying for expensive studies and consultation firms, and starting multiple projects with a fraction of the funding and then demanding a higher gas tax when they run out of money. There is no accountability. Nobody is held responsible for the gross mismanagement of taxpayer funds. You calling anyone ignorant is irony at its finest.Â