US EditionWA State Senate passes bill to hike gas tax by 6 cents per gallon
- On March 29, the Washington Senate approved a $78.5 billion operating budget plan with a 28-21 vote, aiming to protect essential services and strengthen the state's financial position.
- Facing a looming budget shortfall, the budget includes $6.5 billion in cuts and $16 billion in new revenue over four years, resulting in a net gain of $6.2 billion for 2025-27 and $9.8 billion for 2027-29, according to Senate Democrats.
- Key investments in the budget include $1 billion for special education services, increasing to $2.2 billion over four years, and $175 million for school materials, increasing to $423 million over four years, as well as allocations for emergency food assistance, local housing programs, crime victim resources, refugee and immigrant communities, and the state Senior Nutrition Program.
- According to Sen. June Robinson , chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, the budget decisions were made with care to protect values, support communities, and build toward a more stable future, stating that "Crafting this budget meant facing difficult realities head-on and doing so without losing sight of the people we serve" and "Every decision in this budget was made with care."
- Despite passing the Senate, the budget plan faced opposition, particularly regarding tax increases such as the gas tax increase and a new 10% luxury tax on certain items over $500,000, with a Republican alternative, the $ave Washington plan, proposing to balance the budget without tax increases; negotiations between the House and Senate will begin soon, with a final budget needing to pass by April 27.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Senate passes Transportation budget that increases gas tax, funds major projects
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Senate adopted a bipartisan transportation package on Saturday that would raise billions of dollars through higher gas taxes and some car registration fees, close a deficit in the transportation budget and fund the completion of the North Spokane Corridor.
WA lawmakers debate higher gas tax
If gas isn’t already expensive enough in Washington, prices could soon be going even higher. In Olympia, the House is mulling over a proposal that would increase Washington’s gas tax by six to nine cents per gallon by this summer after it passed in the Senate March 31. Drivers are already frustrated. “I think they need to find another way to get that money. Because between our traffic and then more gas money, I think it’s ridiculous,” driver Nat…
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