SALEM, Ore.-Governor Tina Kotek has released details of a proposed transportation funding plan for lawmakers to consider during the Special Session set to start August 29.
When the regular legislative session ended without the passage of a transportation budget, 10 percent of the Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) workforce faced layoffs, with the first wave of 483 set to take effect July 31, until the special session was called and layoffs were, at least temporarily, paused.
“In the weeks since the adjournment of the legislative session, my team and I have worked every day with legislators, local partners, and key stakeholders to zero-in on a focused solution for the immediate crisis in our transportation system,” said Gov. Kotek.
The proposed funding solution, released by the Governor’s Office on August 7, would fund the State Highway Trust Fund for the 2025-27 biennium to keep critical transportation infrastructure moving, continue maintenance projects and prevent mass ODOT layoffs.
Gov. Kotek’s proposal calls for increasing the gas tax from 40 to 46 cents, doubling car registration fees from $42 to $85, raising car registration fees by $139 and doubling Oregon’s payroll tax for transit from 0.1 to 0.2 percent.
If a transportation budget is not worked out during the special session, the first wave of ODOT layoffs will take effect September 15, with another round scheduled for January 2026.
“I am confident that lawmakers will step up this month to avert these layoffs and I appreciate their partnership in getting to the other side of this crisis,” said Gov. Kotek.
I’m confident we shouldn’t spend hundreds of millions on bike paths in the gorge, that service a very small percentage of our state population… yep pretty sure we shouldn’t do that.
NO NEW TAXES, USE THE MONEY ALREADY ALOCATED FOR OTHER STUFF TO FUND ODOT!! NO NEW TAXES.
Why can’t you run our state without hitting us with more taxes?!
We can’t afford to continue this way! Gas prices are too high as it is. I went to Idaho last weekend and they are only charging 3.25 per gallon.
You continue to raise “sin taxes” because we voted to stop raising taxes unless we vote on it. It’s sneaky and crooked!
While I’m complaining, I don’t believe that people who don’t own property should be able to vote on issues that don’t impact them. We just got hit with property tax increases, now you want to raise the gas tax.
You’re making it very hard to survive! Learn how to budget the state’s needs like you would your own checkbook. This is ridiculous!
Maybe tina needs to learn how to live within a budget just like those of us on fixed income. I believe if I requested a cost-of-living increase from social security they would just laugh at me.
tina you have lost your mind you have lost touch with people of the great state of Oregon.