7/28/03-Gov. Ted Kulongoski signed into law July 28 a major highway and bridge repair initiative that authorizes a tax credit for Oregon truckers.
The $2.5 billion transportation-funding plan eliminates an estimated $4 million gap in the 2003-2005 budget.
HB2041 allows the state's truckers to claim a tax credit in 2005 for buying cleaner engines. Truckers would be reimbursed from $400 to $925 for each engine bought in calendar years 2004 through 2007. The credit would be limited to $3 million each year.
Most of the $2.5 billion the plan is expected to raise over 10 years comes from bonds repaid from higher vehicle registration and title fees, higher permit and license fees on drivers and higher weight-mile taxes on truckers.
About $1.6 billion is scheduled to go toward repairing or replacing 480 bridges on the state's major highways. The rest of the money is earmarked for cities, counties and the state for road projects.
Commercial truck registration fees will increase about 53 percent, and their weight-mile taxes will climb almost 10 percent starting Jan. 1. Car title fees will increase from $30 to $55 starting Jan. 1. Registration fees will go from $30 to $54 every two years.

7/25/03-A $2.5 billion plan to fix Oregon's roads and bridges is headed to the governor for approval.
The transportation-funding plan gained final approval in the House July 23 after the Senate passed the bill with amendments earlier this month.
HB2041, as amended, would eliminate an estimated $4 million gap in the 2003-2005 budget.
The amended version doesn't stray far from the original that breezed through the House last month. But it deletes a provision giving Oregon truckdrivers $3 million a year for buying cleaner engines, and as much as $2 million a year to pay for mass transit and other purposes.
The compromise retains only the tax credit, but delays implementation so truckers could not claim it until 2005. Truckers would be reimbursed from $400 to $925 for each engine bought in calendar years 2004 through 2007. The credit would still be limited to $3 million each year.
Most of the $2.5 billion the plan would raise over 10 years comes from bonds repaid from higher vehicle registration and title fees, higher permit and license fees on drivers and higher weight-mile taxes on truckers.
About $1.6 billion would go toward repairing or replacing 480 bridges on the state's major highways. The rest of the money would go to cities, counties and the state for road projects.
Commercial truck registration fees would increase about 53 percent, and their weight-mile taxes would climb almost 10 percent starting Jan. 1. Car title fees would increase from $30 to $55 starting Jan. 1. Registration fees would go from $30 to $54 every two years.

7/21/03-The Senate voted in favor of a multibillion-dollar plan to fix Oregon’s roads and bridges. The revised package delays a tax credit for truckers.
The transportation-funding plan – HB2041 – returns to the House, which is scheduled to act on Senate amendments early this week. It is likely to accept them and pass the package to the governor for approval.
The proposal, as amended, would eliminate an estimated $4 million gap in the 2003-2005 budget, addressing concerns by senators that had derailed a scheduled floor vote on the bill earlier this month.
The amended version approved by the Senate July 17 doesn’t stray far from the original version that breezed through the House last month. But it deletes a provision giving truckdrivers $3 million a year for buying cleaner engines, and as much as $2 million a year to pay for mass transit and other purposes.
The compromise retains only the tax credit, but delays implementation so truckers could not claim it until 2005. Truckers would be reimbursed from $400 to $925 for each engine bought in calendar years 2004 through 2007. The credit would still be limited to $3 million each year.
Most of the $2.5 billion the transportation-financing plan would raise over 10 years comes from bonds repaid from higher vehicle registration and title fees.
Commercial truck registration fees would increase about 53 percent, and their weight-mile taxes would climb almost 10 percent starting Jan. 1, the newspaper reported. Car title fees would increase from $30 to $55 starting Jan. 1. Registration fees would go from $30 to $54 every two years.
For bill status, call (503) 986-1180.

7/16/03-A $2.5 billion plan to fix Oregon’s roads and bridges appears to be back on track after a Senate panel unanimously approved the revised package that delays a tax credit for truckers.
HB2041, as amended, would eliminate an estimated $4 million gap in the 2003-2005 budget, addressing concerns by senators that had derailed a scheduled floor vote on the bill earlier this month.
The amended version approved by the Senate Revenue Committee July 14 doesn’t stray far from the original version that breezed through the House last month. But it deletes a provision giving truckdrivers $3 million a year for buying cleaner engines, and as much as $2 million a year to pay for mass transit and other purposes.
The compromise retains only the tax credit, but delays implementation so truckers could not claim it until 2005. Truckers would be reimbursed from $400 to $925 for each engine bought in calendar years 2004 through 2007. The credit would still be limited to $3 million each year.
Most of the $2.5 billion the transportation-financing plan would raise over 10 years comes from bonds repaid from higher vehicle registration and title fees.
Commercial truck registration fees would increase about 53 percent, and their weight-mile taxes would climb almost 10 percent starting Jan. 1, the newspaper reported. Car title fees would increase from $30 to $55 starting Jan. 1. Registration fees would go from $30 to $54 every two years.
The full Senate is expected to vote on the bill by the end of the week. For bill status, call (503) 986-1180.

7/9/03-A $2.5 billion plan to fix Oregon’s roads and bridges stalled July 7 when the Senate voted to send it back to committee for possible revisions.
The transportation financing plan – HB2041 – previously breezed through the House and was expected to do the same in the Senate before heading to the governor for approval.
Instead, Senators decided the finance package needed more work and sent it back to the Senate Revenue Committee.
At issue for Senators is a provision giving truckdrivers $3 million a year in tax credits for buying cleaner engines. The credits would be funded from a transportation reinvestment pot filled by personal income taxes from jobs created by bridge work.
Most of the $2.5 billion the plan would raise over 10 years comes from bonds repaid from higher vehicle registration and title fees.
About $1.6 billion would go toward repairing or replacing 480 bridges on the state’s major highways. The rest of the money would go to cities, counties and the state for road projects.
Commercial truck registration fees would increase about 53 percent, and their weight-mile taxes would climb almost 10 percent starting Jan. 1. Car title fees would increase from $30 to $55 starting Jan. 1. Registration fees would go from $30 to $54 every two years.

7/1/03-A multi-billion dollar plan to fix Oregon’s roads and bridges is headed for a final legislative vote in the Senate.
The Senate Revenue Committee voted 5-0 June 30 to send HB2041 before the full Senate later this week. If approved by a 60 percent margin the transportation financing plan, which previously passed the House, would go before the governor for approval.
For bill status, call (503) 986-1180.

6/26/03-A Senate panel has approved a $2.5 billion financing plan for bridge and road repairs.
The Senate Transportation and Economic Development Committee voted in favor of the finance package June 25. HB2041, which previously passed the House, is expected to go before the full Senate for a vote before July Fourth.

6/24/03-The House has approved a multibillion-dollar plan to fix the state’s roads and bridges.
House lawmakers voted 48-11 June 23 to send HB2041 to the Senate for consideration.
The transportation finance plan raises $2.5 billion over 10 years, mostly from bonds repaid from higher vehicle registration and title fees, higher permit and license fees on drivers and higher weight-mile taxes on truckers.
About $1.6 billion would go toward repairing or replacing 480 bridges on the state’s major highways. The rest of the money would go to cities, counties and the state for road projects.
Car title fees would increase from $30 to $55 starting Jan. 1. Registration fees would go from $30 to $54 every two years. Commercial truck registration fees would increase about 53 percent, and their weight-mile taxes would climb almost 10 percent.
Other features include a provision that would give truckers as much as $3 million a year in tax credits for buying cleaner engines. The credits would be funded from a transportation reinvestment pot filled by personal income taxes from jobs created by bridge work.
For bill status, call (503) 986-1180.

6/16/03-The House Revenue Committee has voted unanimously for a multibillion-dollar plan to fix the state’s roads and bridges.
The transportation finance plan raises $2.5 billion over 10 years, mostly from bonds repaid from higher vehicle registration and title fees, higher permit and license fees on drivers and higher weight-mile taxes on truckers.
About two-thirds of the revenue would go toward repairing or replacing bridges on the state’s major highways. The rest of the money would go to cities, counties and the state for road projects.
Other features include a proposed credit against income taxes for purchases of new truck engines.
HB2041 now moves to the full House for consideration. It will require three-fifths majorities in the House and Senate for approval, because it raises revenue.
For bill status, call (503) 986-1180.

6/6/03-A House panel has approved a multibillion-dollar plan to fix the state’s roads and bridges.
The transportation finance plan, which was unanimously approved by the House Transportation Committee on June 4, raises $2.5 billion over 10 years, mostly from bonds repaid from higher vehicle registration and title fees, higher permit and license fees on drivers and higher weight-mile taxes on truckers.
About two-thirds of the revenue would go toward repairing or replacing bridges on the state’s major highways. The rest of the money would go to cities, counties and the state for road projects.
Other features include a proposed credit against income taxes for purchases of new truck engines.
HB2041 now moves to the House Revenue Committee, which must review the bill because it raises registration, title and other fees. For bill status, call (503) 986-1180.