11/9/05-Washington state voters appear to have overthrown an effort to rollback a record $5.5 billion fuel tax hike in Tuesday’s election.
The outcome was too close to call early Wednesday, Nov. 9, but with more than 1 million votes counted, tax supporters had built a lead of about 63,000 votes – nearly 53 percent of those cast.
Opponents, including Gov. Christine Gregoire, told local media they were encouraged that they had beaten back the tax revolt.
Supporters refused to concede but admitted the tax measure now faces an uphill battle as absentee ballots are counted.
The repeal measure, Initiative 912, would rescind gas tax increases totaling 9.5 cents per gallon that the Washington Legislature approved this spring. Unaffected by the ballot issue was a diesel tax increase for the same amount.
The first 3 cents took effect July 1, bringing the state’s tax to 31 cents per gallon. Another 3-cent bump is scheduled for next July, two more pennies a year later and a final 1.5-cent boost is scheduled for 2008.
Lawmakers raised the state’s fuel tax from 23 cents to 28 cents a year ago.
Also unaffected by the rollback initiative is a new vehicle weight fee that adds between $5 and $25 to annual licensing fees, as well as tolls and local-option tax increases for cities and counties.
At stake is $5.5 billion in the next 16 years for 274 road and bridge projects, including $2 billion for the replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle and $500 million for a new Highway 520 floating bridge across Lake Washington, linking Seattle and Bellevue, as well as congestion relief, farm-to-market projects and local roads across the state.
If the vote holds, the state will quickly begin work on transportation projects that had been on hold pending the Election Day outcome, The Associated Press reported.

8/29/05- An initiative to overturn Washington state’s new 9.5 cent-a-gallon fuel tax increase will be on the November ballot. However, the effort doesn’t help truckers.
The revenue from the tax increase is expected to pay for $8.5 billion in road and bridgework in the next 16 years. It is slated for such projects as the replacement of the viaduct in Seattle and a new Highway 520 floating bridge across Lake Washington, linking Seattle and Bellevue, as well as congestion relief, farm-to-market projects and local roads across the state.
Secretary of State Sam Reed confirmed earlier this month the organizers of the initiative collected more than enough valid signatures to qualify for the fall ballot, The Associated Press reported.
On the ballot it will be called Initiative 912, and if approved by the state’s voters, it would repeal the full gasoline tax increase adopted by the state’s Legislature this spring. It would leave the tax boost to diesel intact.
The first 3-cent increase of the fuel tax took effect July 1, bringing the state’s tax to 31 cents a gallon. Another 3-cent bump is scheduled for next July, two more pennies a year later and a final 1.5-cent boost is scheduled for 2008.
The Legislature raised the state’s fuel tax from 23 cents to 28 cents a year ago.
Also unaffected by the ballot issue is a new vehicle weight fee that adds between $5 and $25 to annual licensing fees, as well as tolls and local-option tax increases for cities and counties.
Those taxes combined with the higher tax on diesel would generate only about $120 million a year over the next decade, severely hampering the completion of the multibillion-dollar projects on the table, The Seattle Times reported.
Todd Spencer, executive vice president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, said the ballot effort badly misses the mark.
“Trucking interests in the state of Washington clearly ought to be opposing this measure,” Spencer said. “It is hypocritical that interests within Washington are looking to exempt themselves and place a higher burden on commercial vehicles that provide needed transportation for the state. That’s absolutely poor public policy.”
Spencer encourages professional truck drivers based in Washington state to make sure they cast a ballot on or before Nov. 8.
Truckers and others unable to visit a polling place on Election Day can cast their ballot by absentee. The last day to apply for an absentee ballot is Monday, Nov. 7. Contact your local election department for more information. For a list of election departments in the state, visit: www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/auditors.aspx.
Ballots must be signed and postmarked or delivered to the county election officer by Election Day.
If needing to register, deadlines to do so vary in Washington state. Registration by mail must be postmarked by Oct. 8. Registering in person can be done up to Oct. 24. Contact your local election department for more information.