Transportation

February 24, 2021

Freedom Caucus delivers sustainable, taxpayer-friendly transportation plan

In a Wednesday news conference, members of the Senate Freedom Caucus unveiled their new transportation-funding proposal, pushing back on a package recently put forth by the Democratic Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee and building on the plan from the ranking Republican on the committee. Senators Phil Fortunato, Doug Ericksen, Mike...
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February 05, 2021

Stark contrasts revealed in approach to state’s transportation needs 

Transportation policy leaders have been working to address Washington’s ailing infrastructure since the passage of the last major package, known as “Connecting Washington,” in 2015. Despite record increases in the state gas tax and other transportation-related fees and charges, the state’s transportation needs have remained woefully underfunded. State. Sen. Phil Fortunato...
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February 28, 2020

Senate proposal needlessly starving transportation infrastructure

Democratic leaders on the Senate Transportation Committee unveiled their funding proposal this week to deal with what they’re calling the “I-976 crisis” and to restart delayed transportation projects. I offered the following statement to the press. “I supported this supplemental budget, but it’s really just a band-aid. It is needlessly...
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February 03, 2020

Fortunato’s $30 car tab legislation to receive public hearing

Before the 2020 legislative session, state Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, advocated for a special session to address the $30 car tab legal challenge that placed the needed tax-relief measure on hold. Now, Fortunato’s “clean” bill to avoid single-subject concerns that precipitated the Initiative 976 lawsuit will receive a public hearing...
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December 19, 2019

Fortunato will vote NO on Transportation Commission’s mileage tax recommendations

Late Tuesday, the state’s Transportation Commission took a nonbinding vote recommending that the Legislature consider implementing a mileage tax to replace stagnating gas tax revenues. State Sen. Phil Fortunato, who is a member of the Senate Transportation Committee and on the mileage tax pilot work group, voiced sharp criticism of...
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November 27, 2019

Fortunato to introduce ‘clean’ $30-car tab bill

Calls for special session to uphold will of the voters Groundhog Day is still a little more than two months away, yet Sen. Phil Fortunato sees events unfolding eerily similar to the first time Washington voters approved $30 car tabs in 1999. Following that vote the state’s high court struck...
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November 06, 2019

Return to $30 car tabs creates path forward for Fortunato transportation-funding plan

State Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, says voter approval of Initiative 976 has cleared a path for his legislation to meet the state’s transportation-infrastructure needs without new taxes. I-976, which has so far received a 56-percent “yes” vote in the general election that concluded yesterday, will return annual licensing fees to...
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September 20, 2019

One Dollar or a Billion

  Greetings Friends and Neighbors, I hope that you’ve had a great summer. Things have been quiet in Olympia, but something groundbreaking just happened. Late last week, the state Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case Black v. Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority. About a year ago, when...
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March 07, 2019

Fortunato’s ‘Welcome to Washington’ litter bill approved by Senate

Legislation sponsored by state Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, to clean up Washington’s highways was approved Tuesday by the state Senate. Senate Bill 5093, known as the “Welcome to Washington” act, would prioritize litter control on state highways and require coordination of the state’s agencies, including the departments of Ecology, Transportation...
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February 13, 2019

Transportation Survey

I need your input. Please take the survey below concerning transportation plans being considered in the Senate. Below are examples of revenue sources for a new transportation package. Note billions in new taxes and fees versus my proposal that uses existing revenues you already send to Olympia.   Create your...
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