The chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, Sen. Steve Hobbs (D–Lake Stevens), released his proposal for a transportation funding package last week.

The package comprises three bills:

• SB 5971 (concerning revenue)
• SB 5972 (concerning spending)
• SB 5970 (concerning bonds)

The 10-year proposal would raise and spend approximately $17 billion on many aspects of the state’s transportation system. Major revenue sources for the proposal include a carbon fee, additional fuel tax, transportation impact fees, and vehicle weight fees. The expenditures of the proposal include:

• State, tribal, and local improvement projects;
• Fish culverts (state and local);
• Highway preservation and maintenance;
• Funding for the Transportation Improvement Board and the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board; and
• Ferry replacement.

A brief summary of the proposed revenues and expenditures can be found here and a more robust outline of the plan can be found here.

Dates to remember

The package will be heard in the Senate Transportation Committee on Thursday, February 28 at 1:30 pm.