An AWC priority bill to increase local revenue options to support and fund city and county transportation systems is scheduled for hearing this week.

HB 2362, sponsored by Rep. Bill Ramos (D–Issaquah), seeks to mitigate many of the problems identified by the Joint Transportation Committee Assessment of City Transportation Funding Needs. The bill provides additional local revenue options to fund city and county transportation systems in the following ways:

• Allows cities to impose a new 2% transportation-specific utility tax;
• Allows cities and counties to impose a local gas tax of up to 10% of the state rate — or 4.9 cents per gallon; and
• Changes current law concerning Transportation Benefit District sales tax authority by allowing imposition via councilmanic action and increases the applicable rate from .02 to .04.

SB 6652, the companion bill, was heard in the Senate Transportation Committee on Monday, February 10.

This is one of AWC’s priority bills for this session and we are thankful to Rep. Ramos for championing this legislation.

Dates to remember

HB 2362 is scheduled for public hearing in the House Transportation Committee at 3:30 pm on Thursday, February 20.