**Update: On Saturday, it was announced that the six-cent export fuel tax would no longer be considered a revenue option within the statewide transportation Move Ahead WA revenue package. Legislators are now planning to sweep the Public Works Assistance
Account (PWAA) (aka Public Works Trust Fund) to backfill the transportation budget with $100 million annually in PWAA funds. AWC is opposed to this plan. The proposed sweep is unacceptable and demonstrates that local transportation
and traditional infrastructure needs have little significance to the State.
Please check your inbox for an action alert from AWC and contact your legislators now, expressing your opposition to this proposal.
Last week, in addition to their work on the Move Ahead Washington package, both the Senate and House introduced and took action on the transportation supplemental budgets.
In the Senate Transportation Committee, SB 5975 (additive spending) and SB 5689 (supplemental appropriations) were heard and acted on concurrently. During committee, several amendments of note to cities were adopted, including:
- Requiring WSDOT’s preservation program to preserve and maintain all state highways, regardless of speed limit. Additionally, WSDOT must report to the Legislature annual preservation investments and a continuous six-year plan.
- Requiring the Transportation Commission to coordinate with WSDOT to jointly seek grant funds to assess the impact of road usage charge on customer purchase of electric vehicles, delivery fleet operations, the process of ownership changes, and identify
opportunities for achieving large scale data integration to support road usage charge provisions that could be offered by private-sector service providers.
- Providing $5 million in funding for railroad crossing grant program under the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board (FIMSB). Priority will be given to cities and counties with projects that eliminate at grade highway-rail crossings.
AWC has consistently advocated for main street preservation and would like to thank Sen. Lovelett for sponsoring the associated amendment. We encourage cities to reach out to your legislators to express support for this addition as SB 5689 heads to the Senate floor for action.
In the House Transportation Committee, HB 1786 (supplemental appropriations) and HB 2118 (additive spending) were heard later in the week. While several amendments were adopted in committee,
the most notable for AWC membership includes a chair-sponsored and unanimously approved $6.25 million investment into the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB)! As many readers know, the original bill made no investments into local
preservation and maintenance. AWC wants to thank Chair Fey and the committee for recognizing the need for local investments. We encourage cities to contact your legislators to express support for this addition to HB 1786.
The most notable for AWC membership includes a chair-sponsored and unanimously approved $6.25 million investment into the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB)!
HB 1786 currently outlines state-local splits of federal funds for fiscal year 2023. It includes a provision directing the Joint Transportation Committee (JTC) to convene a work group to advise on the distribution of transportation dollars
from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds (IIJA). The work group will include representatives from the following organizations:
- The Association of Washington Cities
- The Office of Financial Management
- The Washington Association of Counties
- A metropolitan planning organization
- A regional transportation planning organization
- A tribal transportation planning organization
- WSDOT
- The Washington Ports Association
- The Washington State Transit Association
The outline of state-local funds and the JTC oversight is a departure from previous approaches to this issue. Traditionally, these discussions have been convened by the Governor’s Office. AWC thanks the bill sponsor for including cities in the JTC
work group and is committed to ensuring that cities receive fair and equitable distributions.
HB 1786 gained bipartisan support in committee while HB 2118 passed on a party-line vote. Both bills are now awaiting floor action.
Lastly, the House also took action on HB 2119 (revenue package) last week. Several amendments
were adopted and are noted here:
- Delays implementation of the export fuel tax by five until July 1, 2023;
- Adds an exemption for biofuels exported to other states;
- Removes section 406, which would have allowed cities and towns to impose an additional 2 percent tax on utilities through councilmanic authority;
- Exempts city attorneys from paying the driver’s abstract fee when using the document in criminal proceedings;
- Establishes the Rural Roadway Departure Program within WSDOT; and
- Provides intent language to fully fund ferry activities in accordance with the WSF 2040 Long Range Plan.
For more information on each chamber’s proposal, check out our budget comparison matrix.
HB 2119 was voted out of committee on a narrow margin of 15 to 14–picking up two Democratic no votes. The bill is now awaiting floor action.