Road Usage Charge faced 98% opposition at first hearing

The Road Usage Charge or pay-by-mile system had its first hearing in the legislature on Thursday, and it generated an unprecedented response from the public.

I’m not sure I have ever seen such a public reaction to a transportation plan. More than 20,000 people signed up to testify or to record their support or opposition to the idea, and nearly all of them do not like the idea.  Over 98% of the 20,223 people registered, registered in opposition.

Gee Scott: Washington drivers will be hit with both a Road Usage Charge and gas tax

Sam Spiegelman from the Citizen Defense Fund testified against it. “For now, on paper, this is a voluntary program, but let’s be clear, nobody would opt in if they knew what they were signing up for,” he told lawmakers. “Once the state’s dependence on an honor system does not close the gap and reduce gas tax revenue, proponents will no doubt begin pushing for digital tracking.”

His biggest concern was the privacy issue, which is a huge hurdle for many.

For others, like Mariya Frost of Kemper Development, the concern was over the 10-percent assessment on your yearly miles that would go to alternative modes of transportation.  “The additional 10% tax on top of the per-mile tax diverts money to transit, bike, and pedestrian modes that are well funded by driver fees and Climate Commitment Act dollars,” she said. “Please remove the clearly political element from a bill that should be focused on establishing a direct user fee for highway needs.”

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Those in favor of the RUC continued to drive home the idea that the state gas tax just doesn’t do the job anymore. But would a pay by mile system actually bring in the same kind of money as the current gas tax?

Executive Director of the Washington State Transportation Commission Reema Griffith was asked that by lawmakers. “We anticipate that the ruck will out produce the gas tax,” she testified. “The gas tax is bringing in about 1.3 billion a year, on a good year, and we are confident that this at scale, it (the RUC) will produce at least that amount. And again, it depends on what the legislature does with rate setting and with options they provide the public and the cost to collect of those and the rate that’s set and how you guys deal with that long term.”

The companion bill is set to be heard in the Senate on Tuesday.

There is no scheduled vote on this idea.

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