"But Gorsek's absence isn't the main problem contributing to the palatable malaise surrounding this bill. During Monday's House vote, Republicans dripped with contempt, searing their Democratic colleagues for supposedly screwing over Oregon's working people-and on Labor Day, no less. Republican lawmakers say the bill, which seeks to fund Oregon's transportation system through a set of tax and fee increases, is the height of liberal excess and an example of Democrats' unwillingness to compromise."
"But it rings hollow when you take a look at what the bill actually includes, and how most Democrats are reacting to it. The bill currently making its way through the legislature, House Bill 3991, is expected to raise around $4.5 billion over the next decade. But it's a significantly watered down iteration of what Democrats proposed last spring with House Bill 2025, which was expected to bring in somewhere between $11 and $15 billion over the same time frame."
The Oregon House passed a transportation funding package during a special session, but enactment is stalled pending a Senate vote. Governor Tina Kotek and Democratic leaders support the bill, and passage depends on Democratic Senator Chris Gorsek returning to vote; Gorsek is expected back September 17. Republicans sharply criticized Democrats during the House vote, calling the package a tax-and-fee-driven burden on working people. Thousands of public comments opposed the tax increases. House Bill 3991 would raise about $4.5 billion over ten years, substantially less than last spring's House Bill 2025 estimate of $11–$15 billion after a last-minute change.
Read at Portland Mercury
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