The Senate and House transportation committee leaders introduced a $16.8 billion transportation funding proposal on Tuesday that they call Move Ahead Washington.

AWB continues to analyze the proposal and provide feedback to its sponsors. There are many positive aspects of the proposal, including important investments in capital projects, maintenance and preservation, ferries and fish passage barrier removal.

However, as AWB President Kris Johnson said in a press release, there are also areas of concern, including the $4.4 billion in new taxes and fees. With record state reserves (more than $11 billion and growing), the package should have a larger contribution from the general fund. AWB has always supported Washington’s history of bipartisan transportation packages, incorporating ideas from both sides, rather than seeing them written with only one party’s input and ideas.

AWB also is concerned about the proposed fuel export tax, which would be the first in the country and would face constitutional questions. Likewise, employers oppose the local option utility tax on natural gas and telecommunications, which would be the highest in the nation and does not have a direct connection to transportation.

Contact Mike Ennis, AWB government affairs director for transportation and infrastructure, to learn more.