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The Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce

RESOLUTION #2005-05

Opposing – Initiative 912

Repealing the Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax Increases of 3 cents in 2005,

2 cents in 2007, and 1.5 cents per Gallon in 2008, Enacted in 2005 for Transportation Purposes

WHEREAS:  The Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce believes that our transportation infrastructure is crucial to improving our state’s business climate and its economic revitalization efforts creating thousands of jobs through the numerous transportation projects like the replacement of the 520 Floating Bridge and the Alaskan Way Viaduct; and

WHEREAS:  Past initiatives such as I-695 and I-776 have dealt the state huge blows, tearing out enormous portions of transportation funding and making it impossible to fully fund transportation improvements.

WHEREAS:  Current investment levels and potential cost savings alone will not solve our growing transportation needs without increased investment in transportation infrastructure; and

WHEREAS: The Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce supports increased gas taxes as an appropriate funding source to help reduce traffic congestion and improve the movement of people and goods; and

WHEREAS: As the 2005 Transportation tax package embodies the requirement for efficiencies and accountability recommended by the state’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation ensuring that stated transportation funding proposals are consolidated and coordinated and that solutions produce verifiable and quantifiable results providing taxpayer and legislative confidence for increased investments in transportation; and

WHEREAS:  The current gas tax is well below past historical highs, and raising the gas tax, is, in effect, only an adjustment to keep up with inflation. This means that even with this increase, we're still paying a lower gas tax then we have been over the last fifty years. Once the full 9.5 cent increase is completely implemented by 2009, the total nominal gas tax of 37.5 cents per gallon would only come to 32.2 cents in year-2000 equivalent dollars, according to current GDP projections.

WHEREAS:  While the transportation package does include fees based on vehicle weight and raises the fees for driver's licenses, permits and license plates, these costs pale in comparison to the old motor vehicle excise tax, which was repealed by the Legislature in 2000; and

WHEREAS:  Most of the gas tax funding will go toward enhancing the ferry system and shoring up deteriorating highways and bridges like Highway 520 and the Alaskan Way Viaduct which are as important to the farmer in Eastern Washington as the downtown Seattle office worker for moving workforce and products to markets; and

WHEREAS:  The 2005 Transportation tax package will provide Marysville, Tulalip and Snohomish County the following needed projects:

SR 9 Corridor Woodinville to Arlington:                                           $133 million

• Widening from Maltby to Snohomish
• Marsh Road Intersection 
• Pilchuck Creek Bridge
• Seven Intersections
• SR 96
• SR 92
• Hewitt Ave.
• Soper Hill Road/Lundeen Parkway
• SR 528
• 84th St. NE
• SR 531

I-5 Corridor:                                                                                      $121.5 million

• Lynnwood at SR 525
• 196th (SR 524) at  Alderwood Mall
• Smokey Point Interchange at 172nd,  Arlington
• 116th Street Corridor Improvements, Marysville
• 41st Street Interchange, Everett
• SR 532 Corridor, Camano Island to I-5.

I-405 Corridor                                                                                           $45 million

195th St  to SR527

SR532 Corridor Improvements                                                            $51.3 million

Bridge Replacements                                                                               $46 million  

Stanwood area - Gen. Mark Clark Memorial Bridge on SR 532

Marysville / Everett - Ebey Slough Bridge on SR 529

Earthquake Protection For Bridges

Safety Work

Local Roads  (Annual Funding)

WHEREAS: These annual funds will continue for 16 years if I-912 is defeated; and

WHEREAS:  Snohomish County and cities will lose an estimated $40 million in future local revenues if I-912 passes; and

WHEREAS:  The Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) will receive an additional $7 million per year from the 9.5 cent fuel tax to support transportation projects throughout the State of Washington.  Over the past decade Snohomish County and its cities have received over $200 million in funding from TIB to support over ½ billion in local transportation projects; and

WHEREAS:  I-912 will also provide funds for mass transit including $30 million Statewide for park and ride lots (Locations not specified).  Other transit monies could be put at risk if the Legislature must make adjustments because of I-912; and

WHEREAS:  3 ½ cents of this tax package is already being charged.  The remaining 6 cents will be phased in through 2008; and when the full 9.5 cent increase is in place, the additional cost to the average driver in the average car will be $4.75 a month.   This will buy ½ billion dollars in Snohomish County improvements.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that The Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce, opposes Initiative 912.