Oregon Transportation Bill Saves 500 ODOT Jobs, but Leaves Future Funding Uncertain

The Oregon Senate passed the state’s first major transportation bill since 2017, preventing significant cuts at the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), reports Mia Maldonado in the Oregon Capitol Chronicle.

According to Maldonado, “House Bill 3991 will raise about $4.3 billion over the next 10 years to fund road maintenance and operations by raising the gas tax by six cents, nearly doubling most vehicle registration fees and doubling the payroll tax used to support public transit from 0.1% to 0.2% of a paycheck  — among other fee hikes for electric vehicles.” The current bill, developed in a special legislative session, avoids cuts that would have included the layoffs of 500 ODOT workers and cuts in essential services. 

While Republican lawmakers say their constituents can’t afford the tax hikes, some Democrats argue that the bill doesn’t do enough to address greenhouse gas emissions or ensure sustainable long-term funding for the Department of Transportation. “The Street Trust, an Oregon-based transportation advocacy nonprofit, said the bill creates future instability because it ends transit funding in 2028 and keeps road safety investments at 2017 levels.”