Oregon state democrats should be ashamed for first introducing the transportation bill with excessive increases like almost half a dollar per gallon of gas (it was multiple raises over several years, but it didn’t change the headline). They lowered it to one 6 cent rise. Were they trying to give us sticker shock so we might feel better when they lowered it? Seems like a one-sided negotiation.
Oregon state republicans should be ashamed for playing political games with the transportation bill by using misleading narratives, like the general term “payroll tax” devoid of the details it is tiny and temporary. They’re playing to the fact that Oregonians don’t like taxes in general. Also their talking points are framed as though everybody believes the republican line. Don’t be left out, subtle and manipulative.
We voters should be ashamed for expecting a free pass on road maintenance when everything else is getting more expensive, not only for us but for the state too. New car prices skyrocketed and we still bought them. We’ve been driving more too – remember the battle charge “revenge travel”? More importantly for road maintenance, there’s trucks on the roads in part because we’re ordering more stuff, including groceries, online.
So I’m hoping we’ll vote on this sooner rather than later, and we remember there’s no free lunch. Driving is a privilege.
– Dave