SALEM – After a turbulent month-long special session marked by setbacks and revisions, Oregon Democrats secured a victory Monday by passing a transportation funding plan that will raise taxes to address critical infrastructure needs and prevent cuts to public transit. The Senate approved the measure along strict party lines, 18-11, with all Republicans voting in opposition.
The plan, which previously passed the House on similarly narrow margins earlier this month, now awaits the signature of Gov. Tina Kotek, who is expected to enact it into law. The legislation aims to avert widespread deterioration of Oregon’s roads and stave off notable reductions in public transportation services across the state.
Months of negotiations were fraught with challenges, including an earlier, more aspiring proposal that failed to gain traction. This revised plan relies on increased taxes to generate revenue for road maintenance and public transit improvements.The final vote concluded a special session called to address the state’s transportation funding crisis, a problem exacerbated by declining gas tax revenues and increasing infrastructure costs.
