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ODOT: special-session funding package would avert layoffs but won’t fix long-term shortfall
Summary
ODOT staff told the Continuous Improvement Advisory Committee the special-session transportation package would avert near-term layoffs and boost local aid but lacks indexing and likely buys only a few years before revenue fails to match inflation and costs.
Travis Brower, interim executive sponsor for the committee, briefed members on a special-session funding package under consideration by the legislature and its likely impacts on ODOT and local governments. He said the package — identified in the presentation as "HB 30 90 39 91" — would increase multiple revenue sources, help avoid layoffs this biennium and boost local funding.
"This legislation would increase fuels tax by 6¢ per gallon, increase registration fees, just both the base fee and the surcharge that we have for efficient vehicles," Brower said, adding the proposal would also create a mandatory road‑usage charge for more fuel‑efficient vehicles and change how trucks are taxed. He cautioned the bill does not index taxes for inflation and estimated the package likely provides a three‑ to four‑year respite before revenue growth lags cost increases. The presentation estimated roughly a 55/45 split in the new revenue favoring ODOT operations and local governments overall and noted a temporary doubling of a payroll tax to boost public-transportation funding.
Committee members asked for more transparency about underlying numbers and historical project costs so the advisory committee can assess whether additional oversight steps are sufficient if the bill passes. Brower said staff will continue internal discussions and coordinate with the Transportation Commission about implementation details and reporting if the legislation becomes law.
