Klicker voices concerns over proposed road usage charge

OLYMPIA – Rep. Mark Klicker (R-Walla Walla), who serves on Washington’s House Transportation Committee, has concerns on House Bill 1921, which creates a per-mile tax. He explains, if passed, the so-called road usage charge adds more tax onto a vehicle.

“It will start out with electric vehicles and charge 2.6 cents a mile and then eventually phase in different vehicles each year, starting out with higher fuel mileage vehicles down to the ones that get less miles per gallon,” Klicker said.

Klicker knows there are concerns about the gas tax not being able to keep up with the maintenance and preservation of Washington’s highways and roads, but he’s not supportive of double taxation.

“We do have to figure out a way to take care of some of our projects,” he said. “We need to look at ways of being able to fund these things, but going with a road usage charge on top of a gas tax does not take care of the problem.”

Klicker explains this is not a big problem for residents in Seattle as they can grab public transit.

“For folks out in the rural areas, this has got to be a nightmare to think that you’re going to have to pay every mile that you drive,” Klicker adds.

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