Low Carbon Fuel Standard’s “Hidden” Gas Tax
With Washington having the third-highest gas tax in the country, critics of a proposed low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) say it would make fuel prices even higher but without the benefits of gas tax revenue in transportation investments.
The decision could have repercussions when it comes time for another gas tax increase to pay for transportation infrastructure, a point made by Association of Washington Business Director of Government Affairs on Transportation Mike Ennis at a Feb. 13 public hearing of the House Transportation on SHB 1110, which seeks to reduce carbon intensity of transportation fuels by 10 percent below 2017 levels in 2028 and 20 percent below 2017 in 2035. The bill received a do pass recommendation during a Feb. 14 executive session in a 16-14 vote.
By, TJ Martinell, The Lens