Gas tax hike stirs debate in Oregon

"What I can say to every Oregonian, whether you're a Democrat, Republican, or independent, what we're going to do is make sure that your roads, your bridges are safe and maintained no matter what time of the year it is," said Oregon Governor, Tina Kotek.

Gov. Kotek supports the bill, emphasizing its role in preserving infrastructure maintenance. However, Republican leaders argue that taxpayers should have a say in the matter.

"We are all about giving Oregon voters the opportunity to weigh in and make their voice heard on this measure," said Bruce Starr, the Senate Minority leader in the State of Oregon.

The bill is particularly crucial for rural areas. Without the funding, some paved roads could deteriorate into gravel. Democrats underline the bill's importance in safeguarding these communities from severe cutbacks.

"If the legislature wants to defund a project to do other things in the ODOT budget, that is their choice. But I'm not hearing that. What I'm hearing is let's dedicate this new money for maintenance and operations. I'm committed to that," said Gov. Kotek.Republican leaders counter that the new taxes place an undue burden on many Oregonians, advocating for a more prudent approach to state budgeting.

"It's just like what we do in our personal budgets, when times are tight, you fund the most important things, you pay for the most important things, and less important things are put to the wayside. That's what we need to do in state government," said Starr.

Senate Republican leaders are now pushing to repeal the bill, criticizing Gov. Kotek for delaying its implementation and preventing a public vote.

"There’s gonna be lots of places, virtually in every community in the state, there will be volunteers to gather signatures. So there will be ample opportunity to sign the petition," said a Starr.

To repeal the bill, the petition requires signatures from 4 percent of voters from the most recent governor election, roughly 78,000 signatures, by December 30.

"We have seen an overwhelming amount of grassroots support and volunteers stand up. Part of the reason is they don't want to be taxed. But the other part is they want their voices heard," said Ed Diehl, a republican in the House of Representatives, representing Oregon's 17th district.

Gov. Kotek says she believes there is some Republican support but no consensus was reached during the Oregon legislative session. Republican leaders express hope for cooperation in the upcoming special legislative session in February.