News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 2, 2003
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Locke, Transportation Leaders Move Closer Toward Transportation-Improvement Plan

Gov. Gary Locke said today that the late-night meeting with House and Senate transportation leaders helped move legislators closer to agreement on a transportation funding solution.

The meeting, convened by the governor and held in his office, started at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday evening and went deep into the night, finally concluding at 3 a.m. Key topics of discussion were the amount of the gas tax and the mix of highway and non-highway funding.

“It was a good effort and we are closer now then we have ever been before,” Locke said. “While we did not expect to finish everything in one night, we are all in agreement that we need to find a workable transportation solution, and it needs to come from Olympia.”

Attendees of the late-night meeting included Sen. Jim Horn, R-Mercer Island, chair of the Senate Highways & Transportation Committee; Rep. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, chair of the House Transportation Committee; Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, ranking Democrat on the Senate Highways & Transportation Committee; and Rep. Doug Ericksen, R-Bellingham, ranking Republican on the House Transportation Committee.

The governor reiterated that fully bonded, each one-cent increase in the gas tax could raise an additional $500 million over 10 years and generate up to 3,000 family-wage jobs for Washington citizens.

“A transportation package would create jobs, save lives and improve our business climate. We need to take advantage of exceptionally low interest rates and get construction projects started this summer. For the sake of Washington, we need to get this done now.” Locke said.

The governor stated that he would continue to work with the Senate and House to forge a compromise transportation solution.


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