HB 4126 – Requires ODOT biennially recommend a rate for per-mile road usage charge (RUC) that would raise the money needed to keep up the highways in the state and it is declared an emergency bill.
RUC puts the whole burden on Oregonians and a heavier burdon on low-income households.
WATCH FOR AN AMENDMENT.
RUC can lead to higher costs for drivers (see HB4009), burden on certain drivers, increase in administrative costs at ODOT, who already has excessive administrative personnel, and the people of Oregon do not want a gas tax implemented
The Legislative Assembly created the Road User Fee Task Force (RUFTF) in 2001 to develop a revenue collection system to fund Oregon’s roads and highways that could replace the existing gasoline tax. Setting up this report is a step in preparation to make that switch putting the total burden of road maintenance on Oregonians, eliminating out-of-state drivers.
The state’s purchase of EVs has added to motor fuel taxes not keeping pace with inflation, because the mileage ratings of the vehicle fleet had steadily improved for two decades, revenues for maintaining and improving the state’s road system had not kept pace with need.
The RUFTF studied 28 different options, eventually determining that a new system should be designed that would
assess costs to drivers based on the number of miles driven on public roads and highways in Oregon.