Guest Commentary

This week saw a number of new state laws go into effect. Among them are a couple that are part of the Democrats' new state transportation-funding package. The chart below shows how several fees that affect drivers are now substantially higher, and their effective dates:

This funding package punishes anyone who drives or owns a car yet it fails to sufficiently address the real transportation needs in our state, which include highway maintenance and improvements. That's why I voted against the majority's transportation-funding package. A better solution would have been to pass a Republican-sponsored bill that would have used state sales-tax money from vehicle purchases for transportation purposes. It could have meant even more money for transportation infrastructure than the Democrats' approach, without a single fee increase!

-Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-9, Ritzville