The Senate's Majority Caucus Coalition earlier this month, in a letter to WSDOT Secretary Lynn Peterson, outlined a roadmap for advancing the conversation over a transportation revenue package in the state legislature.
Specifically, the MCC has proposed a seven-stop listening tour around the state in which members of the caucus would meet with WSDOT regional offices and the public to better understand the transportation needs and priorities for the different parts of the state.
Here is a copy of the proposed schedule:
- September 18, Olympic Region Office in Tacoma
- September 24, Southwest Region Office in Vancouver
- October 1, Northwest Region Office in Seattle
- October 7, Northwest Region Office in Everett
- October 14, North Central Region Office in Wenatchee
- October 22, Easter Region Office in Spokane
- October 30, South Central Region Office in Tri-Cities
Each of these events offer the opportunity for SR-167 project supporters to weigh in with their elected officials.
The MCC also outlined ten proposed reforms that they believe would improve the delivery of infrastructure projects. These include:
- return of sales tax from transportation construction to the transportation budget;
- usu of the Environmental Legacy Stewardship Account for stormwater projects
- implementation of the state auditor's recommendations to reform the Ferry Capital Program;
- opening a dialogue about prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements;
- streamlining environmental permitting;
- adding congestion relief to the state's required list of transportation priorities;
- use of toll revenue for projects within corridor that is being tolled;
- implementation of the 2013 omnibus transportation reform proposal;
- use of public-private partnerships; and
- reform of the state's regional transit authority boards.
Copies of the MCC's letter to Secretary Peterson and their reform proposals can be found here: 2013 MCC-Transpo-Letter 2013 MCC-Transpo-Reforms
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