An Oregon legislative committee is asking small business owners about a new project
Small Business Owners Make Voice Heard on New Transportation Bill
Small businesses are weighing in on
a big Oregon transportation project.
The Oregon Joint Interim Committee
on Transportation Preservation and Modernization is currently touring the state to gain insight into the
transportation needs of Oregon residents and local businesses.
Many small businesses and residents
agree that Oregon’s transportation needs improvement, but few are sure exactly
what projects should be funded and where the money to do so will come from.
Ultimately, legislators would like to debate a comprehensive transportation
package in the 2017 legislative session based on feedback from this tour.
“The tour is a fact-finding mission,”
Eugene Weekly reported. “At this stage, the presiding officers are asking the
committee to gauge need and support. The hope is the package will be large
enough to meaningfully address the needs that are out there but also be within
Oregonians’ comfort level.”
Legislators and community members are
discussing an increase in the state’s gas tax as one possible funding source
for the project. But some are not pleased with this solution.
“The Oregon Department of
Transportation] is too opaque and has skimmed by on too many boondoggles for
Oregonians to be excited about a blanket gas tax increase,” said Rob Zako,
executive director of the nonprofit Better Eugene-Springfield Transit.
The committee’s tour concludes in
mid-September, at which point they will begin putting together a proposal for
the project.
