Eight-Cent Gas Tax Hike Proposed by King County Executive

King County Executive Dow Constantine has joined other local officials from 35 other cities in asking the Washington State Legislature to raise gas taxes to help pay for upgrades to the state's transportation infrastructure and provide additional transit funding in the county.

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In a Dec. 14 letter posted on the news website PubliCola, Constantine, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and Renton Mayor Denis Law, representing the Sound Cities Association (formerly known as the Suburban Cities Assocation), propose an 8-cent increase to the gas tax as well as the ability for counties and cities to raise their car-tab fees by $40. 

Law serves as president of the board of the Sound Cities Association (SCA), which includes Kirkland City Councilman Bob Sternoff. The letter, addressed to Gov. Chris Gregoire, cites a "statewide transportation crisis" and asks for additional revenue to "preserve and maintain our portion of the State’s transportation system and address the growing demand for transit services."

Mercer Island will rejoin the SCA in 2013 after dropping its membership in 2010 due to budget cuts.

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