Efforts to raise Oregon’s gas tax this year appear to have fizzled out in the legislature.
A 4-cent-per-gallon increase was part of a broad transportation funding package unveiled this week. But the entire proposal just didn't have enough support in the legislature.
The plan received a tepid reception when it was unveiled to the public at a hearing in the Senate. Shortly thereafter Senate President Peter Courtney and Oregon Governor Kate Brown spoke with each other, and Courtney officially pulled the plug on the plan.
Some Democratic lawmakers objected to the proposal since it would have included the repeal of a separate measure meant to reduce carbon emissions in Oregon.
Both the senate president and the governor hint that lawmakers could take up a revised version of the transportation package in a future legislative session.