U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler is pictured in this file photo taken in Toledo.
Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler formally urged Washington state Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell to support her prohibition on Oregon’s tolling plans in the final U.S. Senate transportation funding bill for fiscal year 2018.
Last month, Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, advanced a one-year federal hold on any attempt by Oregon to impose tolls on the Interstate 5 and Interstate 205 bridge at the Washington state line, calling it an unfair deal for those who live in the Evergreen State.
The legislative provision passed the U.S. House, but is still awaiting approval by the U.S. Senate.
In a letter, Herrera Beutler asked for assistance in ensuring her legislative amendment is included in the final transportation funding bill.
“I appreciate Senator Murray's efforts to obtain representation for Washingtonians on Oregon's tolling advisory committee,” the letter stated. “It is helpful for Washingtonians to have a voice at the table. But as you know, seating three Washingtonians on an advisory committee of 15-20 Oregonians is far from a complete solution.”
She called the new tolling plan “fundamentally unfair” and stated that the bridges are “overwhelmingly used by Southwest Washington commuters.”
Herrera Beutler said she recently conducted a survey in Southwest Washington and received 8,500 responses, with nearly 90 percent of participants opposed to the tolling plans.
The letter also stated the plan undermines the regional effort to find a solution for congestion on the bridge.
“The House of Representatives successfully passed a fiscal year 2018 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding bill that included my amendment to prohibit the use of funds for establishing tolls on Interstate Route 5 or Interstate Route 205 for the next fiscal year,” Herrera Beutler said in the letter. “This prohibition would give Oregon time to develop its tolling plan in a deliberative and transparent manner. Further, maintaining this prohibition is the only solid assurance we can provide Washingtonians that no unfair plan can be pushed through without their input being taken into account.”
