We have all seen those right-wing attack ads on YouTube, attacking the revenue collected at the Washington gas pumps.
What does Washington state’s gas tax pay for?
The tax revenue we pay at the pump, which is state-constitutionally mandated, is used only to fix the Washington state roads, bridges and highways you drive on. A portion of the revenue is allocated to maintaining the Washington ferry system, paying old highway-based debts, and assisting the highway patrol in monitoring roads.
In the latest obvious climate-related event in December 2025, entire bridges and roads were washed away. The revenue we pay at the pump repairs these damages. Climate science denial by some politicians is expensive (for the public). However, unlike what the billionaires want us to believe, we are better off with a public transportation system rather than a private one, where tolls occur every so many miles.
That is what states in the Midwest are stuck with, such as Illinois and Oklahoma. After driving to and through many states, I found that Washington state has some of the best highways and roads.
It is important to note that, as residents of Washington state, we have the highest state minimum wage of $17.13 per hour, effective in 2026, for a state that also consistently ranks high for quality of life. As a resident of Washington state, you don’t pay state personal income tax, so if you don’t own a business, you only pay tax on income to the feds.
These misinformation attack ads don’t tell you the truth. The fact is, we have it good in this state, and any frustration about the cost of living is directly caused by the policies, or lack thereof, coming from Washington, D.C. Trump’s shifts and withholdings of earmarked funds by Congress have hurt states like Washington, which are forced to make increasingly difficult decisions.
For me, at least, this state isn’t for sale, and we need to stand behind our Legislature in making the best of a bad situation. The anti-tax rhetoric against income taxation didn’t start with working-class people. The billionaires want to continue the proven flop agenda through their bought-for agents (“trickle-doesn’t”).
What does “trickle-doesn’t” buy you? The work requirements for Medicaid and SNAP are set to begin, for example, at the same time when the U.S. economy is stagnant and losing jobs.
“Austerity for thee but not for me.”
Helen Nowlin
Glenoma
