House Bill 2076 might give ridehail drivers outside Seattle a pay raise and some benefits, but other labor groups say the cost of the deal runs too high.
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A broad coalition of businesses, labor groups, and associations, including Washington Policy Center, have urged lawmakers that “if a Road Usage Charge (RUC) is enacted, any revenues [should] include protection under the 18
th Amendment to the Washington State Constitution.”
The 18
th Amendment protects certain revenue, like the gas tax, for highway spending only. As the letter points out, “The legislature has a long history of sweeping funds for other uses and the constitutional protection is the gold standard in ensuring drivers that those dollars are not at risk.”
The RUC is a per-mile charge being studied by the Washington State Transportation Commission (WSTC) and is intended to replace the gas tax. Therefore, it should replicate the features of a gas tax, including how the money is dedicated and spent. The letter echoes this basic principle.