For the second straight legislative session, 12th District Rep. Keith Goehner's fuel tax transparency bill has passed the state House of Representatives.
House Bill 1633 would make the posting of state and federal fuel tax rate information by fuel pump inspectors permanent.
"We passed this bill with strong bipartisan support last year. Unfortunately, it did not make it out of the Senate. At a time when the word transparency is getting used a lot surrounding government, now is not the time to stop a tax transparency measure - especially one that relates to transportation dollars," said Goehner, R-Dryden. "Being more transparent with the public on fuel taxation will increase trust and provide a better understanding of the fuel tax revenue we are bringing in and the costs of our transportation infrastructure." 
The posting of fuel tax rates on pumps was passed as part of the 2017-19 transportation budget. However, when the budget expired on June 30, 2019, and the new budget kicked in, the fuel tax sticker legislation expired as well.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture Weights and Measures Division was affixing the tax stickers during inspections.
"This bill makes permanent a practice that we had in place before. It is essential we continue to provide constituents transparency and the full disclosure of taxes paid per gallon at the fuel pump," added Goehner. "Consumers already know what taxes they are paying on most services and goods. Fuel should not be any different."

Goehner pointed out that every time someone pulls up to the pump in Washington and buys 10 gallons of gas, they are investing $6.78 on our roads under our current fuel tax rates.
Washington state's current gas tax is 49.4 cents per gallon. It is the fourth highest gas tax in the country behind California, Pennsylvania and Illinois. The federal gas tax rate is 18.4 cents per gallon, 24.4 cents per gallon for diesel fuel. 

Kurt Hammond is the Senior Public Information Officer for the Washington State House Republicans. Contact Hammond at 360-786-7794