SEATTLE — As the legislative session draws to a close, a newly passed Senate bill proposing a 6-cent increase in the gasoline tax is stirring debate among drivers and lawmakers alike.
The tax hike, which would take effect on July 1, aims to bolster the state’s transportation budget by $3.2 billion over six years.
Drivers have expressed mixed reactions to the impending increase. Ayden Rupp, a local driver, said, “It’s been surging at an uncontrollable rate that realistically the vast majority of the city can’t afford.” Rupp added, “Gas doesn’t need to be more expensive, like yes, it’s a finite resource, but it does not need to be taxed this heavily.”…