Ore. Voters OK Car-Truck Tax Measure

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Voter approval of a measure requiring cars and trucks to pay proportional costs of maintaining the roads will aid in passing a gasoline tax increase next spring, supporters of the tax measure say.

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But foes of Measure 76 said its passage Tuesday will not be of any help because voters will know the gas tax measure will give trucks an unfair break.

The measure puts a requirement in the state constitution that all vehicles pay their fair share for highway work.

With 91% of votes counted, Measure 76 was approved by 53% to 47%.

"Passage of Measure 76 is a victory for everyone who wants to see Oregon's roads and bridges maintained and improved in a way that's fair and equitable to all road users," said Pat McCormick,

pokesman for a coalition that backed the measure and that also will campaign to pass the gas tax increase in the May primary election.

"With this safety net in place we're confident voters will support the transportation package next May," McCormick said.

Measure 76 was politically tied to the 5-cent per gallon gas tax increase passed by the Legislature this year because the tax measure would abolish the weight-mile tax on trucks and instead

harge truckers a diesel fuel tax.

The Oregon-Idaho chapter of the American Automobile Association opposes dropping the weight-mile levy and mounted the petition campaign that blocked the gas tax increase from taking effect until voters can decide the issue.

But Bill Lunch, a political science professor at Oregon State University, said polls have indicated strong opposition to the gas tax increase and that the "quite obscure change in the constitution" isn't likely to make much difference.

"It seems like a very long shot indeed for the truckers to hope they're going to be able to use this to pass the tax measure," he said.