Time is running out to pass a transportation package that’s widely considered Oregon lawmakers’ top priority this legislative session.

Now, with less than two weeks to go, at least one Democrat says he plans to vote no on advancing the bill out of committee.

Sen. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone, voiced frustration over House Bill 2025 in a meeting with the Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment on Tuesday.

“I am frustrated to the highest level,” Meek, a committee member, said Tuesday. “And you can expect a no vote out of me right now.” He said lawmakers haven’t had enough time to assess a slew of new amendments introduced Tuesday, especially with a vote expected this week.

A single no vote could imperil the nearly $2 billion transportation package’s chances, assuming Republican committee members uniformly vote against it, as they are expected to do. It needs a majority vote for it to advance out of committee and to the floor of the legislative chamber.

In an interview Wednesday morning, Meek maintained that he still plans to vote no on the plan, which calls for significant tax and fee hikes to fund Oregon’s beleaguered infrastructure system and fill budget shortfalls facing the state transportation department.

“I just think we’re crossing the lines of what Oregonians are expecting of us, especially when it comes to paying for their repairs, maintenance, and investments in our highway structures,” said Meek, who voiced concerns about a new “transfer tax” on new and used vehicle sales that’s expected to bring in $265 million a year when up and running, according to a recent revenue analysis.

His opposition comes at a critical moment for the package, estimated to bring in more than $1.8 billion per year in fiscal year 2029. Multiple new amendments — including those with additional incentives for electric vehicles and a tax on luxury vehicles — have been introduced as lawmakers have deliberated within the past two weeks.

And Meek wasn’t the only Democrat on the transportation committee who appeared frustrated during Tuesday’s meeting.

“That’s unacceptable,” Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth, said during discussions on changes to how the state selects certain projects.

The tensions portend a difficult path ahead once it’s out of committee, too. Assuming Republicans oppose it, the bill will need a supermajority in both chambers for it to pass. In addition, Republicans are lining up behind a push to refer the package to voters. As of Wednesday, a political action committee created by Republicans to oppose the package had reported $193,000 in contributions in the span of a few days.

“Oregonians cannot afford to be all things to all people for these ultra-progressive Democrats’ wish list for the State of Oregon,” House Minority Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby, said in a statement Tuesday night. “This is out of touch for everyday Oregonians. I will support efforts to refer this outrageous tax package to the voters.”

Meek acknowledged that the economic challenges are part of the reason why he can’t support some of the new and higher taxes proposed through the bill, including raising the state’s 40-cent-per-gallon gas tax by 15 cents, which he called “inappropriate right now, in light of what our families are experiencing with both inflation and loss of economic certainty.”

“There’s a lot of folks being laid off right now from all types of agencies,” said Meek, referring to the Trump administration’s mass firings of federal employees. He added, “we need to be very cautious of putting more burden on our families at these trying times.”

But he said he could still be persuaded to change his vote.

“I’m willing to pass a package which will keep (ODOT) whole, get down to basics and fundamentals of what ODOT needs right now,” said Meek. “We can get a package done. But we don’t need a lot of fluff. We need to get it back to basics and fundamentals.”

The next work session on the bill is 1 p.m. Thursday.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/06/18/oregon-democrat-plans-no-vote-on-transportation-bill-as-session-nears-its-end/