Vote On ODOT Bill Delayed In Oregon Senate

A massive transportation funding package will wait until September 17th for its final vote in Oregon’s Senate.  The delay was announced Tuesday night, following word Gresham Democrat Chris Gorsek suffered a medical complication and would miss the debate scheduled for Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Daniel Bonham tried to drum up support for a GOP-backed bill to fund ODOT without raising taxes.

"We could provide the service throughout this winter," he said on the Senate floor.  "We could fill the potholes, we can plow the roads, we can do this without a new tax. There is a path forward.

Does ODOT Need Additional Tax Money?

Republican Senator Noah Robinson wants ODOT to work with the funding it already has.

"What incentives are we giving ODOT with HB 3991? The message is clear: How they spend tax money doesn’t matter; we will simply give them more when we run short," Robinson said.

The Democratic majority isn’t expected to bring the Republican proposal up for a vote.

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