AAA Idaho is speaking out against three bills under consideration by the House Transportation Committee that would raise vehicle registration fees to pay for road and bridge repairs.
HB98, proposed by Governor Otter, would increase registration fees each year for five years, from 109% to 179% for cars under 8,000 pounds. But the bill requires just a single flat 5% increase for every truck over 60,000 pounds.
Two other bills, HB148 and HB149, would raise registration fees on cars up to 8,000 pounds for one year. AAA Idaho says all three of the bills are at odds with a recent Idaho Transportation Department study that shows, as a group, trucks are underpaying their share of transportation revenues for Idaho roads, 19%.
"We have been telling the governor, lawmakers and anyone else who will listen that everyone who uses Idaho roads should contribute proportionately to their upkeep and maintenance," said AAA Idaho President Jim Manion in a press release yesterday.
According to HB98's fiscal note, cars and light trucks, which now pay about 51% of all registration fees, will end up paying an additional $57 million, more than doubling their share of registration fee dollars.
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