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Oregonians got their say this week on the Legislature’s just-released transportation package. Among the things we learned from seven hours of public and government testimony spread across three days:

• Snowmobilers want to pay a higher fee.

• As a high schooler, Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Troutdale, rode the bus to go on dates. Gorsek co-chairs the Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment.

• To the consternation of vice chair Sen. Bruce Starr, R-Dundee, committee members were not allowed to ask questions of the people testifying.

• The increased taxes and fees embedded in House Bill 2025 are either a low-cost investment in serving Oregonians or an unaffordable burden on everyday Oregonians. Major highway projects either are long overdue for completion or a waste of money that will accomplish little. Public transit either is or isn’t vital in both rural and urban areas.

A couple hundred people signed up to testify in person, by video or by phone. They ranged from mayors Keith Wilson of Portland and Melanie Kebler of Bend, to House Republican Leader Christine Drazan of Canby, to residents of Arlington, Bay City, Hermiston, Jacksonville, Ontario, Roseburg and many other locales.

There were heart-touching stories on all sides of the massive bill, but few surprises, except perhaps from the snowmobilers. Their lobbyist provided a touch of levity amid hours of rehearsed talking points.

“This draft – 175 pages and not a single tax increase for snowmobiles! We feel left out, a little offended. So I’m here today because we’re asking for a fee increase in the bill,” Darrell Fuller told the committee Tuesday on behalf of the Oregon State Snowmobile Association.

“They are requesting that the committee add a provision in one of two ways that would increase the fee from $10 to $30. It could either be a fee added to the bill as you work on it, or if you want a ‘gut and stuff,’ that is fine with us.”

For years, Oregon snowmobilers have paid $10 for a two-year registration. The DMV kept $6.27 for processing. The remainder went to a snowmobile fund for trail grooming and other things.

This spring, Driver and Motor Vehicles Services notified the association that the processing charge was rising to $14. Hence, the request for a $30 fee to cover that charge while also providing money for snowmobiling improvements.

Fuller testified at all three hearings on behalf of clients, wearing the same suit but switching yellow-and-white striped neckties. On Thursday, he sought a reduced fee increase for the Northwest Auto Trades Association.

“This bill changes the certification fee to be a licensed dismantler from $500 to $2,492 in one step. It’s just too much,” he said. “It will shut businesses down. It will cause good, hardworking dismantler businesses to try to operate outside of the license.”

By Thursday, the 175-page draft legislation had been rolled out as a 102-page bill, with at least 10 amendments waiting in the wings and more on their way.

Throughout the hearings, Gorsek and co-chair Rep. Susan McLain, D-Forest Grove, were gracious to those testifying while holding them to two minutes each.

What we still hadn’t learned by Thursday evening:

• How much the bill would cost Oregonians. Legislative leaders had yet to publicly release revenue projections. The only indication came from Starr, who said the bill was expected to raise at least $1 billion annually.

• Whether the supermajority Democrats have the votes to pass HB 2025. Doing so would require all Democrats to be present and heed the party line.

The House filled a vacant seat Monday when Rep. Sue Rieke Smith, D-King City, was sworn in to represent House District 26. However, Rep. Hòa Nguyễn, D-Portland, has been excused from floor votes for weeks while battling cancer.

Meanwhile, a group of progressive Democrats and their allies last week introduced their own proposal calling for more spending and higher taxes and fees than transportation committee Gorsek and McLain, released in April.

Republicans have their own proposals. At this point, HB 2025 appears less collaborative and bipartisan – and thus less likely to gain approval – than the transportation package successfully put together by the 2017 Legislature.

Two Democrats and two Republicans met for months in the Capitol basement to negotiate the 2017 package. They conducted work groups with a broad array of interested parties and winning strong support from key constituencies.

All four have since left the Legislature: Sen. Lee Beyer, D-Springfield; Sen. Brian Boquist, R-Dallas; Rep. Caddy McKeown, D-Coos Bay; and Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario. Exemplifying the bipartisanship, Beyer and Boquist went together to brief the Senate Democratic and Republican caucus on the progress of negotiations. 

This year Boquist is part of No Gas Hikes, which is preparing to force a statewide election on HB 2025. Voters have not been kind to such tax increases.

Thursday’s hearing concluded with McLain telling the committee: “We will be sending out emails to let you know next steps. We’ll be sending out information when we have some of the amendments from all of the different topics and areas of changes that we are contemplating, and we’ll be back with you as soon as we know what our time schedule is for next week.”

Monday starts the final two weeks of the 2025 legislative session.