Key Washington State Democrat drops support of exported fuel tax on nearby states

A key Democrat in the Washington Legislature announced this week he no longer supports the proposed tax on fuel exported out of the state, citing negative feedback on the bill.

Rep. Jake Fey (D-Tacoma) told the legislature on Saturday he no longer backs a bill that would place a 6 cent-per-gallon tax on fuel exported from the state’s five refineries to nearby states. The revenue from the proposed tax would be used to fund rectifying the environmental effects of refining and exporting the fuel.

Lawmakers in nearby states have voiced their concerns about the proposal. Fey referred to their dissent in his announcement of his change in support.

“We’ve been hearing people and been hearing their concerns,” Fey told the Seattle Times. “Everything from the price of oil as it’s been, to the concern about what might transpire with what’s going on in Ukraine, to the response from the elected officials in Oregon, Idaho and Alaska.”

Oregon Governor Kate Brown warned the tax could jeopardize the two states’ cooperation on a new interstate crossing project over the Columbia River, and Republicans in Idaho and Alaska threatened legal action should the tax be put in place.

“I don’t think it’s constitutional, I don’t think. I mean, the whole concept of our system is that you can’t tax some other state. It violates Commerce Clause. There’s all kinds of things. The easiest thing is they just not do it,” Idaho Governor Brad Little said.