For the first time ever, state gas taxes will automatically increase starting today, July 1st. The 2% increase in Washington State's gas tax will automatically take effect this year (and every year subsequent) on July 1st. The legislature put gas tax policy on autopilot last year when it passed HB 2711 on March 12 and the governor signed it into law.
The act removes the requirements for debate, public input or discussion, or legislative action before subsequent increases.
State gas taxes were previously increased by $.06 per gallon in 2025, bringing the state total to 55.4 cents per gallon. That is in addition to the federal taxes of 18.4 cents per gallon and the fees added by the State’s Climate Commitment Act that tack on about 50 cents per gallon. As a result, Washington residents pay among the highest gas prices in the country, frequently more than a dollar per gallon above other states.
Imposing an automatic annual tax increase reduces pressure on the legislature to set priorities within a limited budget, and removes public opportunity to weigh-in on the transportation budget and future tax increases. Automatic increases enable the Legislature to avoid choices between maintaining state highways and peripheral non-highway programs. Priorities should be set with budgets to match.
One of the legislature’s purposes in indexing the fuel tax was to provide an increasing stream of revenue to address the problem of the deteriorating conditions of state roads and bridges. But by not providing priories, automatic increases perpetuate some of the same issues that have led to our current challenges. The state has growing problems, increasingly limited resources, and raising taxes increases the burden on people already struggling with inflation and the cost of living. Washington may need additional resources to tackle it's maintenance backlog, but it also needs to prioritize its spending and maximize the value provided to taxpayers.