Gregoire, Rossi Campaigns Spar Over Gas Taxes

SPOKANE – – Election ads are heating up in the race to be Washington State’s new Governor with recent ads from both Governor Christine Gregoire and challenger Dino Rossi alleging the other raised gas taxes.

Rossi’s ad reflects on the days when “we used to pay $20 for a fill-up and expect some change back,” then goes on to allege the governor made things worse when she raised the gas tax.

Governor Gregoire’s ad blames Rossi for higher gas prices.

“Dino, Dino, Dino, didn’t you think we’d check your record? It’s Dino Rossi that voted to raise the gas tax,” the ad says.

So really who is to blame? The answer is both.

Both parties, in some form, approved the increased gas tax. Rossi voted for a 5 cent increase as a state Senator in 2003, and in 2005 Governor Gregoire signed a bill passed by the legislature that raised the gas tax by nine and a half cents, the largest such increase in U.S. History.

Washington State has one of the highest gas tax rates in the nation.