After weeks of silence and mounting criticism, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has finally signed House Bill 3991, the so-called emergency transportation package, into law after sitting on it for more than a month. The measure fills a $300 million funding gap for the Oregon Department of Transportation, but it also raises taxes and fees on Oregon drivers who are already facing record living costs.
Kotek signed the bill on Friday, November 7, just five days before the legal deadline of November 12. The timing has drawn sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers and taxpayer advocates who say the delay was no coincidence. By waiting until the last possible moment, Kotek effectively shortened the window for opponents to gather signatures for a voter referendum. Under Oregon law, no petitions can circulate until the governor signs a bill, meaning her stall tactic left Oregonians with far less time to respond.
The governor’s office called the legislation an urgent fix to preserve public transit and prevent layoffs of essential transportation workers. Kotek said the bill will help keep highways and local roads open and safe, while thanking lawmakers and stakeholders for their support. Critics argue the real urgency was political, not practical. The Oregon House passed the bill on September 1, and the Senate followed on September 29, but Kotek waited until early November to act and did not publicly announce her signature until the following Monday.
Reports from KATU and FOX 12 confirm that the last-minute signing came just before the cutoff date. Under the new law, the average Oregon driver will pay around $66 more each year through increased gas taxes and vehicle registration fees. Combined with higher payroll taxes, the bill represents one of the largest middle-class tax hikes in recent years, pushed through under the label of infrastructure and safety.
Republican leaders including Representative Ed Diehl of Scio and Senate Minority Leader Bruce Starr of Dundee said the move was designed to limit public involvement and push more financial burden onto working families. One GOP staffer criticized the approach, saying that instead of cutting waste or redirecting existing funds, state leaders continue to tax more, spend more, and justify it in the name of public good.
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Critics argue that Oregon’s issue isn’t a lack of money but a lack of priorities. Billions continue to flow into unrelated programs while roads and bridges deteriorate, leaving taxpayers footing the bill for political mismanagement. Opponents have now formed the Right to Vote on the Gas Tax PAC, hoping to refer HB 3991 to the November 2026 ballot. But because Kotek delayed her signature, the group has little time to collect the required signatures.
Adding to the frustration, Kotek openly urged citizens not to sign the petition, saying it would “take away our basic ability as Oregonians to keep our roads operating.” To many, it felt like another instance of government telling voters to stay quiet and accept higher taxes as inevitable.
In 2000, Oregonians overwhelmingly rejected a gas tax proposal by 87 percent. Two and a half decades later, they’re facing another tax package, once again marketed as a necessity. Kotek may call it responsible leadership, but for many Oregonians, it feels more like another example of politics as usual—where the government’s sense of urgency only seems to apply when it’s time to collect more money.
