Subcommittee signals support for aligning statutory exemptions and advancing low‑income discount 'as soon as feasible'

Staff presented three categories of potential discounts and exemptions: (1) required exemptions under state law or federal treaties (for example, identified treaty-based exempt parties), (2) operational exemptions consistent with Washington toll facilities (state maintenance vehicles, tow trucks, school buses, emergency vehicles), and (3) discretionary programs including the low‑income toll discount. Staff and commissioners discussed differences in state law (Washington’s statute currently disallows transit exemptions on bridges; Oregon’s law is silent on that point) and the need to align application across states to minimize customer confusion.

Commissioners discussed tribal exemptions and treaty claims; Commissioner Baker asked that consultations not be limited to named tribes because other tribes (for example the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla) may assert treaty rights. Staff said preemption questions for tribes would be addressed through legal counsel and relevant agencies. On the low‑income program, consultants from Stantec presented a test showing that moving a 50% low‑income discount to day‑one of pre‑completion tolling would produce a roughly 2% reduction in gross revenue and about $16.7 million less net toll revenue across a seven‑year pre‑completion span (roughly a 3% net revenue difference). Commissioners asked staff to have debt managers or treasurer offices evaluate the materiality of that change to the program’s $1.5 billion revenue target.

The subcommittee coalesced around guidance to: (a) align required state‑law exemptions across both states for consistency, (b) include Washington’s standard operational exemptions, and (c) pursue the low‑income toll discount implementation "as soon as feasible," subject to fiscal sufficiency analysis.