Oregon Public Broadcasting

Governor Ted Kulongoski unveiled his plan Monday, to both stimulate Oregon’s economy and improve its transportation infrastructure. As Kristian Foden-Vencil reports, it involves a 2-cent per gallon hike in the gas tax.

Those increases would raise about $500 million a year and will fund more than six thousand new transportation jobs. Kulongoski says that will both stimulate the economy and dig the state out of recession.Kulongoski: “I think this is the way to get Oregon out of this crisis, put the people to work, that’s what it’s all about.”Democrats have the super majority necessary to push a tax increase through Salem. But the governor says he wants a vigorous debate with his Republican colleagues.