Op-Ed: Washington state’s gas tax is going up in July and will automatically increase yearly; that’s a big problem

Washington state’s third-highest-in-the-nation gas tax is going up again on July 1, 2026. It will be the first “automatic” or “inflation-based” increase since ESHB 2711, signed by Governor Bob Ferguson in 2025. The law allows state officials to increase the gas tax by two percent every year and does not require the public or elected officials to vote on the increase.

At a time when gas prices are significantly higher due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East and state policies that artificially increase the cost of gas like the state carbon tax (estimated at $0.52 per gallon), some Washingtonians are feeling the pinch of paying even more than they have to just to drive to work.

According to AAA, Washingtonians already pay more for the same gas than their neighbors in Idaho and Oregon, whose prices typically range from $0.50 to $1.00 less than Washington (AAA as of 6/22/2026: ID – $4.24, OR – $4.84, WA – $5.34). Even school districts are feeling the pinch, as some Eastern Washington districts have saved thousands by taking advantage of Idaho’s less costly gas when filling up their school buses. …