Record fuel costs are forcing people to drive less, and that is cutting into tax collections that pay for road construction in Washington state.
It's a cycle that might prompt state leaders to seek more money through tolls, shifting funds from health or environmental projects, or a new version of the tax on car values that voters rejected years ago.
"There are a lot of things going on in the world that affect our ability to put those projects out there. When we're getting a reduction in consumption, and this increase in prices, it's going to be a tough one for us," state budget director Victor Moore advised state Department of Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond recently.
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