From the Senate debate on SB 1206:

Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Moscow, spoke against the bill, saying, “The state has adequate revenues to pay as it goes and fix its roads. ... ‘Course, that assumes we cut the fat out of the budget.”

Sen. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, spoke in favor of it, saying, “I don’t think the people of Idaho are ready for a 20 percent fuel tax increase.  … There’s not a single tax increase in this bill.” Instead, he noted, the bill moves fund from existing state revenue streams into road work, and makes continued use of GARVEE bonding. “This process, the GARVEE process, is working, is saving lives, is moving people around the state of Idaho,” Hagedorn said. The only other way Idaho could fund major road work, he said, is to “raise taxes somewhere on someone. Shifting some of these general fund dollars onto our roads is the appropriate thing to do. The majority of the states in the United States are doing that. It’s time for us to step up.”

Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise, told the Senate, “Your colleagues from Canyon County are begging for your help.” He said some have suggested sending the House just a bill for GARVEE bonding. “They aren’t going to accept just a GARVEE bill. They’re going to kill a GARVEE bill,” Winder said. “This is the sausage. It’s not very pleasant at times.”