Oregon lawmakers suggest tax on studded tires

SALEM – Two lawmakers from west of the Cascades are reviving a bill that would levy a fee on Oregonians who buy studded tires to help navigate winter roads.

But the bill is facing stiff opposition from eastside lawmakers and Prineville-based Les Schwab Tires.

The co-sponsor of the legislation, Sen. Ryan Deckert, D-Beaverton, said he’s not hoping to recoup all of the roughly $11 million annually the state spends to repair ruts dug by the metal cleats.

Instead, he hopes a fee of perhaps $10 would help consumers in the temperate Willamette Valley think twice before buying the tires.

Much of the state’s studded tire damage occurs on heavily traveled Interstate 5, where snowfall and ice are a rarity, according to Department of Transportation data.

Deckert said he’s willing to be creative – perhaps only assessing the fee in western Oregon – in order to help steer drivers to less-damaging traction tires.

But Sens. Ben Westlund, R-Tumalo, and Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day, both said studded tires are a fact of life in their necks of the woods.

“Studded tires are not a luxury in central and eastern Oregon,” said Westlund. “Next to seat belts, they are the most lifesaving safety device.”

Mark Nelson, a lobbyist for Les Schwab, said the fee would be unfair to low-income people who would be steered away because of the extra $40 imposed on the sale of four studded tires.

“We believe Oregon citizens deserve to choose the tire that provides the most safety, without being forced to pay a tax,” he said.

The bill’s other sponsor, Sen. Rick Metsger, D-Welches, said studies show that on wet or dry pavement, studded tires are actually less safe because it takes longer to stop.

Studded tire-caused ruts keep water on roadways, which can lead to splashing and visibility loss, as well as hydroplaning, said John Jackley, a manager with the state highway department.