By DIRK VANDERHART/Oregon Public Broadcasting

SALEM — Oregon lawmakers heard overwhelming opposition Monday to a Democratic proposal that would speed up a vote on gas taxes and other road fees.

With threats of legal challenges and political repercussions, people opposed to Senate Bill 1599 urged the majority party to back off what they said was an ill-conceived and overtly political maneuver.

“Oregonians have spoken,” said Will Hobson of the Libertarian Party of Oregon, whose comments mirrored many others in a roughly 90-minute public hearing on the bill. “Stop undermining their choice.”

At issue is what may be the most politically contentious question of Oregon’s 2026 legislative session: when voters should get a say on tax and fee hikes meant to pay for road maintenance and avert layoffs.

Democrats passed those increases last September, after struggling much of the year to find funding. But the new revenue streams — a six-cent-per-gallon gas tax increase, big hikes to vehicle registration and titling fees, and a temporary doubling of a tax that funds public transit — are on hold. A successful signature gathering campaign led by Republicans put their fate on the November ballot.

SB 1599 would bump that vote up to the May primary. While the taxes are broadly expected to meet defeat whenever the vote occurs, supporters of the bill argue getting certitude sooner will help the state chart a new course.

“The voters know what’s best for their pocketbooks, not the Salem politicians,” said Nick Stark, executive director of a group called the Oregon Freedom Coalition that helped to refer the tax package to the ballot. “Heed my warning: Whether May or November, voters will not forget the attempts to be silenced by this bill.”

Some opponents suggested consequences could come even sooner. Catherine Caudle of Redmond told lawmakers she planned to submit a statement opposing the taxes to the Oregon voters’ pamphlet, using an avenue that allows citizens to avoid the $1,200 fee by collecting 500 voter signatures. If the vote were moved to May, Caudle said, she would not have enough time to do so.

“I did talk to a lawyer and he said that I would have a case and I would most likely get an injunction,” Caudle said.

Online testimony offered the same imbalance as those who spoke at Monday’s hearing. As of early Monday afternoon, nearly 3,300 pieces of testimony had been filed in response to the bill. Fewer than 50 were in support.

Under state law, any bill that is referred to voters for final approval is decided upon during the November general election. But it’s not uncommon for legislative action to move those votes to an earlier date. In 2000, the last time a statewide gas tax hike was referred to voters, lawmakers ensured that vote would be held in May instead of November.

Despite that history, SB 1599 has become a flashpoint in this year’s month-long legislative session. Republicans are keen to seize any political advantage they can from the gas tax vote appearing on the general election ballot, when Gov. Tina Kotek and most legislative Democrats will be up for reelection. They have signaled they will consider any option to kill or delay the bill.

In the meantime, lawmakers need to figure out how to fund the state’s transportation department. With the tax and fee hikes blocked, ODOT is staring down a funding hole of roughly $242 million.

Legislative leaders have said they will eliminate vacant positions and reshuffle existing spending within the agency’s budget to fill that hole. They have not released a detailed proposal for doing so. A hearing on the ODOT budget is set for Tuesday.