US Energy Crisis

Oregon voters have rejected a gas tax increase passed last year by Democratic lawmakers. Tuesday’s outcome is a win for Republicans, who put the issue before voters just as the Iran war was causing gas prices to soar. Democrats last fall raised the state gas tax by 6 cents a gallon and increased a series of fees to help pay for road maintenance and plug a hole in the state’s transportation budget. Republicans responded by launching the referendum campaign to refer the tax and fee increases to voters.