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In the multi-million dollar advertising war over Measure 82 that pitted Oregon Trucking Associations against the American Automobile Association of Oregon and Idaho, the truckers expected to fight the auto club’s deep pockets. But funds opposing a weight-distance tax repeal also came from an unexpected source.

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Campaign records filed with the Oregon Secretary of State’s office indicate a political action committee named Oregon Truckers and Small Businesses Against the Unfair Tax Shift was funded primarily by truck stops.

Robert Russell, director of government affairs for OTA, said the reason behind the contributions is that Measure 82 would replace the weight-distance tax with higher registration fees and a 29-cent tax on diesel fuel.

Currently, the state doesn’t tax trucker’s diesel, giving Oregon truck stops an advantage over competitors in neighboring states.

For the full story, see the May 22 print edition of Transport Topics. .