Rep. Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, asked the House, "Do you honestly think that this bill addresses the issue? ... It'll fix one pothole. ... It's still a tax increase." Clark said if the House passes the 2-cent gas tax increase, the Senate will amend it to make it much larger. "What do you think, a nickel, a dime?" he asked. "It's going to be added to it. ... We lose in those conference committees, and when we lose, your taxes are going to go up. it's a terrible time. We're going to raise taxes. I agree we've got a problem; this doesn't solve the problem."

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