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February 23, 2000 10:20 AM, EST

The coalition fighting to retain the repeal of Oregon’s weight-distance tax sued the state’s chapter of the American Automobile Association, claiming AAA is airing false ads in trying to convince voters to keep the truck tax system.

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The lawsuit, filed Feb. 17 in Marion County, Ore., by the Fair Funding For Better Roads coalition, takes issue with the ads that have been running since the second week of February. The ads claim that a switch to diesel fuel taxes and higher registration fees gives truckers a break at the expense of car drivers, and that out-of-state truckers would receive millions in tax reductions.

AAA declined to comment until it had a chance to review the complaint.

At issue is legislation approved by Gov. John A. Kitzhaber last year that is now the subject of a popular referendum as the result of a petition drive by AAA. The question of the weight-distance repeal and diesel tax addition is linked to an increase in the state’s gasoline tax to raise highway funds in the measure, which will be on the May presidential primary ballot.

For the full story, see the Feb. 21 print edition of Transport Topics. .