The group that fought successfully two years ago to keep the state gas tax increase in place is fast raising money to help pass a regional transportation plan that would raise taxes to pay for nearly $18 billion in projects.

Keep Washington Rolling has raised $689,550 this year for the campaign to pass a three-county roads package and an expansion of Sound Transit. Microsoft is the top donor, having given $200,000 earlier this month. The list below shows all the 2007 donors and you'll see that many of the companies and unions are involved in the road- and rail-building business.

08/14 — $200,000 MICROSOFT CORPORATION

08/16 — $75,000 SEATTLE MARINERS

06/29 — $50,000 WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

07/13 — $40,000 NAIOP WA STATE CHAPTER

07/17 — $35,000 ACEC WASHINGTON

08/09 — $33,000 WA ST. BLDG. & CONST. TRADES COUNCIL

08/09 — $30,000 HNTB CORPORATION

08/14 — $30,000 PB AMERICAS INC.

07/31 — $25,000 PEMCO MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY

06/12 -- $25,000 PEMCO MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY

07/25 — $20,000 AGC OF WASHINGTON

08/09 — $20,000 BUILDERS UNITED IN LEGISLATIVE DEV.

07/19 — $20,000 PERTEET INC.

08/10 — $15,000 WOODWORTH & COMPANY INC.

08/16 — $10,000 AEROSPACE MACH. IND. DIST. LODGE #751

07/31 — $10,000 ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS LEG. COUNCIL

07/13 — $10,000 NAIOP

07/18 — $10,000 WASHINGTON STATE LABOR COUNCIL

08/14 — $10,000 WASHINGTON STATE LABOR COUNCIL

07/16 — $7,000 WA ST. BLDG. & CONST. TRADES COUNCIL

08/16 — $5,000 ARUP NORTH AMERICA LTD.

07/31 — $5,000 WASHINGTON STATE LABOR COUNCIL

08/14 — $2,500 PIERCE CO. BLDG. & CONST. TRADES COUNCIL

08/16 — $1,000 RENTON CARPENTERS UNION LOCAL 1797

07/26 — $500 BAYLIS ARCHITECTS

06/25 — $500 DOUG Levy

08/08 — $50 RICHARD D. ALMY

There is an opposition committee organized by the Sierra Club. The Slog looks at how the Sierra Club has split from the wider environmental community on the vote. But so far I don't find any money raised by that group, or by the Eastside Transportation Alliance
Association, which also opposes the fall ballot measure.