Oregon lawmakers face a key cutoff today to ensure a May vote on new gas taxes, escalating a partisan fight over shifting the referendum from November.

Why it matters: The outcome will determine how soon the state could close a $350 million-plus transportation funding gap affecting drivers and public transit users statewide.

State of play: Republicans adamantly oppose Senate Bill 1599, which would move a vote on raising gas taxes to fund transportation from the November election to the May primary.

• They argue that hundreds of thousands of people signed petitions putting it before voters on November's ballot.
• They've also accused Democrats of trying to avoid asking voters to approve new taxes on the same ballot as Democratic candidates.
• Democrats argue an earlier vote would give the state certainty on transportation funding and help avoid layoffs and service cuts.

On Monday, state senators passed the bill 17-13 after Republicans staged a one-day walkout last week that temporarily delayed the measure. House Republicans similarly boycotted the Capitol on Monday.

The latest: Republicans returned to the House chamber Tuesday and the bill was referred to the Speaker's desk, where it will next be assigned to a committee.

Catch up quick: Lawmakers called a special session last fall after failing to agree on how to fill a transportation budget deficit of more than $350 million.

• The fix that came out of that session — higher gas taxes, plus new fees for road users — sparked a Republican campaign to refer the new taxes to voters on the coming November ballot.
• Opponents gathered more than 250,000 signatures — far exceeding the 78,000 required — in a matter of weeks.
• Democrats responded with a bill that would move the vote from November to the primary election in May, a move they argue would give the state certainty over its transportation budget sooner.

The intrigue: The secretary of state "strongly recommended" lawmakers act by today for the gas taxes to appear on May ballots, per OPB. It may still be possible if the bill passes as late as March 8.

What's next

The Milan Cortina Olympics were a showcase for growth and inclusion in winter sports, but the infrastructure that keeps those sports alive is on thin ice.

Why it matters: If warming weather trends continue, the map of where people can learn to curl, play hockey or ski will be limited.

• "Climate change is ultimately going to be an arbiter of the growth of winter sports versus people's interest," Lauren Anderson, director of the University of Oregon's Warsaw Sports Business Center, told Axios.

State of play: National and local grassroots efforts led to more diverse representation in the Winter Olympics, with U.S. women Elana Meyers Taylor, Alysa Liu, Chloe Kim and Laila Edwards among the success stories in Italy.

• Organizations like Black Boarders CT in Connecticut offer programs for youth and mothers of color.
• The Professional Women's Hockey League is taking games and clinics beyond home markets to increase exposure and participation.

Yes, but: Warmer, more unpredictable winters are forcing the industry to rely heavily on artificial snow just to keep the slopes open — and fake snow has limits.

• It requires near-freezing temperatures and relatively dry air to work, so the window of time when fake snow can be made has been shrinking.
• Look no further than our anemic ski season in the Cascades for evidence of the limits of artificial snow.

The bottom line: No matter how strong demand is, winter sports still need winter.

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💰 Portland officials are looking to expand tax breaks for small businesses in an effort to spur the local economy. (The Oregonian)

🔙 Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden is among a group of Democrats calling on the federal government to refund roughly $175 billion in tariff revenues after the Supreme Court ruled them illegal. (OPB)

🏛️ Mayor Keith Wilson appointed Brenda Alvarado as Portland's first immigrant affairs lead, who will oversee the city's sanctuary city policies and provide support to immigrant communities. (KGW)

🎤 PDX Live announced the lineup for its Pioneer Courthouse Square summer concert series, which includes Ani DiFranco, The Breeders, Modest Mouse and Vince Staples, among others. (Portland Mercury)

The start of the Portland Fire's inaugural season in the WNBA could be threatened if the league and the players don't reach a labor agreement soon, according to The Athletic.

The big picture: The league informed general managers and the players association that, unless a deal is reached by March 10, the labor dispute could start to disrupt parts of the coming season.

• The WNBA still needs to hold expansion drafts for the Fire and the other new team, the Toronto Tempo, plus hold its normal draft and conduct free agency for its veteran players.
• Training camp, scheduled to start in mid-April, would likely be the first part of the schedule impacted by the labor dispute.

What's next: The Fire's first regular season game is on the calendar for May 9 and we're just hoping it stays that way.