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State Representative Patti Fritz
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-8237
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
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BIPARTISAN SUPPORT GETS THE JOB DONE FOR TRANSPORTATION
St. Paul, MN- A comprehensive transportation bill was passed in the House today, with Democrats and Republicans joining ranks to provide $4.37 billion to get Minnesota's transportation system moving again. The bill passed on a vote of 83-46.
"I supported this bill because it is good for our state, including rural Minnesota," said Fritz. "As the result of this legislation, in conjunction with the Minnesota Vehicle Sales Tax, Rice County will receive an additional $1.67 million in 2008; the city of Faribault will receive an additional $222 thousand."
Fritz said she received several indications of support for the transportation bill from local and county residents, telling her to vote yes for increased funding for state road projects.
The bill will pump an average of $760 million of new revenue a year into the state's transportation system, including $651 million a year for roads and highways and $109.3 million a year for transit. In order to generate the necessary revenue, it includes a gasoline tax – five cents this year and another five cents next year.
Minnesota's gas tax is currently at 20 cents per gallon, and has not been raised since 1988. Out of the 50 states, Minnesota currently ranks 40th with regard to the size of their gas tax. Wisconsin's gas tax is 51.3 cents, South Dakota and North Dakota have respective taxes of 42.4 and 41.4, and Iowans pay 40.4 cents per gallon.
It is estimated that a ten-cent gas tax increase would cost the average motorist $60, based on 11,000 miles.
"If we can have safer roads and bridges, less congestion and lower property taxes, I don't think $60 a year is too bad," said Fritz. "Our roads should take us to work and home again safely to spend time with our families. It's very important that we take care of them."
A 2005 Twin Cities Transportation System audit revealed that between 1983 and 2003, traffic delays in the Twin Cities increase by more than 1500%
"More and more people are living in our area and commuting to work in the Twin Cities and the suburbs," said Fritz. "Reducing this congestion can only help our area continue to grow and prosper."
According to Fritz, a series of problems have arisen over the past few years that point to the need for increased transportation funding. They include delayed projects, deteriorating roads conditions, increased traffic congestion, reduced road maintenance and the shifting of funds from one account to another to make up for cash flow problems.
"Cities and counties have had little choice but to pick up the slack," said Fritz. "Since 1997, spending on roads by Minnesota counties, cities and townships from their own funds, not state or federal grants, rose from $700 million to $1.042 billion in 2004.
Most of that has come from property taxes."
Despite this infusion of local funds, a report issued last year by MnDOT showed that the percentage of the state's highway miles rated as smooth dropped from 81 percent in 2000 to 67 percent in 2005. That was the third year in a row the department has missed its stated goal of having 70 percent or more of highways with a smooth surface, a target they have met for more than 20 years.
"Minnesota is a big state, with thousands of miles of roads that our residents travel on for work, school and recreation," said Fritz. "Let's help make sure everyone gets to their destination safely by giving them good roads to drive on."
News Items
- STATE REP. PATTI FRITZ PARTICIPATES IN START OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION - (Posted: Jan 9 2013 3:32PM)
- Rep. Fritz: Homeowners, Farmers Need Property Tax Relief - (Posted: 2012-05-01 00:00:00)
- Rep. Fritz: Let’s Vote on a Bonding Bill that Benefits All - (Posted: 2012-04-19 00:00:00)
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