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State Representative Linda Slocum
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-7158
For more information contact: Joan Nichols 651-29X-XXXX
Column/LTE
A Transportation System In A Jam
State Rep. Linda Slocum
Minnesota House of Representatives Contact: Joan Nichols
District 63B (651) 296-7158 651-296-8891
523 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155 Joan.Nichols@house.mn
Dear Editor,
The transportation system in Minnesota is in a serious jam. Years of neglect, underfunding and excess borrowing have driven our largest investment into a disastrous state. The Department of Transportation has a number of financial headaches: increased traffic congestion, deteriorating road conditions, reduced road maintenance and delayed projects…the list seems to have no end. If things remain unchecked and no new action is taken to improve Minnesota's transportation and transit networks our state's economy will take a serious hit.
The problem is – and has been for a decade – a lack of funding on the state level. The gas tax, the major source of funding for our highway system, hasn't increased since 1988. With inflation, that 20-cent tax on a gallon of gas is worth the equivalent of 12 cents today. Six years ago, we also slashed license tab fees, another key source of highway funding, by $176 million a year and never replaced it.
The situation has been compounded by the Pawlenty administration's refusal to make the tough choices on transportation, opting instead to pay for our roads and highway projects with the state credit card. Under the current administration an unprecedented level of bonding has been approved based on the expectation of federal funds. These funds haven't always arrived at the project level or time, leaving the Minnesota Department of Transportation with a serious cash flow problem.
We're four years into this approach, and look where's it gotten us – In 2005, MnDOT announced it was $300 million in the red. Over the last few years, the Department has had to do some serious shifting of funds simply to cover the cost of projects already underway, while delaying high profile projects like the Crosstown/35W interchange.
Delaying projects is not an attractive alternative. Every year we delay a major project like the Crosstown/35W interchange, it costs the taxpayers another $30 million in increased construction costs. That's on top of the rising congestion that businesses and residents experience in the Twin Cities because of clogged commutes and the declining safety of our roads and highways.
The Governor's response to our current transportation jam has been to ask for more borrowing. An estimated $1.8 billion a year in funding will be needed to simply stay even when it comes to congestion and maintenance. We need to explore other sources of revenue other than borrowing or shifting the burden to local levels of government and property taxes.
I look forward to having an opportunity to work with the Governor and other legislative leaders to examine all options to fairly finance Minnesota's transportation system.
Sincerely,
Rep. Linda Slocum
District 63B
523 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 296-7158
Rep.Linda.Slocum@house.mn
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