ST. PAUL - Ahead of this Friday's February budget forecast, State Representative Tony Cornish (R-Vernon Center) is urging support for a long-term transportation plan that would invest $7 billion in state roads and bridges over the next ten years without an increase in the gas tax. In total, the plan would repair or replace more than 15,500 lane miles of road and 330 bridges statewide.
"I've heard from many folks in our district who are happy about redirecting some revenue that's already being collected and using it to improve our roads and bridges," Cornish said. "They understand that gas taxes don't need to be raised, and most people I've talked with believe this bill makes a lot of sense."
Cornish said the House proposal was approved on a bipartisan basis last session, and even though a compromise was not reached before the 2015 session ended, discussions can resume immediately in 2016.
"Some lawmakers are saying we should raise the gas tax while the price is low, but fluctuation of the gas tax based on the price per gallon – which is what the Senate has proposed – is poor math," Cornish said. "The gas tax is one of the most regressive tax we have that hits the working poor harder than anyone else. I would rather fund roads from a pot that includes everyone, not just the poor and those who have long daily commutes to and from their workplace."
Along with utilizing revenue that's already being collected from sales taxes on auto parts, rental vehicles, and other transportation-related items, the proposal also uses bonding and general funds as funding sources.
Over the next ten years, the Republican proposal invests:
$4.03 billion for state roads
$1.44 billion for county roads
$583 million for municipal roads
$282 million for small cities under 5,000
$139 million for Greater Minnesota bus services
$60 million for township roads & bridges
Expanding funding for the Small Cities Program is one of the major components of the GOP plan. The program, which was created thanks to GOP leadership in 2015, would distribute nearly $700,000 in funding for towns in Watonwan, Blue Earth, and Waseca counties over the next two years if the House's long-term transportation proposal becomes law.
"This means that every biennium, cities like St. James would receive $118,000, Madelia and Lake Crystal would see $67,000 and Mapleton would receive $56,000 from the state to fix their streets," Cornish said. "This is yet another way we are trying to prioritize the needs of Greater Minnesota."
Legislators are also working to pass a tax bill this upcoming session and Cornish said he will continue to advocate for significant tax relief in the event of a large budget surplus.
The 2016 session is set to begin on March 08, 2016.