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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Kelly Fenton (R)

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Legislative Update

Thursday, May 19, 2016

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Constituents from Woodbury who came to discuss human rights issues with me this week.

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The legislature is adjourning in under a week, and we are currently negotiating final bills with the Senate and governor. The big ticket items including transportation, tax relief and bonding are the largest items that we are working out, and I am hopeful that we will come to a bipartisan agreement on these bills before Monday.

Fixing our road and bridge infrastructure is one of the top issues that people in Woodbury have been advocating for this session. Governor Dayton released two plans on Monday to fund transportation, one with a gas tax increase and the other with no new gas tax, but a significant tab fee hike that could see some people paying as much as $365 more a year. With a $900 million surplus, we found the plans took too much from Minnesotans.

Countering that offer on Tuesday, House Republicans met the governor half way using key components of his plan and the Road and Bridge Act that the House passed last year. Half of the proposal, or $300 million, would come from existing funds to pay for road and bridge improvements. The other half of the proposal comes from the governor's recommendations: $200 million from trunk highway and general obligation bonds, as well as another $100 million from modifications to the depreciation schedule for tab fees. Unlike the governor's proposal that would essentially double some people's tab fees, however, our proposal will not increase tab fees for any car currently on the road today. In fact, more than half the cars on the road would see a decrease in tab fees under our proposal while still bringing in additional revenue for roads and bridges. In total, our plan would put $6 billion toward transportation over the next decade.

In addition to offering a middle-ground transportation proposal, House Republicans also offered to set targets for a $450 million tax relief bill and an increased bonding proposal from $600 to $800 million in a good faith effort to compromise. The House released their bonding proposal yesterday which prioritizes local road and bridge projects, water infrastructure and higher education asset preservation.

While transportation and taxes dominate the news headlines, the House also is moving forward on other issues before we adjourn. REAL ID passed off the House floor this week. Without moving forward on implementing federal REAL ID requirements, a Minnesota-issued driver's license will not be a valid form of identification for air travel or to enter federal facilities. This is an issue that needs to get done, and by passing this bill, we want to ensure Minnesotans that they will be able to use their driver's license to travel, visit family on a military base or enter a federal building.

I will keep you updated on all the latest at the Capitol as we head into this final stretch of negotiations.

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As always, if you have ideas about what you would like to see happen this session or need assistance on a matter of state government, I welcome you to contact me. Please don’t hesitate to call (651-296-1147), email (rep.kelly.fenton@house.mn) or stop by my office.

Sincerely,

Kelly

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