St. Paul – On Friday, House Republicans called on Governor Dayton to fund roads and bridges without a gas tax increase. Governor Dayton and his staff are expected to prepare his first transportation offer this weekend and announce it Monday morning. This comes on the heels of House Republicans offering a compromise transportation proposal Wednesday based off their ten-year plan to meet the state’s road and bridge infrastructure needs with existing resources.
“As Governor Dayton drafts his counter offer this weekend, I strongly urge him to remember his own words from December: ‘a gas tax increase is dead’. Minnesotans expect us to fund our roads and bridges and they’ve asked us to do so without forcing them to pay more at the pump,” said Speaker Kurt Daudt (R-Crown).
“Since the beginning of this session we have said that our top priority is a transportation bill,” said Rep. Roz Peterson (R- Lakeville). “If a transportation bill is truly a priority for Governor Dayton as well, like he has stated, then his proposal on Monday will not include a gas tax increase. We at the House have been consistent in saying we are willing to find a compromise, but that raising the gas tax is a non-negotiable when the state has a $900 million budget surplus. Any serious offer will not include a gas tax; Governor Dayton knows the majority of Minnesotans are against a gas tax, and that we at the House have consistently said we will not support a bill that includes one."
The House Republican offer released Wednesday puts additional dollars into highways, township roads, turnbacks and makes progress on rail safety. On the transit side, in an effort to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently and effectively, the House Republican compromise provides common-sense Met Council reforms.
###