ST. PAUL – On February 17, Governor Dayton and his transportation commissioner told Minnesotans that future Highway 14 construction won’t happen unless the governor’s $9 billion transportation tax and fee increase proposal is approved by the Legislature.
State Representative Tony Cornish (R-Vernon Center) said he was disappointed by the administration’s scare tactic.
“We used to worry about the feds blackmailing us with road funds in order for them to get what they wanted, whether it was .08 or seat belt or speed limit legislation,” Cornish said. “Now our governor and his staff are following suit by claiming nothing will happen with Highway 14 unless he gets his way and you send $9 billion more to the State.”
Roads, bridges, and light rail would all see additional funding under Governor Dayton’s plan as it would raise a number of taxes and fees on hardworking Minnesotans in order to raise $9 billion.
Cornish said one of the most controversial provisions in the governor’s plan is the 6.5 percent tax on wholesale gasoline. This proposal would increase the per-gallon cost to Minnesota drivers by a minimum of 17 cents, and that number could rise.
Cornish said he’s already received phone calls from concerned residents about Governor Dayton’s massive tax increase proposal.
“People are telling me they’re finally seeing some relief when it comes to the price of gasoline, and they’re really upset that Governor Dayton wants them to pay more,” Cornish said. “These folks don’t want to waste hundreds of dollars each year for the privilege of driving to work, they want to spend that money on their families.” “
Anyone that’s driven Highway 14 in the last 20 years knows it has been improved greatly and all of those changes happened without radical tax increases,” Cornish said. “It’s disingenuous of the governor and his staff to suggest that Highway 14 improvements will disappear unless drivers are forced to pay more at the pump.”