ST. PAUL, MN – State Representative Erik Simonson released the following statement about the House Republican transportation plan that was released this morning.
“The Republican leadership today is touting a plan that supposedly invests ‘new money’ in our roads and bridges, but they aren’t being forthcoming about where that ‘new money’ comes from. Republicans refuse to be honest with Minnesotans about the fact that their only plan to maintain crumbling infrastructure will also gut the future budgets of schools, nursing homes, and local governments in all the places they claim to love most. Duluth knows better than any community that we are nearing a crisis situation in Minnesota when it comes to roads and bridges. We also expect bolder action to fund transit services that local families rely on. I believe there is still a way to a bipartisan transportation plan that helps all Minnesotans, but it doesn’t go through this proposal, which lacks foresight, revenue, and the leadership that our neighbors expect of their state’s elected officials. This lack of leadership is a hurdle to our future economic success, and we can remove it if we work together, but borrowing money from schools and hospitals and relying on borrowing is no way to fund Minnesota’s transportation system.”
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