Minnesota Legislature
State fair poll: Tax hikes for transit, transportation receive positive responses
Most of those participating in the House of Representatives state fair poll are willing to pay more in taxes to fund metro area transit and additional funding for statewide transportation needs.
Of the 6,550 people participating in the 2016 opinion survey, 60.6 percent expressed support for at least a dime increase in the state’s 28.5 cents-per-gallon gas tax to fund highway and bridge improvements, while 32.2 percent are opposed and 7.2 percent are undecided or have no opinion.
Nearly an equal split — 59.6/32.2/8.1 — support an increase in the metro area sales tax to fund mass transit projects, including bus and light rail projects.
Conducted by the nonpartisan House Public Information Services Office, the poll is an informal, unscientific survey of issues discussed in prior legislative sessions and that may be topics of discussion in 2017.
WATCH Minnesota State Fair poll results on YouTube
Transportation was a major issue during the 2016 session; however, the Legislature and Gov. Mark Dayton could not reach agreement on how to fund road and bridge improvements across the state and more bus and light rail lines in the Twin Cities metropolitan area; nor could an agreement be reached during summer negotiations between the governor and legislative leaders.
Related Articles
Search Session Daily
Advanced Search OptionsPriority Dailies
Ways and Means Committee OKs proposed $512 million supplemental budget on party-line vote
By Mike Cook
Meeting more needs or fiscal irresponsibility is one way to sum up the differences among the two parties on a supplemental spending package a year after a $72 billion state budg...
Minnesota’s projected budget surplus balloons to $3.7 billion, but fiscal pressure still looms
By Rob Hubbard
Just as Minnesota has experienced a warmer winter than usual, so has the state’s budget outlook warmed over the past few months.
On Thursday, Minnesota Management and Budget...
