As the legislature works towards passing the transportation bill I’d like all the Republicans who’ll crow when the Governor vetoes the ‘tax laden’ bill, to make sure that you’ve read the Legislative Auditor’s report on Minnesota’s state highway system. Some highlights from the summary.
- After 2003, inflation-adjusted revenues from Minnesota motor vehicle and fuel taxes declined, and the state made substantial use of debt financing to support the state trunk highway system.
- Although the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has a “preservation first” policy, over half of trunk highway construction spending since 2002 has gone toward system expansion, leaving important preservation needs unmet.
- MnDOT estimates that it will need $672 million per year between 2012 and 2018 for trunk highway preservation, about equal to the forecasted revenues available for all trunk highway construction.
- Since 2002, the ride quality of state trunk highways has generally declined. The structural condition of bridges has generally improved.
(I moved one point in here, and the emphasis is mine)
In case it was lost on anyone, the Legislative Auditor just said that if we want to preserve the highways we have it will take every penny available for highway construction.
So here’s the deal Republicans if you want to veto this bill, fine by me. But what I want, and what the people of Minnesota deserve, is your list of the highways in Minnesota that you’re going to let sink into disrepair.
I saw that report too. I think there are many Republicans who are not having a problem with the gas tax increase. It is the sales tax increase attached to the same bill that is problematic.
We know this much: There is probably the capacity to raise gas tax, but not the capacity to raise all taxes so much that we can complete our entire transportation “wish list”, unless we raise taxes to the point of no longer making the state attractive for knowledge workers and the new creative class.
That is why I continue to think that a gas tax increase in conjunction with prudent bonding (for the new road build-out) is warranted right now.
You guys have the cheapest gas around, way cheaper than Illinois and cheaper than Wisconsin. I don’t think a moderate tax increase is unwarranted.
The OLA’s report confirms what I have been saying all along. We need to invest more in maintaining our system AND build lanes for Suburban commuters. We can’t do it without an infusion of a lot more money. We can’t borrow enough to do the job, the debt service would take up all the money eventually. The transportation funding problems go back to the 1st Carlson administration. The difference now is we have a DOT Commissioner who doesn’t want her department to get the money it needs. We cannot keep postponing dealing with this issue, the time is now to make the tough vote.
Either Pawlenty or if won’t, some House members are going to have to put aside ideology and do the right thing for Minnesota’s future and invest in Transportation.
I think the Leg. Auditor said something very important - keep what we have fixed before punching new roads into farm fields for new development.
The Lt. Gov./Transportation Commissioner benefited from new roads (look what happened to her old farm), so I don’t suspect the Gov. wants to see the business model change.