There is less than a month remaining in the 2016 legislative session as lawmakers have been working hard to address the issues facing Minnesota. An area that both Democrats and Republicans agree needs to be addressed this year is a solution that repairs Minnesota's roads and bridges.
While there is an agreement on the need, there is disagreement on how we can accomplish this goal.
My colleagues in the House and I believe that a substantial portion of the state's $900 million budget surplus should be used for roads and bridges repair. In addition to this, I am supportive of the House's plan that repurposes existing taxes that Minnesotans are already paying on car parts, auto repairs, vehicle leases, and rental cars and dedicates to a special fund called the Transportation Stability Fund. With this plan, we can fix 15,500 highway miles and over 330 bridges across the state-all without raising the gas tax.
In addition, our plan puts a special emphasis on communities in greater Minnesota with populations of less than 5,000 residents for pothole repair and other roads and bridges related needs.
Simply put, we have the existing funds and revenue streams right now to fund a comprehensive roads and bridges package.
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In contrast, both the governor and Senate are proposing to spend nearly the entire $900 million on new programs with only 4 percent going toward our roads and bridges. In addition to this, they continue to push for the largest gas tax increase in Minnesota history-one that would make Minnesota the second highest in the nation. Not only is a gas tax regressive, future revenue streams will decline as cars become more fuel efficient.
While we discuss ways to fund these needed repairs, we also need to discuss what our transportation priorities should be. Democrats in St. Paul would like to see $1 billion spent on light rail train expansions in the metro area. With that same amount of money, we could repave six lanes of every interstate in Minnesota, fund Metro Transit bus service until 2020, and fund a fix to Highway 371 outside of Baxter.
Instead of holding up a transportation plan over a billion dollar train in Minneapolis, I stand in support of repairing the roads and bridges that ninety-eight percent of Minnesotans use every day to get to work and bring their kids to school.
There is still time left this session to address our transportation needs if we focus on the areas that we agree, like roads and bridges.
I encourage you to contact me to share your thoughts on this topic or any other topic before the legislature. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-4333 or via email at rep.josh.heintzeman@house.mn .
Heintzeman, R-Nisswa, represents Minnesota House District 10A
