The Minnesota Senate on Thursday approved a comprehensive, bipartisan transportation budget that invests billions over the next two years in the state’s transportation infrastructure without a gas tax, mileage tax, sales tax, or license tab fee increase.
“Funding transportation is one of the core functions of state government,” said Senator Mark Johnson (R-East Grand Forks). “This transportation package brings historic funding to our state. We invest in our road and bridge infrastructure without raising the gas tax or instituting any new mileage taxes. I also fought to include funding for an airport in Karlstad and six much-needed driver’s testing locations spread across Northwest Minnesota. I can’t tell you how many calls and emails I’ve received about test-takers driving hours to Bemidji or Moorhead just to take a driving test. There is no excuse why we can’t bring these services back to Northwest Minnesota.”
The Senate transportation budget provides $3.03 billion for state road construction, development, and maintenance; $2.25 billion for County and Municipal State Aid Roads; and $334 million for Corridors of Commerce. The bill also provides $60 million for local and small bridges and $18.5 million for the Local Road Improvement Program. The bill also provides unprecedented levels of new, ongoing funding for small city and township roads.
The bill boosts funding for roads and bridges by increasing the share of dedicated existing revenue from the auto parts sales tax, with additional dedicated funding for small cities and townships. Furthermore, the bill includes a $5.6 million grant to the City of Karlstad to help construct a new airport.
Less stress, more convenience for drivers
The Senate transportation budget will improve convenience and ease stress for Minnesota drivers by allowing Minnesotans to purchase their license tabs and replacement license plates from fully-automated kiosks; by allowing third-party locations to offer road tests in order to clear out the backlog of students waiting to take their driver’s test; by permitting driver’s education students to take the classroom portion of their instruction online; and by creating a pilot program where Minnesotans could receive their standard driver’s license card the same day they renew their license or pass their driving test. The bill establishes local driver’s license testing locations in Crookston, East Grand Forks, Hallock, Roseau, Thief River Falls, and Warren.
Roads, not bike paths
The bill would prohibit MnDOT from converting car lanes on trunk highways to bike paths or bike routes, or from using gas tax revenue to build bike paths. The bill also prohibits local governments from unilaterally creating bike paths in areas that would eliminate or relocate disability parking spaces.
Cleaning up illegal and unconstitutional MnDOT spending
The Constitution mandates Minnesota’s gas tax, motor vehicle sales taxes, tab fees, and auto parts sales tax be used strictly for “highway purposes,” yet each year the state spends about $232 million from these accounts on programs unrelated to roads. The bill cancels funding for items deemed unnecessary, like tourist information centers or bike paths, and shifts essential programs, such as emergency 9-1-1 radio communications, to the general fund.
Keeping kids safe while in route to school
The bill includes $35 million to protect children at school bus stops by equipping every school bus in Minnesota with cameras to catch stop-arm violators. Minnesota would likely be the first state in the nation to achieve that mark. The bill also provides $1 million dollars for the successful Safe Routes to Schools program, which aims to improve student safety and reduce traffic near schools.
Protecting state taxpayers from wasteful rail spending
The bill suspends funding for the heavily subsidized North Star passenger rail, pending federal approval. The bill also protects statewide taxpayers by shifting the responsibility for funding current and future light rail development to counties instead of the state of Minnesota.
Supporting law enforcement
The bill keeps the state’s commitment to law enforcement by providing $267 million over the next two years for the state patrol, including $9.1 million to hire 25 new troopers and $6.3 million to meet their request for body cameras.
