Dear Friends,
This last week has been spent on the House floor debating various budget bills. With the major omnibus bills passed, the legislature is on break until after Easter weekend. Below is a very brief overview of our transportation funding bill. I will include more detailed descriptions of other bills that we have passed in the updates after break.
Our transportation funding proposal invests around $6 billion into building our roads and bridges over the next 10 years, without raising the gas tax. It also reallocates $450 million into a dedicated Transportation Priorities Fund, using existing tax revenue on transportation related items. This bill also does not appropriate a single cent of taxpayer money to funding light rail transportation through the Met Council.
Funds in this bill are also dedicated to the following items:
- $25 million for the Small Cities Road Assistance program.
- $300 million for Corridors of Commerce program.
- $35 million for rail grade crossings.
- Funding to repair or replace all 97 bridges on MnDOT's local bridge priority list.
Recently some student from Forest Lake High School visited my Capitol office. It was great to visit with these young people and hear their perspectives on what is going on at the legislature.
God bless you and your loved ones as we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ this coming week, and my best wishes to those of the Jewish faith as you celebrate Passover.
Sincerely,
Bob