ST. PAUL, MN—On Wednesday, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed the Transportation Omnibus Bill Conference Report (House File 861), a compromise agreement between the House and Senate to invest $5.5 billion over the next 10 years toward the state’s transportation needs without raising taxes. The plan includes a $2 billion investment in roads and bridges in the next two years.
The proposal uses transportation-related state tax revenues to invest $372 million in new dollars for roads and bridges. Additionally, the transportation proposal would fund:
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$20 million in FY18/19 for Small Cities Assistance Program for cities under 5,000
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$25 million to fund over 97 bridges on MNDOT's priority list
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Statewide investment in roads: $150m in trunk highway, $70m for counties, $22m for cities
“We’re putting forward a good-faith compromise that we believe the governor can sign,” said House Transportation Finance Chair Rep. Paul Torkelson, R-Hanska. “Minnesotans have waited long enough for a meaningful investment in our roads and bridges—we hope this is the year we get it done.”
“Minnesotans know we can fund our roads and bridges without a gas-tax increase,” said House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Crown. “We’re pleased Governor Dayton has indicated his openness to using existing tax dollars to fund this basic function of core government, and hope to earn his signature.”
Now passed by the House, the agreement will need to be passed by the Senate before it heads to the governor’s desk for a signature.
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