Dear Neighbors,
Many of you have been following news stories over the past several months documenting the disastrous rollout of the state’s MNLARS system. Because of the failures of this new licensing system, thousands of Minnesotans have been experiencing issues trying to register a vehicle or transfer a title at their local license bureau.
To date, taxpayers have spent $100 million over 10 years to develop the system—over double the original cost estimate. The Dayton administration assured lawmakers that MNLARS would work prior to rollout. When it failed after the rollout, they were assured problems would be fixed in short order. Now just this week, the Dayton administration has told lawmakers that all progress on fixing the system’s problems will cease unless they receive an additional $43 million on top of the already $100 million spent.
I still question the decision to get rid of Hewlett-Packard (the original software designer) and turn the system development over to the state’s information technology provider, MN.IT. This decision was especially troubling considering how poorly the MNSure rollout went—which also went over budget and was plagued with technical glitches.
Simply put, this is a failure by the Dayton administration and it's causing headaches and frustration for Minnesotans who just need a system that is able to process basic registration/title/other DMV transactions. The Governor has had 7 years to change leadership, change course, and deliver a working product.
I am incredibly disappointed in this week’s development in the seemingly never-ending MNLARS saga. Minnesotans deserve better.
Staying in touch
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As always, do not hesitate to contact me to discuss any questions, comments, or concerns you may have regarding the legislature. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-8237 or via email at rep.brian.daniels@house.mn. You can also stay connected with me by visiting my Facebook page.
Sincerely,
Brian