Dear Neighbors,
It’s crunch time here at the Capitol as we have a little over a week to go until final adjournment with the “big three” issues still being negotiated—bonding, roads and bridges, and tax relief. Legislative leaders and lawmakers have been meeting around the clock to reach a compromise that will be signed into law by Governor Dayton.
I continue to advocate for the House’s transportation plan, one that makes serious investments in our roads and bridges without raising the gas tax by reprioritizing existing funds towards transportation. Our plan is in contrast to the Senate’s plan, which prefers to implement a new gas tax. While there is still work to be done to reach a final deal, I can assure you that lawmakers from both parties want a roads and bridges bill passed this year.
Governor Dayton is expected to work over the weekend to release his first roads and bridges proposal. I am hopeful he remembers his own words from December when he declared a gas tax was dead. Stay tuned.
As for tax relief and bonding, both of these items will likely be addressed once a deal on transportation is reached. This is because any deal on transportation will likely involve the $900 million budget surplus and possibly bonding. Once we know how much of the surplus is going towards roads and bridges, we can plan accordingly for a tax bill.
Furthermore, if a significant amount of the surplus is going to be used for transportation, less will likely be appropriated for roads and bridges in the bonding bill. That means more money would be available for other construction projects of statewide significance.
Either way, it will certainly be a busy final week and a half. As always, I will keep you updated on developments.
If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-4333 or via email at rep.josh.heintzeman@house.mn.
Have a great weekend and God bless,
Josh