Saint Paul, MINN—On Tuesday, May 1, 2018, the House passed bipartisan transportation legislation on a vote of 82-43. House File 3138 utilizes surplus funds leveraged with trunk highway bonds to spend $385 million on transportation needs this year. The legislation includes a number of provisions authored by House Transportation and Regional Governance Policy Committee Vice Chair, Representative Jon Koznick, R-Lakeville, including his legislation that secures metro mobility service for Lakeville residents for the first time.
“Taxation without mobilization is over. For nearly ten years, Lakeville residents have had to pay a transit tax for a service that they were not receiving,” said Representative Jon Koznick, R-Lakeville. “This provision ensures that the elderly and disabled in Lakeville will be able to utilize this important service for the first time.”
Koznick authored a handful of other provisions in the bill including language that allows Metro Mobility to leverage federal funds for reimbursements of $8 million annually and a Minnesota Department of Transportation recommendations bill that turns back some roads to counties for better local maintenance, and other technical updates to Minnesota statutes to comply with federal “Fast Act” language. The bill also includes his provision that improves consumer notifications for those purchasing automobiles that have been damaged and salvaged.
Other highlights of the omnibus transportation bill include:
- $250 million in Trunk Highway bonds
- $145 million in Trunk Highway bonds and $10 million in cash for Corridors of Commerce program projects
- $25 million for county roads, $6.6 million for city roads, $2 million for township roads
- Additional $7 million for Small Cities Assistance Program for cities under 5,000
- $75 million for trunk highway rail grade separation projects
- Establishes the Freight Rail Economic Development Program
- Defines the operating costs definition for light rail transit spending
“I am proud of this package that not only includes provisions I authored that are critically important to Lakeville residents, but makes investments in roads and bridges around the state, all without raising the gas tax,” said Koznick.
Now passed by the House, HF3138 heads to the Senate.
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