SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – The Minnesota House of Representatives advanced a comprehensive transportation budget bill on a vote of 69-62.The legislation seeks to balance addresses urgent transportation needs, and builds a stronger and more sustainable post pandemic transportation system.
“For far too long, our transportation infrastructure has not kept up with Minnesotans’ growing needs,” said House Transportation Chair Rep. Frank Hornstein (DFL-Minneapolis). “Minnesotans deserve a dependable, sustainable, transportation system that leaves no one behind. Our plan creates jobs, and provides opportunities for communities throughout Minnesota.”
The DFL House Transportation Budget does not contain a traditional gas tax increase, but instead indexes the gas tax to the Federal Highway Administration highway construction cost index. Indexing will cost the average motorist about $9 per year and will ensure critical investments are made to our roads and bridges so they can be safely maintained. Under the bill, Minnesota’s 705 smallest cities with a population under 5,000 will receive a first ever dedicated funding stream for their roads by reallocating a small portion of the auto parts sales tax. The Small Cities Assistance Program was created to address a gap in the state funding structure for road projects.
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