Like the Energizer bunny, this year’s legislative session keeps going, and going, and going. Predicted when it began to conclude around the Easter holiday, there now appears to be no end in sight. This week’s budget negotiations seemed to take one step forward and two steps back, and resolution on transportation, bonding, and homeland security packages remains elusive.

Gridlock over philosophical differences is understandable &045; to a point. But when so many important issues are at stake, there comes a time when lawmakers have a responsibility to end the gridlock and work together. Our caucus believes now is that time to seek resolution.

To help facilitate the process, this week the Senate Republican Caucus proposed sensible compromise solutions to balance the state’s books as well as address Minnesota’s ever-growing transportation needs.

The Senate Republican plan to deal with the current budget shortfall takes into account the various concerns on both sides of the negotiating table, and relies on three key items on which we believe most legislators should be able to agree. The plan we proposed would solve the state’s $449 million budget deficit through a K-12 education funding shift that would yield $312.5 million, a $100 million transfer from the $1.3 billion tobacco endowment fund, and a county social service aid payment shift that would amount to nearly $37 million.

Our budget solution avoids tax increases, while keeping in mind the concerns of those opposed to spending cuts that could harm crucial services.

While our plan is not revolutionary by any means, we believe it does combine enough favored proposals from each body to help forge a compromise. Even if the House and Senate ultimately decide to reach agreement through a different path, perhaps we have shown them how easily they can find middle ground if they put their minds to it.

The Senate Republican transportation plan, which we unveiled later in the week, also seeks to bridge the gap between the Senate DFL and House Republican positions, in the transportation funding arena. The transportation package we proposed would provide $3.27 billion in new highway funding and $780 million in new non-rail transit funding over the next ten years.

Our plan would raise the gas tax by four cents a gallon, would allow voters to decide whether or not to constitutionally dedicate a portion of MVST (the sales tax on motor vehicles) revenue to transportation funding purposes, and would increase bus funding by approximately $32 million a year. While we had serious reservations about raising the gas tax, ultimately we felt this tough decision had to be made.

Most lawmakers see the gas tax as a user-fee that is not keeping pace with its purpose &045; road and bridge funding.

As outstate roads grow more and more dangerous and metro highways become further congested, we believe the public is crying out for action on this issue. Because the gas tax has solid legislative support, it seems this is the most realistic source to turn to for new, long-term highway construction financing.

Citizens across the state are telling us that the time to resolve our differences and finish this session is now, and I agree. Legislative leaders have a responsibility to end the gamesmanship that has been going on and get their work done. I believe that the proposals we put forward this week are steps in the right direction, and I assure you that I will keep up the pressure to get these important matters resolved in a responsible and timely manner.

As always, I encourage you to contact me with your comments or questions on these or any other issues.

I can be reached at (651)296-9248, by mail at 151 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155, or by e-mail at sen.grace.schwab @senate.leg.state.mn.us.

Sen. Grace Schwab represents Freeborn County and a portion of Mower County in the Minnesota Senate.