Capitol Comments, By Peggy Bennett

Transportation is at the top of the agenda for the 2016 legislative session. In speaking with fellow representative about our respective districts, it is quite obvious that there is a recurring theme throughout the state of Minnesota: Roads and bridges need to be a priority in our upcoming legislation.

In the 2015 session, the House GOP introduced a $7 billion transportation bill. This legislation is a 10-year plan that will build and repair transportation infrastructure throughout Minnesota, and it does this without raising taxes. The Road and Bridge Act will repair over 15,000 lane miles and 320 bridges all around Minnesota, including everything from trunk highways down to the smallest city streets.

As we all know, southern Minnesota is in great need of improved transportation infrastructure. One thing I like about the House Road and Bridge Act is that rural roads and bridges in small communities are a key component of the plan. In 2015, we passed $12.5 million in transportation funding for cities with under 5,000 people. If this new plan is passed, it would provide an additional $27.5 million more per year in funding for our small cities. This means that cities like Wells, Clarks Grove, Alden, and Glenville will have guaranteed resources to put toward road repairs.

One of the great benefits of this bill is that it is funded without raising the gas tax. If there is one thing I’ve heard echoed as I talk to people throughout our local communities, it’s that the vast majority do not want to see a gas tax increase — especially in light of a state budget surplus, which is evidence that the state is taking in a lot more taxes than necessary. The Road and Bridge Act uses a combination of existing transportation funding sources and surplus money, and also redirects some existing transportation-related taxes on things like car tires and auto rentals into a special fund for infrastructure needs.

The gas tax is a very regressive tax. If you’re wealthy, increasing the gas tax an additional 16 to 24 cents per gallon is probably not a big deal. However, for those people struggling to get by day to day and those on fixed incomes, raising this tax is a huge deal. In addition, increasing the gas tax makes it very difficult for communities like ours that are close to the Iowa border to compete for business.

I believe the Road and Bridge Act will be a good thing for Minnesota and for our area. It addresses the transportation infrastructure needs throughout the state and helps small communities that are hurting for road and bridge repair. I am also pleased that this plan funds our transportation needs without raising taxes, leaving more money in all of our pockets.