The Minnesota Senate on Thursday approved a comprehensive, bipartisan transportation budget that invests billions over the next two years in the state’s transportation infrastructure without a gas tax, mileage tax, sales tax, or license tab fee increase. 

“Republicans have proven over and over that we don’t have to ask Minnesotans to pay higher gas taxes, tab fees, or mileage taxes in order to build roads and bridges,” said Sen. John Jasinski (R-Faribault). “I am proud that once again we are making these important investments in our transportation infrastructure, and that we’re doing it the right way, using existing revenue.”

The bill boosts funding for roads and bridges by increasing the share of dedicated revenue from the auto parts sales tax. Current law will provide roughly 49% of that tax revenue to roads and bridges in the next fiscal year — a figure that drops about two percent in each following year. The Republican plan increases it to 60% and dedicates 3% to small cities and another 3% to townships. In 2017, Senate Republicans won a major victory for Minnesota’s transportation infrastructure by redirecting a portion of revenue from this existing tax to road and bridge projects.

“Transportation is about more than just roads and bridges,” added Sen. Jasinski. “The Republican transportation budget takes a number of important steps to improve convenience for drivers, protect students, and eliminate waste and unconstitutional spending. This is an incredibly comprehensive bill that will be great for Minnesotans.”

Bills and local issues championed by Senator Jasinski

• The bill includes $4 million for AIR grants, the innovative program developed by Senator Jasinski to generate economic development at local and regional airports

• The bill includes funding to begin the process of studying the construction of an interchange at I-35 and County Road 9 near Faribault, a project that has been discussed for more than 10 years. 

• The bill includes language that would designate the section of Trunk Highway 13 from the southern border of Woodville Township to the northern border of Blooming Grove Township as “Corporal Caleb L. Erickson Memorial Highway,” named for Marine Lance Corporal Caleb L. Erickson of Waseca, who was killed in action on February 28, 2014 in Helmand Province when his convoy came under attack by a suicide bomber. 

• The budget includes Senator Jasinski’s bill that would dedicate 10% of the Trunk Highway Fund to Corridors of Commerce, the successful program that was used to fund Highway 14. This language also requires project readiness to be one of the selection criteria for Corridors of Commerce projects.

Less stress, more convenience for drivers

The Republican transportation budget will improve convenience and ease stress for Minnesota drivers by allowing Minnesotans to purchase their license tabs and replacement license plates from fully-automated kiosks; by allowing third-party locations to offer road tests in order to clear out the backlog of students waiting to take their driver’s test; by permitting driver’s education students to take the classroom portion of their instruction online; and by creating a pilot program where Minnesotans could receive their standard driver’s license card the same day they renew their license or pass their driving test.

Roads, not bike paths

The bill would prohibit MnDOT from converting car lanes on trunk highways to bike paths or bike routes, or from using gas tax revenue to build bike paths. The bill also prohibits local governments from unilaterally creating bike paths in areas that would eliminate or relocate disability parking spaces.

Cleaning up illegal and unconstitutional MnDOT spending

The bill cleans up illegal and unconstitutional MnDOT spending. The Constitution mandates Minnesota’s gas tax, motor vehicle sales taxes, tab fees, and auto parts sales tax be used strictly for “highway purposes,” yet each year the state spends about $232 million from these accounts on programs unrelated to roads. The bill cancels funding for unnecessary items, like tourist information centers or bike paths, and shifts essential programs, such as emergency 9-1-1 radio communications, to the general fund.

Keeping kids safe while en route to school

The bill includes $35 million to protect children at school bus stops by equipping every school bus in Minnesota with cameras to catch stop-arm violators. Minnesota would likely be the first state in the nation to achieve that mark. The bill also provides $1 million dollars for the successful Safe Routes to Schools program, which aims to improve student safety and reduce traffic near schools.

Protecting state taxpayers from wasteful rail spending

The bill suspends funding for the heavily subsidized North Star passenger rail, pending federal approval. The bill also protects statewide taxpayers by shifting the responsibility for funding current and future light rail development to counties instead of the state of Minnesota.

Supporting law enforcement
The bill keeps the state’s commitment to law enforcement by providing $267 million over the next two years for the state patrol, including $9.1 million to hire 25 new troopers and $6.3 million to meet their request for body cameras.