On April 7, the office of the Legislative Auditor issued a new performance audit of the Met Council’s management of Southwest Light Rail. The report found several instances where the Met Council and its civil construction contractor failed to comply with state requirements and had weak internal controls to protect taxpayer dollars.

Senator John Jasinski (R-Faribault), lead Republican on the Senate Transportation Committee, issued the following statement:

“We have had several of these reports from the legislative auditor telling more or less the same story: the Met Council’s management of Southwest Light Rail was an utter failure, and taxpayers are the ones paying the price. This isn’t just about small mistakes or cost overruns. It’s about major avoidable, unforced errors made over and over again by a bloated, unaccountable agency.

“Southwest Light Rail is a case study in how not to run a major infrastructure project. And it absolutely strengthens the case for stopping wasteful spending before it happens. That is why Senate Republicans propose halting the next $30 million light rail expansion. Minnesotans deserve better than once again watching their hard-earned tax dollars disappear into a hole with no bottom.”