Friends and neighbors,

Our roads and bridges serve as essential infrastructure that allow Minnesotans to get around every day and even if you don’t drive, goods and services need roads. To ensure stable and ongoing funding, the Senate recently passed critical legislation that provides $5.7 billion in transportation funding. This includes more than $4.32 billion specifically for roads and bridges over the next five years – a top priority of Senate Republicans this legislative session. 

The bill dedicates 100% of revenue from existing auto parts sales taxes to roads and bridges and offers an additional $550.08 million over the next three years. This will provide reliable, continuous funding for our roads and bridges without a gas tax, mileage tax, sales tax, or license tab fee increase. 

The Senate’s massive new investment in roads and bridges can be sharply contrasted with Governor Walz’s previous proposal. In the past, the governor proposed increasing the gas tax to fund these infrastructure projects. Not only was this not a feasible, long-term form of funding, but Minnesotans would have also been significantly impacted by the record inflation rates, as the cost of Governor Walz’s gas tax included that the gas tax would increase with inflation.

Further, approximately one-third of transportation infrastructure funding currently comes from the gas tax. However, as a greater number of vehicles become more fuel-efficient and more electric vehicles are sold, the state faces a substantial gap in transportation funding in the close future. The Senate’s change to dedicate tax revenue from auto parts to roads and bridges helps sustain this vital funding. 

Additionally, small cities with under 5,000 residents currently receive no dedicated funding, and township roads receive very little dedicated funds. This legislation, therefore, also provides special funding for small cities and townships. It provides each with a dedicated funding stream of 7% of auto parts sales tax revenue for their road needs.

I firmly believe that using the auto parts sales tax revenue is a long-term funding policy, with a much broader base and greater support than a gas tax increase.

The Senate also recently passed significant legislation with unanimous approval to support Minnesota Veterans. This bill makes strong investments in Veteran services across the state, including after-service resources, expand housing options, and fund enlistment and re-enlistment bonuses.

Notably, this bill includes funding for completing construction of the three new Veterans homes across the state. In 2021, Minnesota’s three new Veteran homes in Bemidji, Preston, and Montevideo secured federal funding necessary to complete construction and the state funded ongoing maintenance. To make important upgrades and improvements to strengthen structures, the funding in this bill serves as the final capstone to these projects.

The Veterans bill also includes language to continue our state’s historical tradition of providing bonuses to service members that served during global conflicts. With the end of the Global War on Terror last year, the bill allocates $24 million for post-war bonuses to Minnesota Veterans that served after September 11, 2001.  

This bill meets the current needs of Veterans across our state. It was an honor to have supported this legislation to provide key assistance to Minnesotan service members and their families.

Contact me

As always, if have questions or concerns on any legislative topic, feel free to contact me any time. You can call me at 651-296-5655 or send me an email at sen.mary.kiffmeyer@senate.mn. It is a privilege to serve as your state senator.

Sincerely,

Mary