Chair wants to mull over fix for state's transportation needs for two years

How serious is the new GOP majority in fixing Minnesota's roads and bridges, as well as finding a fix for the funding?  Not very.

Via the Austin Herald, we read buried in an Associated Press article, Strain on federal highway fund colors Minnesota roads debate:

Rep. Tim Kelly of Red Wing, the leading House Republican on transportation matters, agrees “federal funds are lacking” but he’s not convinced raising state taxes is the right course. Majority House Republicans plan to seek a quick shot of new transportation funding this session, with a sizable amount drawn from a projected state budget surplus.

But Kelly is dropping hints that GOP members will wait until the 2016 session to figure out a long-term finance plan. Kelly said it’s his preference to defer action until the sides come to consensus on what the true need is.

“It’s irresponsible to suggest we can do that in the course of eight weeks, 10 weeks, even two months when we’re talking about a 10-year plan,” Kelly said. “If we reach agreement on the need, then it’s a matter of finding the revenue to meet the need.”

Not that the issue has been studied to death, as we noted in Untested MN House Transportation Policy & Finance chair Kelly needs training wheels but perhaps it takes Daudt and the caucus to come up with a patch on this pothole.

Given the credentials Kelly mentioned back in November--as we noted in Trains, planes & automobiles go through his district: Kelly lays out transportation chair cred--maybe it's just his personal learning curve.

Meanwhile, on Monday Kelly's committee will be hearing a proposal to allow heavier trucks on the roads and bridges. MNDOT will also present overview of study done by MNDOT on truck size/weight issue [pdf here]

Agenda

HF620 McNamara: Overweight vehicle annual permits established.

Attachments

(2/17/2015) 2015 transportation comm presentation trucksizeweightreport.pdf

(2/20/2015) MN Safety Council Letter.pdf

(2/20/2015) 2015 Truck Weights.pdf

(2/20/2015) CM Sipress Truck Weight Letter-Simonson.pdf

(2/20/2015) MCEA - HF620 .docx

(2/20/2015) MN Police Chiefs Association Letter.pdf

(2/20/2015) Owatonna Resolution.pdf

(2/20/2015) State Opposition to Heavier Trucks (2).docx

(2/20/2015) Stuart letter.pdf

No agreement on more funding, but potentially more wear and tear on bridges and roads. Lovely.

 

Photo: Three women on a muddy Le Sueur County road, circa 1915, Minnesota State Historical Society.

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