Senate DFLers put transportation funding plan on table

Pioneer Press | 1-12-15 | David Montgomery

[TurboZamboni]

The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party will present a unified front this year in favor of a transportation funding package, including about $1 billion of increased taxes and fees.

Legislative DFL leaders unveiled a proposal Monday that dovetails closely with Gov. Mark Dayton's plan, along with that of advocacy group Move MN: almost $600 million per year in new gasoline taxes, plus $125 million in vehicle registration fees and hundreds of millions of dollars more for metro-area mass transit.

The plan forestalls the possibility of a three-way fight among Dayton, the DFL majority in the Senate and House Republicans -- who oppose any tax increase this year.

Instead, Minnesotans face two very different approaches: one comprehensive and long term with tax increases from the DFL and Move MN, and one limited and short term with no tax increases from the Republicans.

[TurboZamboni]

Instead, Minnesotans face two very different approaches: one comprehensive and long term with tax increases from the DFL and Move MN, and one limited and short term with no tax increases from the Republicans.

WOW.Biased much?

we know the 2 big papers luv them some choochoos and tax increases. guess this is just further evidence.

[rstrahan]

Please keep increasing taxes, Minnesota. Te number of DFL members will increase, as people who want lower taxes, less government move out, along with businesses adversely affected by your tax schemes

[TurboZamboni]

ALERT! CITIZENS-
A presentation by the Met Council on Tuesday, Jan 13 will discuss plans for a light rail or bus rapid transit (BRT) line called the Rush Line. It will go from downtown St. Paul through Hugo to Forest Lake. The details are:

Rush Line Presentation
Tuesday, Jan 13
Hugo City Hall
5:00-7:00pm

This transit line will be rammed through unless people come out and object. Light rail costs $80 million/mile to construct; BRT costs $10 million/mile. And each line operates 65% in the red which requires taxpayer subsidies. It’s part of Met Council’s Thrive 2040 plan which will dictate equity in housing, transportation, water, etc. We need to become aware and fight this plan.

[jurroppi1]

They have these meeting so that people can believe that they can change things and make a difference/have a say. In reality, they aren’t listening (anyone paying attention for the last 30 years knows this).

This isn’t defeatism, it is realism...

[PGalt]

Interesting post; thread.

State vs citizens BUMP!

http://www.usdebtclock.org/state-debt-clocks/state-of-minnesota-debt-clock.html

[gr8eman]

Hmmm...like people really need another reason to leave Mini-soe-ta?

[jurroppi1]

Yeah, the feds want to raise the gas tax 12 cents per gallon to 30 cents now, and a lot of states are adding a specific amount per gallon from about 6 cents to as much as 18 cents or so. Being uber progressive, the DFLers in MN want to add a 6.5% sales tax on the total sale, so anyone needing more gas, or using more gas will shoulder a much larger tax burden than those in priuses and other high efficiency vehicles that are being heavily subsidized already.

This will hurt the lower income brackets much more than the higher income brackets because the richer people can afford more efficient cars and transportation costs of anything (food, consumer goods, etc...) will go up as a result.

Great idea! Just as we start to see the light at the end of the tunnel, lengthen the tunnel into oblivion.