02-28-07 WS ITEM y11_1
A RESOLUTION REQUESTING
COMPREHENSIVE ROAD AND TRANSIT FUNDING IN 2007
WHEREAS, all Minnesota communities benefit from a sound, efficient and adequately
funded transportation system that offers diverse modes of travel; and
WHEREAS, due to budget constraints, cities are increasingly deferring maintenance on
the over 39,000 lane miles under municipal jurisdiction of the 277,607 total lane miles in
Minnesota; and
WHEREAS, local cost participation requirements for trunk highway and county projects
are onerous and are contributing to strains on city budgets; and
WHEREAS, existing local funding mechanisms, such as Municipal State Aid (MSA),
property taxes, special assessments and bonding, have limited applications, leaving cities
unable to adequately address growing transportation needs; and
WHEREAS, the recently approved constitutional amendment that phases in dedication
of 100 percent of the motor vehicle sales tax (MVST) for transportation purposes will
address only a fraction of the transportation funding needs in Minnesota, and total MVST
revenues are not meeting projections; and
WHEREAS, transportation analysts in consultation with the Minnesota Department of
Transportation (MnDOT) estimate Minnesota will have to invest an additional $1.5
billion per year in transportation infrastructure for the next ten years in order to meet
identified needs; and
WHEREAS, transportation infrastructure maintenance and improvement costs
significantly contribute to rising property taxes; and
WHEREAS, lack of state funding has delayed regionally significant road construction
and reconstruction projects across Minnesota; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota's transportation system is failing to meet the capacity needs
necessary to sustain population growth and promote economic development; and
WHEREAS, congestion, inefficient transportation systems and lack of transportation
choices lead to greater dependence on foreign oil, increased environmental degradation,
and economic disadvantages for Minnesota's businesses and residents; and
WHEREAS, many rural roads are not built to modern safety standards and are not
meeting the needs of industries that depend on the ability to transport heavy loads; and
WHEREAS, current funding for roads and transit systems across all government levels
in Minnesota is inadequate, and this under - investment hinders Minnesota's progress as a
national business, economic and civic leader.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
•
that this Council requests that in 2007 the Minnesota
Legislature pass a comprehensive transportation funding package that permanently
increases dedicated funding for transportation; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
that this Council requests that in 2007 Governor Tim
Pawlenty allow a comprehensive transportation funding package that permanently
increases dedicated funding for transportation that is passed by the Legislature to become
law; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
that this Council supports funding options including,
but not limited to, the following:
• An increase in the gas tax;
• Indexing of the gas tax, provided there is a limit on how much the tax can be
increased for inflation in a given amount of time;
• Increases in vehicle registration taxes (a.k.a. license tab fees);
• Trunk highway bonding, provided the Legislature implements reasonable
restrictions on the amount of debt service the state will incur and provided the
Legislature appropriates funding to assist with local costs related to projects
funded with trunk highway bonds;
• General obligation bonding for local roads and bridges, particularly for roads of
regional significance and to assist with local cost participation requirements
pertaining to trunk highway projects;
• Sales tax exemptions for state and local transportation construction projects; and
• New local funding tools, such as local option sales tax authority, expanded
wheelage tax authority and/or street utility authority; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
that this Council defines a comprehensive
transportation funding package as an initiative that permanently increases dedicated
funding for state and local road and transit systems in Greater Minnesota and the
Metropolitan Area.
ADOPTED by the City Council on
, 2007.