The tax would be a wholesale tax paid by fuel suppliers as has become more common in the last two years, not a retail tax at the gas pump. The Democratic governor's main problem may be his timing—the house flipped to Republican control.
"The plan calls for a 6.5 percent wholesale surtax on gasoline -- separate from the existing 28.5 cents-per-gallon tax already levied," writes David Montgomery, political reporter at the St. Paul Pioneer Press (PP). "That means the tax would bring in more money when gas prices increase" [and less when prices decrease.]
This is a huge reversal from 2013 when the Minnesota Democratic Farmer Labor Party (DFL) controlled both houses of the Minnesota State Legislature and DFL Gov. Mark Dayton rejected their 7.5-cent gallon tax increase, as noted in April, 2013. "Elections have consequences," as the saying goes.
The Republican fix for crumbling roads and structurally deficient bridges: "shift money from public transit to roads," writes Montgomery.
"My gosh, should we spend a billion on a train when we can't fill potholes?" said incoming House Speaker Kurt Daudt.
"Daudt said a gas tax increase is 'incredibly unpopular'", reminiscent of what Dayton told the then-Democrat controlled House earlier:
The Democratic governor, who fears that a gas tax increase lacks popular approval, maintained his support for "raising sales taxes in the seven-county Twin Cities metro area for light-rail and bus transit", but the Democratic chairman of the House transportation committee canceled a meeting in which they would take up a bill authorizing the regional sales tax. [Planetizen 2013].
Dayton remains committed to "a half-percent increase in the sales tax in the seven-county metro area," writes Montgomery about the Twin Cities metro region, double what was proposed in 2013, with revenue devoted to public transit.
The collapse of the I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis on August 1, 2007 may be a distant memory for the incoming speaker. The bridge failure, including the death of 13 people, may have inspired the legislature in 2008 to successfully override the third veto by then-Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty which resulted in an incremental 7.5-cent gas tax increase.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder had proposed converting the fuel excise tax to a wholesale sales tax in the fall, but the legislature opted for a general sales tax increase ballot proposal instead.
Hat tip to AASHTO Daily Transportation Update
FULL STORY: Minnesota Governor Wants to Limit Tax Increases to Transportation Funding
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.