The 2015 legislative session has just started, and it appears state Rep. Peggy Bennett is giving up when it comes to fixing our state’s transportation infrastructure. As a rural legislator, I know how important our roads and bridges are to our residents and farmers.

During the campaign, Rep. Bennett and her Republican allies committed to fixing our state’s crumbling roads and bridges. But Rep. Bennett’s new leader, Speaker Kurt Daudt, has already admitted that Republicans “may not be able to solve this on the long-term basis.” And the so-called plan that Republicans offered certainly isn’t a fix. It’s not even a Band-Aid!

House File 4 would spend just $200 million in new, one-time money on transportation over the next two years. That might sound like a lot, but it would only allow us to build about 130 miles of rural two-lane highways or 40 miles of four-lane highways. To put that in context, Minnesota has 140,000 miles of roadways.

Projections have shown that our state needs $6 billion over the next 10 years just to maintain our state roads and bridges and reduce congestion. For comparison, the DFL-led Legislature invested $743 million in transportation over the past two years — an amount that Republicans called inadequate.

To make matters worse, the House GOP’s top legislative priority is to cut taxes for corporations. Rather than truly fixing our crumbling roads and bridges, Republicans want to send hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to corporations — the same tired, failed policies of the past.

Cutting business’ taxes won’t boost Greater Minnesota’s economy or provide greater economic security for Minnesota families. Will Rep. Bennett stick with her party boss’ plans that favor corporate special interests over rural roads and bridges or will she make good on her promise to fix our state’s transportation system?

Only time will tell.

 

Paul Marquart

deputy minority leader

state representative

District 4B

Minneapolis