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MARSHALL -- Passing a new bill funding transportation projects in Minnesota is a goal that's on a lot of Minnesotans' minds this year, Rep. Paul Torkelson said. And there have been some hopeful signs that it could happen. Not only have state legislators made headway on developing a bill, Gov. Mark Dayton indicated he'd be willing to move forward without a proposed gas tax increase.
Those comments "really are encouraging," Torkelson, R-Hanska, said Friday. It's a sign of recognition that a transportation bill needs to pass, he said.
Support for a new transportation bill is coming from many sources this session, Torkelson said.
"There's a broad spectrum of interest groups who understand we need to get a bill done," he said.
Earlier this week, Dayton said he wouldn't veto a transportation bill that uses general fund dollars, and not the gas tax increase he has been calling for. It could make it possible for legislators to pass a bill that relies on general funds and bonding, instead of a tax hike.
On Friday, Torkelson, chairman of the House Transportation Finance Committee, gave an update on efforts to reach an agreement on a transportation bill.
A House transportation finance bill sponsored by Torkelson and a Senate bill sponsored by Sen. Scott Newman, (R-Hutchinson) are currently in the conference committee process. Both bills call for revenues from auto-related sales taxes and bonding to support transportation projects. However, there are some significant differences between the House and Senate bills, which need to be worked out, Torkelson said.
One example of the differences between the two bills, Torkelson said, is that the House bill creates a Transportation Priorities Fund for road and bridge projects. That fund would use revenues that currently go into the state general fund.
The Senate version of the transportation bill also calls for less bonding to support transportation projects than the House bill does.
As legislators work toward a new transportation bill, Torkelson said the question of how to support transportation funding in the long term has been part of the conversation. The House bill had drawn criticism for not including more permanent dedicated funding sources.
But, Torkelson said, having dedicated funds might not be a solution for transportation finance.
"Dedicated funds are not necessarily guaranteed funds," he said. Revenue sources like sales taxes can still fluctuate with the economy.
"I don't think what we're doing is unusual," he said of the proposal to use the general fund to help support transportation. There are other states in the U.S. that do the same, he said.
Torkelson said the transportation conference committee will meet again on Monday. He hoped committee members will continue to find common ground as they negotiate a transportation bill.