6/10/03-Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed a bill into law June 9 to borrow money for state transportation projects.
The $3.8 billion funding package includes money to run the state transportation and public safety departments.
The bill, backed by Pawlenty and House Republicans, would borrow $400 million and seek up to $500 million more in federal funds ahead of schedule to pay up to $900 million on road, bridge and transit projects over the next four years.
The $400 million in bonds are to be repaid through cost cutting at MnDOT, which will see a 1 percent reduction to its operating budget.
The new law includes tolling solo drivers a still-unspecified fee to drive in lanes now reserved for high-occupancy vehicles. The fees would go toward road projects.
In addition, the bill includes money for 50 new state troopers that would come from an annual fee on bars that choose to stay open until 2 a.m. instead of the current 1 a.m. close.

5/28/03-In special session to hammer out a compromise on a transportation-funding package, the House approved a plan May 27 to borrow money for state transportation projects.
The $3.8 billion funding plan includes money to run the state transportation and public safety departments. It is modeled after a plan proposed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
Under the House plan, the state would also borrow $400 million and seek federal money ahead of schedule to pay up to $900 million on road, bridge and transit projects over the next four years.
The $400 million in bonds are to be repaid through cost cutting at MnDOT, which will see a 1 percent reduction to its operating budget.
The proposal includes tolling solo drivers a still-unspecified fee to drive in lanes now reserved for high-occupancy vehicles. The fees would go toward road projects.
In addition, the bill includes money for 50 new state troopers.
The money would come from an annual fee on bars that choose to stay open until 2 a.m. instead of the current 1 a.m. close.
The bill awaits Senate action.

5/20/03-House and Senate lawmakers are in a special session to hammer out a compromise on a transportation-funding package.

5/1/03-Senate Democrats have unveiled a transportation plan that would raise the state’s fuel tax a nickel a gallon and increase vehicle license tab fees.
The proposal is expected to meet stiff resistance since House Republicans and Gov. Tim Pawlenty are against boosting the fuel tax.
The Senate plan would spend $1.4 billion in state money during the next two years. Pawlenty proposes borrowing $1.1 billion for road improvements, but would not raise any transportation-related taxes or fees. Both plans count on advance money from the federal government.
The Democrats would raise $820 million in new fuel tax payments and $585 million in license tab fee increases.
The governor’s proposal, which has been approved by the House Transportation Finance Committee, would acquire $210 million in state Transportation Department savings over the next five years; the Senate plan would obtain $150 million over two years.

4/22/03-A House panel has passed a two-year, $3.6 billion transportation funding package that includes tolling carpool lane drivers and privatizing rest areas.
The House Transportation Finance Committee voted 12-8 on April 16 to authorize more than one-third of the $3.6 billion for road construction – $635 million in 2004 and $685 million in 2005. In addition, the bill includes Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s proposal to provide an extra $1 billion for road improvements over the next five years.
The House bill gives the state Transportation Department the authority to collect tolls from solo commuters willing to pay a fee to use the carpool lanes on I-394 and I-35W.
To free up some money for road construction, Transportation Commissioner and Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau has proposed shutting down 44 rest areas, the newspaper reported. The House bill would give her broad authority to experiment with leasing the rest areas to private groups in an effort to keep them open.
The Senate is expected to introduce its own transportation bill by the end of the month.