1/3/05-Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently revealed his transportation package. Instead of hiking Minnesota’s fuel taxes to pay for the state’s transportation needs, he wants revenue from motor-vehicle sales taxes dedicated to transportation, with 60 percent of that money sent to roadwork and 40 percent to mass transit.
Pawlenty also will ask the Legislature to authorize $4.5 billion in borrowing to pay for work expanding and improving the state highway system between 2007 and 2017.
His plan would give voters the final say. It calls for a proposed constitutional amendment to go before a public vote on the 2006 ballot.
If approved, it would place motor-vehicle sales taxes in the state constitution alongside the fuel tax and vehicle registration fees as dedicated transportation revenue.
The plan also would shift $2.65 billion over 10 years to transportation and transit from the state’s general fund — where the money would otherwise go to education, health care and other state spending needs.