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Dayton Pushes Gas Tax Hike In New Transportation Plan

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) — Gov. Mark Dayton rolled out a massive 10-year transportation plan Monday that he said is 25 years overdue.

But the proposal will hit Minnesota drivers in the pocketbook, between $15 and $25 per month.

Dayton, who called Minnesota's 12,000 miles of roadways "antiquated and inadequate," said a survey of state roads shows half of Minnesota highways are more than 50 years old.

And 4,000 of miles of roadway reach the end of their useful life in the next decade, putting the state at risk.

"If we don't do anything now, 10 years from now I guarantee there will be worse conditions," Dayton said. "More congestion. More delays. More risk for travelers, and the cost will only be higher."

The Governor's $6 billion fix includes a 6.5 percent sales tax on wholesale gas. The trickle down will add 16-cents a gallon at the pump. There's a license tab fee hike, and a half cent metro sales tax for transit.

State officials said if the Legislature approves the plan, the money will repair or replace 330 deficient bridges and 2,200 miles of bad road.

It's essential for business to get products to market.

"While these roads may be passable, we really need to rebuild many of these roads," Charlie Zelle, Minnesota's transportation commissioner, said. "Not just patch them."

Republican House leaders said they're not convinced the problem is as bad as Governor Dayton says it is.

Republican Response

They're willing to study it, but already erecting roadblocks to any tax hikes at the gas pump.

"Instead of a tax minimum there should be a maximum," Rep. Tim Kelly, (R) Red Wing, the chair of the House Transportation Committee, said. "Because of any tax that is out there, that sales tax is going to be the most intrusive to the lowest income people in our state. And that's where it's going to hit hardest."

Gov. Dayton urged legislators to show "political courage" and enact his plan.

"If we don't do anything now, 10 years from now I guarantee there will be worse conditions, more congestion, more delays and more risk for travelers," he said. "So we either face up to it and do it or we continue to ignore it and put our heads in the sand and hope that it's going to go away, but it's not."

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