This year, I’ve been hearing from residents of Sherburne County about the importance of adequately funding roads and bridges. Properly maintaining transportation infrastructure is one of government’s most important responsibilities because it affects a majority of citizens on a daily basis, and can either be a great convenience or a great frustration for people as they go about their daily lives. Who among us hasn’t been discouraged by congestion that cuts short our time at home with loved ones and delays us from our other commitments?

 

This year, my fellow Republicans and I introduced a solution that would dedicate existing money to fund a 10-year comprehensive transportation plan. Ultimately, our plan will invest $7 billion to repair or replace 15,500 miles of roads and 330 bridges statewide. One of the things I’m most proud of is we’re able to do all of this without raising taxes, but by smart budget prioritization, using part of the existing state budget surplus, and cutting wasteful spending.

 

Before Gov. Dayton’s reelection, I was encouraged to see him express renewed interest in working on this issue. What I didn’t know then is that he and his Democrat colleagues in the legislature were planning to raise the state’s gas tax by 50% and increase a variety of other fees on drivers. The Democrats’ plan will cost every Minnesotan $0.16-0.26 more per gallon at the gas pump. Multiply that by the number of gallons in your vehicle and the number of times you fill up per year, and families will be looking at hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in new taxes. Other fee increases include vehicle registration fees, vehicle title surcharges, and license plate fees. Costs will predictably rise for everyday household purchases like groceries, as it will cost more to transport these items to retail shelves.

 

We have a divided government in St. Paul, which means that both parties will need to come together on a solution to fund roads and bridges. My goal is for the final plan to include smart budgeting and prioritization, just as you would do with your own family budget. The Republican plan proves there is truly no need to raise taxes to meet our transportation needs.