Summer and fall are road construction seasons in Minnesota, but there could be a lot more construction going on if state lawmakers had passed a transportation bill in the last session.

 

But for the second straight year, they failed to do anything about the growing need for road improvements.

 

“This was going to be the year of transportation, and it didn’t happen,” said Steve Novak of the Metropolitan Inter-County Association (MICA) during the annual legislative update to the Sherburne County Commissioners last week.

 

“There was a lot of hope going into 2016 because in 2015, the House and Senate agreed and publicly stated the size and scope of the transportation problem was significant,” said Novak. “They even agreed about the size and dimension of the problem - $6 billion over 10 years.” 

 

But politics outweighed the need for better roads, said Novak, and the two houses passed bills that couldn’t be more opposite. The Senate stuck with proposed increases in the gas tax and registration fees. The House wanted to take a close look at different existing revenues that could be shifted into transport.

 

“In the end, they didn’t reach an agreement,” said Novak. “That’s not a very good score sheet in terms of people interested in solving a problem that’s been recognized by both parties as the number one problem in Minnesota. But that’s where we sit.”

 

Lawmakers failed to pass a bonding bill or tax bill because of opposing philosophies, said MICA Executive Director Keith Carlson. A  bonding bill that contained a one-time transportation funding proposal was passed by the House with about 10 minutes left on the final evening of the session. The bill was sent to the Senate where it was amended to provide funding locally for the southwest light rail line.

 

“That bill was returned to the House, which had already adjourned,” said Carlson. “Since the two bodies had not passed identical bills, a bill did not go into law.”

 

He said the tax bill was vetoed by Gov. Mark Dayton over language that would have caused a loss in revenues.

 

There has been talk of a possible special session to get something passed. But  Carlson said politics will likely stop that option, too.

 

“Only the governor can call a special session. But once the session occurs, the agenda is totally up to the legislature,” he said. “As a consequence, the practice for at least 20 years has been the governor and legislators pre-negotiate what that agenda will be, and they haven’t agreed on it. 

 

“Whether or not they will come to an agreement, I’d say it’s 50-50, and the chances are going down as we get closer to the campaign season.”