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| Date: | April 4, 2011 | | Contact Name: | Chris Van Guilder | | Contact Phone: | 651-296-1388 | | Contact Email: | christopher.vanguilder@senate.mn | | For Immediate Release | |
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| SENATE PASSES TRANSPORTATION OMNIBUS BUDGET BILL |
St. Paul – The Senate Transportation Finance Bill for FY2012-13 passed in the State Senate with a bi-partisan vote of 38-25. The legislation, House File 1140 (Senate File 898), contains general fund appropriations for state and local roads, public safety and transit.
This bill includes $4.69 billion in total spending over the next biennium. $139.1 million of this total comes from the state general fund. General fund expenditures support Metro Transit, Greater Minnesota Transit Services and the Department of Public Safety.
Senate Transportation Committee Chair Joe Gimse (R-Willmar) stated, “Providing and maintaining a public highway system and infrastructure is a constitutional obligation. In times of financial difficulty it’s important that we use our economic means to fund our priorities, and today we passed a bill that does that. We thank the committee for their work and the dozens of departments, advocacy groups and individual citizens who shared their testimony in creating this budget.”
The Senate Transportation Finance Bill includes up to $100 million for a newly-created Trunk Highway Economic Development Account in the Trunk Highway Fund to promote economic development, relieve traffic congestion and increase employment.
“This account attaches transportation dollars to economic development in Minnesota by calling for an even distribution of funds to metro and Greater Minnesota communities. It allows us to respond to and take advantage of economic development and job-creation opportunities throughout our state,” added Senator Gimse.
The bill reduces the Minnesota Department of Transportation $1 million appropriation by 40 percent for the Commuter and Passenger Rail Office, as the Comprehensive Statewide Freight and Passenger Rail Plan has been completed. It also preserves the current General Fund appropriation levels for the Department of Public Safety, including Capitol Security. To avoid service reductions and fare increases, this bill requires the Met Council to use its reserves for bus operations and fund transfer authority passed by the 2009 Legislature.
In closing, Senator Gimse commented, “It is important to note that the process doesn’t end with passing this budget. As we go forward, we will work with and gather feedback from transit providers, communities and citizens affected by these changes. We will be vigilant in our efforts to ensure that the needs of Minnesota citizens are met now and in the future.”
After passing in the Senate, differences between the two chambers will be resolved in a conference committee before being sent to the Governor for final consideration.
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