With the 2016 regular legislative session ending on May 23, Minnesota lawmakers entered into a conference committee on May 6 to negotiate a transportation funding compromise. While Democrats consented to lowering their proposed gas tax increase from 16 cents-per-gallon to 12 cents-per-gallon, Republicans agreed to consider utilizing sales tax revenue to fund transit. Read More
On May 11 the House rejected the Senate’s proposal and countered with an offer to reallocate motor vehicle-related sales taxes from the General Fund to the transportation fund, as well as utilize some revenue from the state’s budget surplus. Read More.
The next day, Gov. Mark Dayton (D) announced he will propose a new compromise plan on May 16 in an attempt to break the deadlock between the two political parties. Read More.