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1 Response: The Legislature should continue to fully fund the job skills partnership <br />and pathways programs administered by the Dept. of Trade and Economic Development. <br />3 The Legislature should provide additional funding to local workforce councils for the <br />4 purpose of upgrading the skills and productivity of the workforce. <br />5 <br />6 LE -26. Adequate Funding for Transportation (AF) <br />7 <br />8 Issue: Current funding for roads and transit systems across all government levels in the <br />9 state is not adequate. If funding remains inadequate, Minnesota's transportation system will not <br />10 meet the capacity needs necessary to sustain population growth and promote economic <br />11 development. The League acknowledges that all Minnesota communities benefit from a sound <br />12 and adequately funded transportation system that offers diverse modes of travel. <br />13 <br />14 Response: More resources must be dedicated to the state's transportation system. <br />15 The League supports constitutionally dedicating a portion of the sales tax on motor vehicles <br />16 (also referred to as the MVST) or other new revenue sources to a transportation fund, <br />17 which would fund both highway and transit projects. The League also supports an increase <br />18 in the gas tax that would be dedicated under the existing highway user trust fund formula. <br />19 Replacement funding for vehicle registration taxes (known as tab fees) must be <br />20 constitutionally dedicated to the highway user trust fund. <br />21 <br />22 If adequate funding does not come from the state, cities should have funding options <br />such as special taxing authority made available to them to raise the necessary dollars to <br />adequately fund roads and transit. <br />25 <br />26 The League also supports special funding for cities burdened by excessive cost <br />27 participation responsibilities imposed by improvement projects on the state's principal <br />28 arterial system, and for transportation components of economic development and <br />29 redevelopment projects of regional significance. Cities under 5,000 should be eligible for <br />30 this funding. <br />31 <br />32 All nontransportation programs should be funded from sources other than the <br />33 highway user distribution fund or other funds dedicated to transportation. <br />34 <br />35 LE -27. State Aid for Urban Road Systems (AF) <br />36 <br />37 Issue: Current rules governing municipal state aid expenditures are restricting the <br />38 efficient use of these funds, and do not adequately acknowledge the constraints of road systems <br />39 in urban city environments. <br />40 <br />41 Response: Rules affecting the municipal state aid system need to be changed to <br />42 acknowledge the technical and practical restrictions on construction and reconstruction of <br />43 urban road systems. New municipal state aid design standards should not apply to <br />44 reconstruction of existing state aid streets originally constructed under different standards. <br />Future changes to state aid rules should ensure the involvement of elected officials and <br />engineering professionals in the decision- making process. <br />19 <br />