02-24-1988 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Cti VG if L, Li kltti)A ?. 7' VfIT1N. It-i C. ��'l. k.L ✓j�V GI <- 1- }%�ti<.I(�: ✓✓ }<f� .'e'.- J�kt�u tC !Act a +, O L15 C °i a -s I .lv: - NMV& 1 5!' -14,1j0 DrFe -0. (k'i 14 c'V`C ' rc_Fiec_l.i 4..' +ha P1 ).4. I. COMMISSION BACKGROUND The Transportation Finance Study Commission was created as part of the5�ranspgrtq ion and Semi - States 1988 -89 appropriation bill enacted in the 1987 legislative session. That Yegistatiod" direct the Commission to study. �Ft.r` 1936 <; 2. The adequacy of existing revenue sources to meet those ne dsa 0_ 0 ( upl D 1. Present and future highway and transit needs. 3. Methods of raising additional revenue. 4. Alternatives to raising revenue. 5. Alternative methods of distributing revenues among various levels of government. The Commission was directed to report its findings and recommendations to the legislature by February 15, 1988. The following members of the legislature were appointed to the Commission: Senator Gary DeCramer Senator Keith Langseth Senator Marilyn Lantry Senator Lyle Mehrkens Senator Clarence Purfeerst At the Commission's first meeting co- chairs. Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Senator Purfeerst Doug Carlson Bob Jensen Henry Kalis Bernie Lieder Art Seaberg and Representative Kalis were selected to serve as II. COMMISSION ACTIVITIES The Commission's first meeting was in the State Capitol and provided essential background on the developments which had led to the Commission's creation. Rep. Bob Vanasek, Speaker of the House, testified on the scope of the Commission's work, a subject also addressed in a statement provided by Senator Roger Moe, Senate majority leader, and Governor Rudy Perpich. Transportation Commissioner Leonard Levine spoke on the changes which the Department of Transportation were forced to make as a result of funding shortfalls after the 1987 legislative session. The hear three meetings, also in the Capitol, focused on state and local highway and transit needs and also heard a report on the Legislative Auditor's study of county state -aid distribution. The Commission then began a series of hearings at locations around the state in an attempt to obtain a sense of what the public expected and demanded of the legislature in terms of transportation service and willingness to finance that service. Meetings were held in Shakopee, Richfield, Two Harbors, Breezy Point, Mankato and Marshall. All these meetings were characterized by heavy attendance (several to the point of capacity) and public testimony from more than 150 persons. While the testimony covered a broad range of transportation subjects almost all of it spoke to the public's awareness of the importance of transportation to the state's economic health.' The specific points brought out most frequently in these hearings may be summarized as follows: 1. The motoring public is willing to pay for the support of highways as long as it can be sure that the money will actually go for highway improvements and maintenance. Page 60