1988-007 Council Resolution - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Search

rDGP -%D G� = G L ( KA t p,, A Z � �� >� ti �; J ;v^r r "T (C At l 7 i `f = ,�� 41 t`{G �i�l- ci�,•✓l �i 4{ G-1-T •'"�1�C.jC:. �.,✓i }L�� t�.�- IJt'1ii �I.t � (,tom{ �•�i vt <• v 1� � I 't , •t•; 1,11/C I iit Ebb i� 1��r�T 3rfezi. ,�4 \'t cis�c �re+tec_ #, y�.� t�t� C'� C �'w 4+�! � vli✓tcj 4� Pf x'; �: I. COMMISSION BACKGROUND The Transportation Finance Study Commission was created as part of the Transportation and Semi - States 1988 -89 appropriation bill enacted in the 1987 legislative session. That legislation directed the Commission to study. 1. Present and future highway and transit needs. 2. The adequacy of existing revenue sources to meet those 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 Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Doug Carlson Bob Jensen Henry Kalis Bernie Lieder Art Seaberg At the Commission's first meeting Senator Purfeerst and Representative co- chairs. IL COMMISSION ACTIVITIES Kalis were selected to serve as 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 iiext 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.