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LUEET-4. Transportation (cont'd) (D) <br />The Legislature has recently taken appropriate steps in this direction by / <br />increasing license fees and the gasoline tax to maintain this fund. Efforts <br />should be made to eliminate any inequities in the motor vehicle license fee ..- <br />schedules and other vehicle taxes. <br />The League supports legislative efforts to establish a system of direct <br />appropriations to citieo under 5,000 out of the 29 percent county share of the <br />highway user funds at least to the extent that townships receive direct - <br />appropriations, as well as mandatory state guidelines concerning county use of <br />these funds to ensure that all communities within a county receive an equitable <br />share of these funds. Further, the state should establish minimum county <br />funding participation requirements for projects. <br />4. The special state bonding program should be continued to provide funds <br />for counties, towns, and cities for the replacement or repair of bridges. <br />5. Mass transit funding should remain a priority for the state. Funding for <br />the existing, level of operation for mass transit should be maintained at a fixed <br />share formula for local governments. <br />6. The Legislature should continue the Minnesota Department of <br />Transportation as the ride -share program coordinating ager.cy and to provide <br />ndequate funding for its continuation. <br />7. The possibility and feasibility of utilizing existing railroad trackage <br />as part of a fixed guideway and/or light rail mass transit system should be <br />addressed. if existing railroad trackage/rights-of-way are petitioned for ^. <br />abandonment, these or portions thereof should be preserved by appropriate �! <br />government agencies through alternate public use until rail systems once again <br />become economically feasible or needed because of energy considerations. <br />8. The Legislature should restore the bikeway grants program in order to <br />promote safety in a growing recreational activity. <br />9. The League opposes legislation allowing truck tractor and trailer <br />combinations of up to 110 feet on Minnesota highways due to the public entity .. <br />and infrastructure cost problems caused by these trucks, such as off tracking of <br />rear wheels, acceleration distance needs, and time and distance required for <br />passing. <br />-36- <br />