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Mar 31 Z006 10:01:35 Via Fax -> Administrator Page 003 Of 885 L -Freda Fax J.,o,14,, A weekly legislative update from the League ofIfinnesota Cities March 31, 2006 Page 3 no committees took actions aimed at changing Minnesotans for Better Roads and Transit the language that will appear on the 2006 (MBRT), a coalition formed to support the general election ballot, there was plenty of 2005 constitutional amendment, last week behind-the-scenes discussion about the best announced support for passage of a bill that way to resolve concerns about the language. would change the ballot question to a simpler, more direct question and would clarify in state Legislators from both sides of the aisle have statute that the 60 percent of the money would expressed frustration at the wording in the be dedicated to roads and 40 percent to transit. amendment, which was a piece of the omnibus The initiative would also require that the transportation bill vetoed by the governor in MVST amendment be placed first among 2005. The amendment survived because the constitutional amendments on the November governor does not have the authority to veto ballot. The group has apparently identified proposed constitutional amendments put forth authors for this bill, but the legislation has not by the legislature- The language as passed been introduced. provides that"no less than" 40 percent of the MVST proceeds will be dedicated to transit and Neither proposal resolves the tension between "no more than" 60 percent to roads. Those road and transit advocates. While the proposal who want to limit transit investments worry the to dedicate 40 percent of the MVST funds to legislature can--and v<rill--use a majority of the transit and 60 percent to roads satisfies the dollars for transit. Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities' demand that road funding be guaranteed, transit At this week's League-sponsored State of the advocates oppose changing the language to Cities Conference, Senate Majority Leader constitutionally place a 40 percent cap on Dean Johnson(DFL-Willmar)and House transit spending from the dedicated funds. Speaker Steve Svig um (R-Kenvon) said transportation committee chairs in their The MBRT proposal is acceptable to a number respective bodies had agreed to change the of stakeholders who believe voter approval of language in the constitutional amendment to the amendment depends on two things: 1) explicitly dedicate 60 percent of MVST clarification of how the legislature intends to proceeds to roads and 40 percent to transit. spend the money, and 2)improvements to the One bill that would accomplish this change the wording of the question so that voters language already passed easily out of the understand the amendment would not Senate Transportation Budget Division. The implement a new tax. Transit advocates like bill, SF 24445koe DFL-Clearbrook), is in the the MBRT because the MVST proceeds are form of a joint legislative resolution. statutorily distributed and give the legislature Resolutions do not require the governor's the discretion to increase transit funding above signature. A similar bill, HF 3048 (Lanning, R- 40 percent. However,the initiative doesn't go Moorhead) will be heard in the House far enough to alleviate road funding Transportation Finance Committee next proponents' fears that the legislature will Thursday. ultimately spend the majority of the dollars on metropolitan transit projects. For more information on city legislative issues,cordact any member of the League of Minnesota Cities&dergmwnrnental Relations team. 651.281.1200 or 800.925.1122