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Retired county engineer pleased with legislative action |
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TO THE EDITOR:
As a retired Chisago county engineer, I’ve seen firsthand the effect of continued flat, insufficient funding for transportation.
Even though I don’t like paying higher fees and taxes any more than the next person, I was extremely impressed with the recent actions of our legislature in the passing of the fairly significant transportation bill. I want to say also that I’m proud of our local legislators who stepped up and did the right thing to help meet our area’s transportation needs.
For more than two decades, we (Counties, Cities and State) have been encumbered with the inability to keep up with the accelerating deterioration rate of our roadway systems and bridges, and the inability to correct serious safety issues related to existing antiquated roadway designs. The funding provided for in this recent bill will bring us closer to a reliable level of funding to meet our transportation system replacement and enhancement needs.
Since I follow this issue closely, I’d like to comment on some of the recent misrepresentations surrounding the impact of the transportation bill on Minnesota families. Some of the discussions emphasize the $6.6 billion transportation investment which is part of the new transportation bill. This figure includes an increase to existing funding of the dedicated transportation programs (such as increased funding for County State Aid Highways), as well as the inclusion of bonding for backlogged transportation projects. All of the costs mentioned, will be paid for from the increased gas tax, increased motor vehicle sales tax revenues, and increased license tab fees, except for approximately $40M from the general fund for some smaller bridge projects.
One letter writer uses the formula of $6.6B divided by the State population to arrive at about a $3,300 tax increase. That makes about as much sense as taking the entire US Federal expenditure and dividing it by the total population and saying this is your individual tax obligation! For those interested, the Federal budge of approx. $2.8 trillion divided by 150 million taxpayers (approx.) would equal approx. $19,000.
To find the true impact to your own family, use the formula Senator Olseen mentioned in his letter to the editor. To find your increased tax related to the gas tax increase, divide the number of miles you drive by the mileage you get and multiply by the tax increase. For example for my wife and I who drive about 25,000 miles per year and get 30 miles per gallon, we will be paying about $71 more per year. The increase in gas prices (a whole other subject!) over the past year is costing us close to $900 dollars per year! I know that our $71 additional expenditure due to the increased gas tax (which I’d prefer to call it a user fee) multiplied by all of the highway users across the state will go a long way to help provide a better, safer transportation system for us, our kids, and grandkids.
The quarter-cent sales tax mentioned, will only be applied in participating metropolitan counties, and thus, Chisago County residents will only see a sales tax increase on purchases made in one of those counties. The increase in vehicle registration taxes, only applies to those purchasing a different vehicle after September 1, 2008. Those continuing to drive their existing vehicle will see no tax increase.
There are additional serious needs that must be addressed in the near future, such as education, and health care. Let’s be as careful as we can when we discuss the merits of proposals for change; and properly quote facts when we are trying to make our opinions known. Frank discussion with a free exchange of ideas can be very easily polluted when illogical conclusions are presented as fact.
Emil “Mic” Dahlberg
North Branch
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