After a midnight deadline ended a budget-balancing session on Sunday night, Minnesota lawmakers failed to find a compromise on a transportation bill.
While lawmakers struck agreements supplementing preschool programs, reducing drug offense sentencing and adopting a statewide presidential primary, proposals for transportation funding fell apart as the session closed early Monday morning.
House Republicans sought to add bridge and road repair funding to a $1 billion bonding bill, while Senate democrats pushed to fund mass transit projects — like the Southwest Light Rail Transit expansion to Eden Prairie.
Funding public transportation projects — especially ones that are widely used — is beneficial to the Metro-area populace. Last year, Metro Transit ridership set a new record with 85.8 million rides — a 23 percent increase from 2005.
At this point, it is up to Gov. Mark Dayton to agree to a special session
for lawmakers to potentially strike
a transportation deal. Regardless, it’s amiss that officials have prioritized their partisan agendas over much-needed transportation fixes, and expansions, for the state.
We urge lawmakers to reach across the aisle and continue to fund public-works projects — including the Southwest Light Rail Transit expansion. Officials at the Capitol have a duty to serve and invest in the interests of Minnesotans in a timely fashion.
