Transit for Livable Communities
2005 State Policy Agenda

Our 2005 State Policy Agenda highlights the issues we are working on this session. If you have any questions or would like to get involved, please contact Sacha Peterson at sachap@tlcminnesota.org.

1. Secure, increased & dedicated funding for transit, bicycling & walking
To maintain and expand transit in the Twin Cities region, increased, stable, and dedicated funding is needed. Highways have constitutionally dedicated funding that provides money for expansion while the transit budget has been cut by the legislature five times in the past four years. Approximately $300 million more is needed annually to double ridership by 2020. through expanding bus service and park and ride capacity and constructing a regional system of transitways. New funding should also include a set aside for local units of government for bike-ways, sidewalks and transit. Funding could be raised in whole or in part by instituting a regional sales tax, raising the gas tax and allowing a portion to be spent on transit, constitutionally dedicating the majority of the Motor Vehicle Sales tax to transit, or extending the sales tax to fuel.

2. Increase accountability for state transportation investments
Taxpayers deserve to know that public investments in transportation are yielding the desired results. State law already specifies transportation goals, but the goals are very general and MnDOT and the Met Council don’t specifically report on progress toward achievement of those goals. The legislature should establish more specific transportation performance measures and require MnDOT and the Met Council to report progress annually to the legislature. Measurements should include congestion levels by corridor, highway safety goals, adequate maintenance of roads and bridges, transit cost per passenger, air quality, and other benchmarks.

3. Invest in state bonding for transit capital projects
Bonding is currently the only source of state capital funds for new transitways projects. Money is urgently needed in 2005 to continue building a regional system of transitways, remain competitive with other US regions, and secure available federal New Start funds. TLC’s bonding priorities for 2005 are as follows:

Northstar Corridor Commuter Rail $37.5 million
Part I of the Governor’s proposal of $88.3 million for Phase I from Minneapolis to Big Lake, although commuter rail should extend eventually to St. Cloud.

• Central Corridor LRT - $5.25 million
  Funding is needed for the final environmental impact statement and preliminary engineering.
• Northwest Busway - $30 million
  $30 million is needed to complete the project
• Red Rock Commuter Rail - $1 million
  Environmental analysis and station planning
• Other transitways including Cedar Avenue busway - $30 million
  Including Rush Line, Southwest LRT, Union Depot
• Greater Minnesota unmet transit capital needs - $ 4 million
• Destination-oriented bicycling and walking trails - $10 million

4. Prevent additional cuts to existing transit service
If new dedicated funding for transit is delayed, existing transit systems will face additional service cuts and fare increases due to 1) an expected decline in revenues from the Motor Vehicle Sales Tax, 2) a loss of general fund dollars for transit due to the state budget shortfall, and 3) the Met Council’s failure to plan for inflationary cost increases in the FY05 transit budget. In the short term, the transit budget should be kept whole by increasing the portion of the Motor Vehicle Sale Tax dedicated to transit and reducing the portion of the MVST that is used for Trunk Highways. All parts of the transportation system should be able to meet preservation and maintenance goals before one part expands, so that we can better mitigate congestion and preserve our quality of life.

5. Authorize regional bonding for transit capital needs
The Met Council needs $64 million in regional bonding authority to ensure regular replacement of vehicles, construction of new park and rides, and to meet other capital needs. The request includes $32 million from 2004 because no bonding bill passed last session.

6. Metropass Plus: Extend transit benefits to non-profit employees
A credit against corporate income tax encourages businesses to buy deeply discounted transit passes for their employees through programs such as the Metropolitan Council’s Metropass program. However, non-profit organizations cannot benefit from the incentive because they do not pay corporate income taxes. The Legislature should replace the tax credit with a general refund to for-profits and non-profits, so that more companies would be likely to participate in Metropass and enable their employees to use transit at a reduced cost.

7. Oppose private financing and construction of toll lanes
Toll lanes can be a viable component of an overall congestion management strategy if done correctly. However, privately financed and constructed toll lanes have been a disaster for taxpayers in other states and could lead to unplanned highway expansion, fewer transportation alternatives and reduced accountability. TLC opposes “FAST Lanes,” and only supports toll lanes where: toll lanes are publicly owned, revenues are allocated to transit, the initiative is part of a congestion management strategy rather than aimed primarily at highway expansion, toll charges are maintained rather than phased out, and there is adequate public oversight.

• Transportation Choices 2020 Bill
• State Policy Agenda
• House Membership Changes