Legislative Session number- 85

Bill Name: SF2521

2E Relating to transportation finance

ARTICLE 1 - TRANSPORTATION
APPROPRIATIONS

Appropriating money to the commissioner of transportation (DOT)
for multimodal systems including transit and rail, port development assistance,
for state roads including infrastructure operations and maintenance,
infrastructure investment support and highway debt service, for local roads
including county and municipal state aids and for state aid appropriation
adjustments and transfers, to the commissioner of public safety for the state
patrol for additional troopers, to the commissioner of transportation (DOT) for
transportation emergency relief for victims of the I-35W bridge collapse, to the
board of regents of the university of Minnesota for the center for
transportation studies to assess the public policy implications of financing new
and improved transportation infrastructure, requiring a report to the
legislature by a certain date

ARTICLE 2 - TRUNK HIGHWAY AND LOCAL ROAD AND
BRIDGE BONDING

Requiring the commissioner of finance to annually report to the
commissioner of revenue on trunk highway debt service and requiring the report
to include the annual amount of revenue from the surcharge deposited in the
trunk highway fund and a forecast, requiring the commissioner of revenue to
annually calculate and publish a surcharge, specifying commencement date,
providing a surcharge table and requiring the commissioner of revenue to set the
surcharge after a certain date; appropriating money to the commissioner of
transportation (DOT) for state road construction projects, construction and
restoration of roadside properties on the Great River road, urban partnership
agreement including a high occupancy toll lane along I-35W in Minneapolis, a new
transportation district headquarters building in Mankato, a new truck station
facilities in Chaska, Rochester and Maple Grove, local bridge rehabilitation and
replacement and a local road improvement program; appropriating money to the
metropolitan council for certain park and ride facilities under an urban
partnership agreement; appropriating money to the department of administration
for transportation building exterior repair; authorizing the issuance of state
bonds

ARTICLE 3 - HIGHWAY USER TAXES

Modifying the determination of additional
motor vehicle registration taxes; providing for a lower income motor fuels tax
credit; increasing the gasoline and special fuels excise tax, transition
provisions; increasing the fee imposed on lease or rental vehicles; modifying
the allocation of motor vehicle lease sales tax revenue

ARTICLE 4 - LOCAL
OPTION TAXES

Authorizing and providing for a metropolitan transportation area
sales tax, defining metropolitan transportation area and eligible county,
providing for imposition by resolution and rates imposed by county boards
participating in joint powers agreements, exempting metropolitan area
transportation sales tax from the total tax on lodging in the city of
Minneapolis; providing for a joint powers agreement and board, requiring
metropolitan transportation area participating county joint powers agreement
prior to tax imposition; requiring the board to establish a grant application
process and a grant evaluation and ranking system (GEARS) committee, providing
for allocation of grant awards, authorizing the issue of bonds, providing for
allocation of revenues, administration, collection, enforcement and termination
of taxes and requiring an annual report by the board to the legislature by a
certain date; authorizing and providing for greater Minnesota transportation
sales and use tax, providing for imposition and rates, allocation, termination,
administration, collection and enforcement

ARTICLE 5 - COUNTY STATE AID HIGHWAY
FUND DISTRIBUTION

Modifying the county state aid highway (CSAH) fund
apportionment formula; specifying instructions to the revisor of
statutes

ARTICLE 6 - OTHER TRANSPORTATION FINANCE

Prohibiting road
authorities from converting, transferring or utilizing any portion of a highway
to impose tolls or for use as a toll facility; prohibiting road authorities from
selling, leasing or executing a development agreement for privatization
purposes; modifying provisions relating to the flexible highway account;
establishing the trunk highway bridge improvement program, providing for the
prioritization of bridge projects, requiring a statewide transportation planning
report and an annual report by the commissioner of transportation; increasing
the surcharge on revoked drivers license reinstatement fee, authorizing
installment payments under certain conditions, specifying a repayment and
license reinstatement schedule; prohibiting county regional railroad authorities
from contributing more than a certain percentage of the capital costs on light
rail transit (LRT) or commuter rail projects and from contributing funds to pay
for operating and maintenance costs; requiring the metropolitan council to
negotiate with the federal government to secure funding for a single
comprehensive program of rail transit way development to include the Rush Line,
Red Rock, Southwest Corridor and an extension of the NorthStar commuter rail to
St. Cloud
(rt)