Transportation Update

02/23/2008

Dear Editor,


I’m writing today to fill you in on some important developments at the State Capitol and to ask you to forward this email to your friends and neighbors, and take action, as soon as you can!

Thursday night, the Minnesota State Legislature passed bipartisan, comprehensive transportation-funding legislation. Unfortunately, Governor Pawlenty has just announced that he will veto this critical transportation funding today (Friday) — his third veto of transportation funding since 2005.

But now we have a chance to make our voices heard. In the next few days, legislators will have the opportunity to override the governor’s veto. Why should they? The bill will start us down the road to righting our current transportation mess, by:

· Rebuilding crumbing roads and bridges in every part of the state, with focus on fracture-critical bridges;

· Establishing a dedicated source of funding for public transit in the metro area, and giving other jurisdictions the option of doing the same;

· Creating upwards of 30,000 high-paying jobs a year, many of which will be union jobs;

· Holding down property taxes, shifting the burden for road and bridge construction and maintenance off homeowners and onto the State, where it belongs;

· Paying for these improvements in part by increasing the gas tax, costing the average Minnesotan $41 per year.

Minnesota needs this transportation bill, and don’t take my word for it: the nonpartisan Legislative Auditor said this week that without additional funding, we cannot meet our state’s transportation needs.

For these reason, it is critical that the bill become law — now without Governor Pawlenty.

So first, call your legislator and ask him or her to vote to override the governor’s veto — because we need comprehensive transportation solutions now (find them here and here). (Not sure who represents you? Click here to find out.)

And then, forward this information to your neighbors, family and friends as soon as you can. We must make sure that the voice of every Minnesotan who believes in progress is heard!

Thanks for everything you do,


Alex Falconer

MN DFL Party
DNC State Partnership Program
afalconer@dfl.org