Star Trib: Core cities grow, outer suburbs slow

From today's Star Tribune: Growth trends show more people choosing to live in urban cores instead of suburbs. This means less transportation cost and urban sprawl and a realistic chance of revitalizing aging city infrastructure. The same kind of model would make sense for small and mid-sized towns all over the state. I think gas prices will dictate this. I live deep in the country and the fact that I'm a partial e-commuter makes this survivable.

The Bus Factor

This story ("Big, yellow and putting schools in the red") in today's Star Tribune details the woes of some suburban Minnesota school districts in covering the skyrocketing cost of diesel fuel for their bus fleets.

I don't have the data to compare miles and fuel use between suburban and rural northern Minnesota school districts, but my family is in the transportation business up here and I know how the costs are rising. Kids in northern Minnesota live very far away from their schools, must take the bus and, until our economy really turns around there are fewer kids and less funding each year. So while we all share the problem of rising gas prices, and must solve it, up here we must also face that problem with fewer tools at our disposal.

Who cares? Well, if rural Minnesota becomes uninhabitable to working families, say hello to more sprawl, more costs, and more poverty for everyone. Until we take a statewide approach to improving K-12 funding (in a way that accounts for rising energy and transportation costs) that's the path we're heading down.

House Republicans purge the infidels

A lot of DFLers were surprised that the six Republican state representatives who supported the transportation bill stuck with the coalition in overriding Gov. Pawlenty's veto. But the roads need to be fixed and I suppose these six finally got sick of the "no new tax, unless it's a fee" games played by Pawlenty and his legislative allies.

Well, now these six representatives are being stripped of their caucus positions, committee leadership spots and, in all likelihood, their Republican endorsements for re-election. (See MPR's "Pawlenty, Republican leaders circle the wagons" and "Gas tax increase not playing well in Anoka"). I am not surprised that die-hard GOPers would be upset with this group breaking ranks, but I am surprised that they're basically excommunicating the whole lot of them despite the Republicans' status as an almost feckless minority in the House. If these six somewhat moderate Republicans were to switch parties or lose to more conservative opponents (who would be prime targets in the Fall), we would see a DFL legislature that can and would override Pawlenty all the time until he leaves office. I just don't get it.

At this rate, the House Republican caucus of 2009 will include Rep. Marty Seifert, the Monopoly guy and Skeletor. That's a pretty bad ass group, but they won't be able to stop universal health care, a stronger education system or tax reform. And that's good news for DFLers, independents and moderate Republicans. You know, most Minnesotans.

The folks at http://www.mnpublius.com/ have done a great job covering this topic with multiple posts in just the past day. They found some interesting quotes from the affected GOP reps.

Yeah, we'll fix the roads anyway

On Monday, the DFL-controlled Minnesota House of Representatives overrode Gov. Tim Pawlenty's veto of the transportation bill, which fixes roads and bridges around the state by raising the state gas tax five cents a gallon. They were able to win over six Republicans to aid in the override. While no one wants to pay more for gas, this action updates a tax that hasn't risen in 2o years despite the enormous increase in costs to fix roads. Studies continue to show major problems in Minnesota's highway infrastructure that Pawlenty had refused to fix in order to keep his no-new-taxes pledge.

The DFL-controlled State Senate is expected to complete the override today. (UPDATE: The Senate has overriden the veto, turning the bill into law). This will be spun as a tax issue by the Republicans and a roads issue by the DFL. In truth, it's just good to see actual problems actually addressed. Here's hoping Iron Range State Highway 169 in Itasca County and State Highway 53 in St. Louis and Koochiching counties move closer to their needed upgrades as a result. With matching funds secured by U.S. Rep Jim Oberstar, many of these dangerous highways may finally be brought into the 21st century.

House overrides governor’s veto on transportation bill

By BRIAN BAKST
Associated Press

ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Legislature voted Monday to override Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s veto of a $6.6 billion transportation bill, paving the way for higher gas taxes and other fees to bring in more money for roads, bridges and transit.

The critical vote came in the House, where six Republicans broke ranks to defy the governor and provide the two-thirds majority needed for the override. The final vote was 91-41. The Senate vote later in the day, 47-20, was assured because the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party has a veto-proof majority.

The state’s first gas tax increase since 1988 will hit on April 1, and by fall it will have climbed slightly more than a nickel overall to 25.5 cents per gallon. It will rise in stages another 3 cents by 2012 to pay off road bonds.

The average state gasoline tax nationwide is 28.6 cents per gallon, according to API, a national trade association that represents the oil and natural gas industry.

Overrides are rare in Minnesota, with only 14 occurring since 1939. None of Pawlenty’s 36 previous vetoes had been overturned, including two before on transportation proposals.

In a conference call, the governor reacted coolly.

“The DFL majority has done what it does best, which is to raise taxes on Minnesota families,” he said. “I’m more than happy to say this is a DFL product and a DFL result with a few Republicans who helped them because I wouldn’t want to take any credit for this piece of work.”

Rep. Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, was among the Republicans voting for an override. He said his vote came down to concern over the safety of the roads.

“We have so many unsafe roads in my area with twists and turns — on a rainy night I’m scared to drive down the roads,” he said before the vote. “The people who die on those roads are teenagers in single-car accidents. If we don’t do something we will have some kid’s blood on our hands.”

T-Paw vetoes roads bill

Gov. Tim Pawlenty vetoed the transportation bill today. The DFL-controlled House is one vote shy of an override, but two of the holdouts are DFLers so there is a chance that this bill funding improvements to Minnesota highways and bridges can be rammed through the veto wall. I expect a lot of these kinds of theatrics as Pawlenty auditions for the VP slot on the McCain ticket.

Highway 53 expansion prospects

The Mesabi Daily News has an interesting story today about efforts to expand State Highway 53, the major north/south byway of northern Minnesota and the Iron Range. Coupled with State Highway 169, (the Range's east/west route) these highway improvements are absolutely necessary for a safer, more efficient infrastructure in our region.

Highway 53 matching funds still a concern
Road expansion to Cook
By Charles Ramsay, Mesabi Daily News

VIRGINIA — Finding the funds for Minnesota state match for the Highway 53 four-lane expansion to Cook continues as a major concern for officials.

State Rep. Tom Anzelc, DFL-Bovey, told members of the Highway 53 Long-Range Task Force Wednesday that there were many lawmakers backing a nickel a gallon increase in the state gas tax in the 2008 session starting Feb. 12, and perhaps some combination of bonding, gas tax and other funding can be put into place.

Minnesota Department of Transportation officials told the group they hoped to have plans in place by 2010 for the next segment, Rice River to Cook, which may be up for state match funding by 2012. The expansion is planned to have a four-lane highway to Cook.

About $42 million in federal highway funding specifically for the nine-mile expansion to Cook that U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, D-Minn., helped secure in the SAFETEA-LU Highway Act still needs about $7.93 million in state matching funds to meet the 80 percent federal, 20 percent state mix.

Anzelc said backers of a 5-cent-per-gallon tax increase have 68 votes in the House and 34 votes in the state Senate, enough to pass it, although that may not be enough for funding, he added.

While he has not been in favor of borrowing for transportation before, Anzelc said he has changed his mind, and maybe a mix of a modest gas tax increase, some bonding and some borrowing may help the bill be signed. Last year, legislative leaders and Gov. Tim Pawlenty could not agree on a transportation funding package.

“Let’s pass a bill in the first month’’ of the session, Anzelc said. “This isn’t about politics, it’s about public safety.’’