5-13-15
CALL TO ACTION
Please e-mail or call the House transportation conference committee members: Tell them your name and address, and tell them “Our state needs new transportation revenues to finish U.S. Highway 14. We have been waiting 40 years. Now is the time. I urge you to make transportation a priority in 2015 and help secure new funding for all modes of transportation. Raise the gas tax, and FIX 14 NOW!”
House:
Rep.Tim.Kelly@house.mn 651-651-296-8635; Rep.John.Petersburg@house.mn 651-296-5368; Rep.Tim.Sanders@house.mn 651-296-4226; Rep.Jeff.Howe@house.mn 651-296-4373; Rep.Ron.Erhardt@house.mn 651-296-4363
Senate:
You can also e-mail or call the Senate transportation conference committee members. Again, tell them your name and where you are from, and thank them for standing firm on new funding for Minnesota’s transportation system.
Sen.Scott.Dibble@senate.mn 651-296-296-4191; Sen.Vicki.Jensen@senate.mn 651-296-651-296-9457; Sen.Susan.Kent@senate.mn 651-296-4166; Sen.Foung.Hawj@senate.mn 651-296-5285; Sen.Matt.Schmit@senate.mn 651-296-4264
UPDATE
As I write this, the House and Senate leaders are meeting with the Governor trying to figure out an end to the session. The House states that it will not accept any sort of gas tax increase, and the Senate states that if it does not get a gas tax increase, there will be no tax cut bill.
Neither taxes nor transportation need “lights on” bills, so if neither a tax nor a transportation bill is passed, there will not be a government shutdown. For all other subject matters, however, the Legislature needs to pass an appropriation bill this session which the Governor will sign.
The deadline for the regular session is May 18. If they have not completed their work, the Governor can call a special session. Once a special session is called, the Legislature can keep meeting until they decide to adjourn. The current funding of the government lasts through June 30. If appropriation bills have not been passed by June 30, the parts of the government which are not funded will shut down.
Thanks to all of you who have sent e-mails to the Capitol.