It is time for local legislators in west central Minnesota to walk the talk on transportation.
First, credit must be given to regional Republican lawmakers -- Rep. Bud Heidgerken, R-Freeport, and Sen. Steve Dille, R-Dassel -- who voted for the transportation bill this week along with Democratic lawmakers. They understand the importance of investing in Minnesota's transportation and made a courageous vote.
Regional lawmakers -- Reps. Dean Urdahl, R-Grove City; Ron Shimanski, R-Silver Lake; Marty Seifert, R-Marshall; Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake; and Sens. Joe Gimse, R-Willmar; and Michelle Fischbach, R-Paynesville, all voted against the transportation bill and our future.
It is shameful that these lawmakers talk on their campaigns about the importance of transportation to west central Minnesota and then stick their head in the sand when a key vote comes up.
Minnesota has not made a significant transportation investment for two decades -- except to borrow funding by bonding which requires future repayment.
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Where do Urdahl and Gimse expect to generate funding for U.S. Highway 12 upgrades?
How do Seifert, Gimse and Fischbach hope to find funding for improving state Highway 23?
How do Westrom and Shimanski expect businesses from their districts to survive on the deteriorating transportation system of west central Minnesota?
Bridges are failing and need replacement. Roads are falling apart and need rebuilding. Rural residents are forced to drive unsafe roads. Metro residents and rural businesses are losing productivity due to metro traffic jams. Counties and cities are running out of road and bridge funding. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is out of funding.
What more do you need to understand Minnesota's transportation system is on life support and failing?
There is never a good time to raise taxes, like the gas tax or license tab fees. However, there never is a good time for a bridge to fail like the I-35W bridge either!
The governor has put the politics of Pawlenty ahead of highway safety, bridge integrity, transit improvement, and business efficiency and transportation jobs.
Historically, Minnesotans have invested at appropriate times in transportation and education -- the critical segments of a strong economy.
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Now, it is time for Minnesota to do so once again.
We again commend Rep. Heidgerken, Sen. Dille and Democratic lawmakers for their political wisdom and courage on transportation. We hope they continue this course and ask for their vote to override this veto.
We call on Reps. Urdahl, Shimanski, Seifert, and Westrom and Sen. Gimse and Fischbach to put west central Minnesota first before the politics of their party. We ask for their vote as well to override Pawlenty's political veto on this bill.
It is time for all legislators to demonstrate their commitment on transportation investment, override this veto and pass this transportation bill.
