MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- It would be hard to find a Minnesota voter who supports congested freeways, potholed roads or spotty bus service. The question before them Tuesday, however, was whether to amend the state constitution to do something about it.
A proposed amendment would require that all motor vehicle sales tax proceeds go to transportation. Supporters said it would funnel an extra $300 million a year into transportation projects by 2011, but opponents said it was poorly written and could leave a big hole in future budgets.
Passage required a majority of everyone who votes in the election, meaning that blank ballots would count as a ``no' vote. Election officials said the time required to account for the non-votes meant the outcome might not be known until Wednesday.
Minnesotans for Better Roads and Transit, a coalition of over 1,000 groups and businesses, planned to spend about $3.5 million to support the amendment. Opposition was less organized but came from a couple of groups.
A coalition of rural legislators and mayors said the amendment was poorly worded and might not direct enough money into highway projects. The wording said that at least 40 percent of the money would be used for mass transit, with no more than 60 percent for roads and bridges. Critics said that vague language left open the possibility that light rail and bus projects might grab nearly all the money.
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Others, such as the teachers union Education Minnesota, said it would divert money from schools, health care and other programs. Almost half of the motor vehicle sales tax dollars now flow into the state's general fund, where the money can be spent on anything.
