Minnesota Senate

Minnesota House
Of Representatives
State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155

Senator D. Scott Dibble

651-296-4191
tinyurl.com/SenatorDibbleEmail

Representative Frank Hornstein

651-296-9281
rep.frank.hornstein@senate.mn

Dear Neighbor,
The 2015 legislative session ended without significant progress on several major issues. We
were hopeful that with a $2 billion surplus and broad consensus on the need for a long-term
investment in transportation infrastructure more would get done. In the end, the Legislature did
not pass the reliable and sustainable funding so desperately needed to address the 21st
Century challenges facing Minnesotas multi-modal transportation system.
With this said, we are pleased that a few of our initiatives were included in the lights on
transportation bill enacted into law by Governor Dayton.

Railroad Damage Responsibilities Clarification: Updates 1905 law so that railroad

corporations are responsible for damages to every person and private and public entity
whose property would be potentially damaged by fire, if the fire is spread or caused by
the rolling stock, the contents of the rolling stock, a spill, tear, discharge, or combustion
of train contents. Railroads are also liable for response expenses when a fire or other
emergency is caused by a railroad.

Department of Public Safety (DPS) Response Preparedness Reporting to Include

Ethanol by Rail: A provision was added to have the Department of Public Safety
analyze the impacts and preparedness of ethanol transportation by rail in Minnesota.
This is the same information that is required for oil transportation.

Texting While Driving Fine for Subsequent Offense: Imposes a fine of $225 for
persons who violate the law that prohibits using a wireless communication device to
compose, read or send a text when driving for a second or subsequent offense. With an
increased fine of $225 plus the $50 base amount set by the courts and the $75 court
surcharge the total fine is $350.

State Aid Street Design Standards: Revises the design criteria used for the major
roads owned by cities and counties in order to be consistent how state owned roads are
designedwhich can be especially helpful in making them more usable for residential
and commercial settings, and for bikers and pedestrians.

Transportation Management Organizations (TMOs): Appropriates $200,000 in 2016

for grants to highly successful organizations that work with employers in Minneapolis, St.
Paul, and Bloomington to better connect their employees to transit options.

One big disappointment was that our legislation to require the four Class I, large national
railroad companies operating in Minnesota to pay up to $32.5 million annually to mitigate their
threats to public safety did not advance. The assessment was to be directed at highway-rail
grade crossing improvements on rail corridors transporting crude oil and other hazardous
materials. The legislation was intended to reduce or eliminate grade crossing accidents,
fatalities and injuries; the likelihood of potentially catastrophic fires involving crude oil trains;
delays to the motoring general public; delays to emergency responders; and environmental
damages from the release crude oil or other hazardous materials. There was much opposition
from the railroads and the Republican House Majority.
Southwest LRT corridor:
In regards to Southwest LRT corridor we have taken the recently revealed unanticipated 20%
increase in construction costs very seriously. Additionally, with issuance of the Supplemental
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) on May 22, we were successful in urging the
Met Council and the Federal Transit Administration to give interested parties additional time to
review, analyze and submit formal comments. The deadline to weigh in on the study is now July
21, 2015. To learn more about it the process for commenting, go to this link:
http://tinyurl.com/SWLRT-SDEIS.
A call for Special Session Transportation compromise:
Finally, an upcoming special session is needed to resolve several issues including the three
major finance bills vetoed by Governor Dayton (E-12 Education, Environment and Agriculture,
and Jobs and Energy). We stand firmly with Governor Dayton in his call for an adequate funding
for E-12 Education to allow for investment in both our schools and in early childhood education,
including pre-kindergarten. We were in especially strong support of his veto of the Environment
bill that contained many measures that, if enacted, would be huge steps backwards in our
efforts to ensure a clean, sustainable and healthy environment.
While we do not yet know when special session will occur, we are also urging inclusion of a
transportation compromise finance package that takes elements from both the DFL and GOP
proposals to break the current deadlock. It take someone to make the first move. Were hopeful
that our Republican partners, the Governor and legislative leadership responds to this good faith
attempt to break the present inertia and restore momentum on this important work. The key
components of the compromise include:
Highway User Tax Distribution Fund
Dedicate existing Sales Tax on Auto Parts (via the constitution), $381M in FY 16-17,
$493M in FY 18-19
10/gallon Gas Tax, approx. $300M/year
.25% increase for Registration Tax (Tab Fees, to 1.5%), $191.6M in 16-17, $278.8M in
18-19
Efficiencies, including PPPs (15% of the identified gap in need)
Bonding within the TH Fund over 10 years: $1.5B
Corridors of Commerce: $800M
Transportation & Economic Development: $200M
State Road Construction: $500M

Metro Transit
The seven metropolitan counties, Opt-in at either or , (if at , can be flexed
in that county for roads or transit), $274-$400M/year (approx., depending on opt-in and
rate of sales tax)
Greater Minnesota Transit
8% of Motor Vehicle Sales Tax (contingent on 58% roads / 42% transit split), $30M/year
Increase General Fund base: $12M/year, ongoing
Cities (both Municipal State Aid (MSA) and non-MSA cities)
Portion of HUDTF 5% set aside ($6-7M/year for small cities; 48.5% of 5% of HUTDF for
MSA cities, $60-70M/year)
$10 title transfer fee, $12M/year; $10 vehicle registration fee, $45M/year: $28.5M/year to
small cities, $28.5M to MSA cities (Note, not counting regular formula dollars flowing to
MSA cities via the HUTDF)
7 Metro Counties County State Aid Highways (CSAH)
Move $32M diverted to General Fund to CSAH
Distribute with population-based formula: but with Hennepin at 25% of population,
Ramsey at 50% of population
Bike-Pedestrian/Safe Routes to School (SRTS)
Greater Minnesota: Federal minimum guaranteed at $16M/year plus General Fund:
$5M/year ongoing
Metro: portion of sales tax plus General Fund (SRTS)
Railroad Safety Improvements
$32M/year assessment on railroads
Action on transportation cannot wait another year or longer. Gridlock at the Capitol leads to
gridlock on our roadways, failure to provide minimally acceptable transit mobility, and spiraling
construction costs. We simply can't afford more delays and need to get Minnesota moving
forward.
Please stay in touch and continue to share your thoughts with us.
Sincerely,

Frank Hornstein
State Representative, District 61A

D. Scott Dibble
State Senator, District 61