Council gears up for the 2005 legislative session

Council Chair

Peter Bell

It’ll be a year of both challenge and opportunity as we stare down another forecasted state budget shortfall for the 2006-07 biennium. While nothing like last biennium’s deficit of $4.5 billion, there is no question the budget situation, combined with declining transit revenue from the Motor Vehicle Sales Tax (MVST), will mean continued belt tightening for the Metropolitan Council.

On the bright side, it is helpful to go into the session with the governor’s support on a number of Council priorities.

Gov. Pawlenty has proposed a 10-year, $7.15 billion transportation funding package that would accelerate highway and transit projects in the seven-county area. Specifically, the program includes a $4.5 billion bonding program and the constitutional dedication of all MVST revenues to roads and transit, that when fully implemented over five years, would provide an additional $90 million a year for transit.

The resources would enable the Council to develop five new bus or rail “transitways” by 2020 and make significant improvements in the region’s bus system, including new express bus routes, suburb-to-suburb service, transit stations, park-and-ride lots, and other features.

The governor has proposed a capital bonding package we hope will be approved early in the session. It includes:

$10 million for bus rapid transit on Cedar Avenue from Lakeville to the Mall of America;
$37.5 million for development of the Northstar Commuter Rail Line between Minneapolis and Big Lake;
$7 million for improvements at regional parks.

In addition, Gov. Pawlenty helped to free up $20 million in state bond proceeds needed to build the Northwest busway along County Road 81 between Minneapolis and Rogers. The state dollars, along with $5 million from the Council and $12 million from Hennepin County, would complete the busway.

We’ll look to the Legislature for transit operating funds, including Hiawatha LRT operations in ’06 and ’07, and authority for Metro Mobility vans and the Council’s contracted bus services to use shoulder lanes as a transit advantage.

We will propose creation of an advisory board on drinking water to help address the need for greater planning and coordination with respect to water resources. As one of the region’s most precious assets, our abundant water resources must be protected and conserved.

Finally, the Council will seek opportunities to work cooperatively — on a voluntary basis — with counties adjoining the seven-county metro area on problems relating to growth, transportation and other issues that affect the metro area and its neighbors.

Clearly, the economic boundaries of our region have grown far beyond the seven-county area. While we have no intention of trying to expand the Council’s jurisdiction, we do hope to find opportunities to work more closely with our neighbors on certain issues.

Peter Bell

January 2005