Just what happened to responsible Government? And why is Government now blaming us, the citizens for them squandering the money we gave them?

State feels bumps in the budget for roads Did anyone even bother to ask if all the extra funds being taken by Commuter and Light rail had an impact on this?

After underestimating the cost of highway building and overestimating federal funding, the Minnesota Department of Transportation this year found itself $300 million short of what it needed to complete the next three years of metro road projects.

To keep the Crosstown Hwy. 62-Interstate Hwy. 35W reconstruction on schedule to start this spring, the agency has poached $50 million intended by Congress for local road, bike, transit and walking projects in the metro area. And it has gobbled the entire $100 million increase in federal highway money to pay for cost overruns of metro area projects, leaving none for outstate roads.

hidden in the story is the usual subliminal suggestion by DFLers and leftist to raise taxes. They always raise the issue of funding shortfalls, but never give suggestions to their solution. As usual, they stand on the sideline and cast stones.

The DFL pushed for just as much spending as the GOP in the past, if not more. Both parties are guilty for the lack of funds for roads. (ahem, earmarks exist locally too!) Both parties, plus the bureaucracy known as MNDOT should be taking blame for squandering our money on fruitless pursuits at social engineering and nanny state programs (half the budget goes to education, and we have to borrow money to pay for new roads, that doesn’t make sense to me!). One of the highest priorities of MN’s government should be transportation which to 95% of us means roads and highways.

Here we have Minneapolis and St. Paul ganging up to rob another $800 million (yeah right, it’ll be a billion) dollars for a train down University and then there is the boondoggle called Commuter rail. These legislators in St. Paul and their pons at MNDOT wouldn’t know a functioning transportation system if it bit them on the arse. Why are we allowing them to tell us what we need? We know that the highways need major work.

(Don’t get me started about how the Anoka County Board has its hands out at the capital, while also having it firmly over the mouths of their residents, refusing to let us say yes or no to a stadium. Every chance they get, the people we place in power, are corrupted with what we gave them. The power is going to their heads.)

Roads and highways are the number one form of transportation. Get that through your fat skulls. Stop the fluffy feel good crap. Prioritize the most dangerous spots, and fix them. Then prioritize the most congested and fix them.

Oh and where should we get the money from? Take if all, 100% from our vehicle taxes. Take 100% of the gas tax and fix our roads. If MNDOT and the legislature as a whole would stop pushing their personal agendas, and listen to 95% of the people, this crap wouldn’t be happening. Roads, roads, roads. Build us the roads we need. When you get all of our bottlenecks and congestion dealt with,. if there is money left over, we can talk about the rest of your social engineering program. But until then, that crap should be on the back burner.

More big hitters are coming out in support of the garbage known as the motor vehicle sales tax (MVST.) amendment. This time it is Susan Marvin (Marvin windows) and Ron Lifson (former chair of the Minnesota Chamber’s Transportation Policy Committee).

Minnesotans have what is likely a one-time opportunity to significantly increase transportation funding by voting “yes” on the proposed constitutional amendment on dedication of the motor vehicle sales tax (MVST.).

Let me insert the text of the amendment:

“Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to dedicate revenue from a tax on the sale of new and used motor vehicles over a five-year period, so that after June 30, 2011, all of the revenue is dedicated at least 40 percent for public transit assistance and not more than 60 percent for highway purposes?                       Yes ……. No ……..”

“at least 40 percent for public transit assistance and not more than 60 percent for highway purposes”Do you see it yet? They are putting a cap on how much money can be spent on highways. Plus they are mandating a minimum percentage of the money be spent on mass transit. Meaning that they have to spend money on mass transit every year whether it is needed/desired (by the public) or not.

But let’s get back to this current argument for the amendment.

However, lawmakers have continually used the money for other purposes, and today only 54 percent of the MVST dollars is used for transportation.

So how would limiting spending to “no more than 60%” of the dollars be much different? Yes, that is exactly what this will do. It will increase the funding to highways, which 95% of Minnesotans use as their main source of transit, by no more than 6%!

But then again, the people pushing this plan are not really trying to solve the transportation problem in Minnesota.

The MVST amendment is not a cure-all for our transportation needs, but it is an important steppingstone. As for the second step — an increase in the fuel tax

Even if this passes, they still know they will need a gas tax increase to get enough money. So why pass this stupid amendment that puts a limit on how much money (taken from those of us who drive a car, truck, or motor vehicle that we paid the tax for the privilege to drive on the roads)  can be used on the roads that we all use?

Bad laws don’t deserve to pass, just to start the debate on spending. How about this for the amendment?

My version: “Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to dedicate revenue from a tax on the sale of new and used motor vehicles so that all of the revenue is dedicated to transportation?                       Yes ……. No ……..”  

Let’s pass that, so that we the people of Minnesota can debate how our money can be spent every year. Doing this will give the legislature the voter approved power to allocate the ratio of highway to mass transit funds, rather than leave that to the bureaucracy of MNDOT. When they cross the line, one way or the other, we can change that through elections. But this amendment is forever limiting the money available to the roads.

The people of this state ought to control the future of transportation. Let us decide how it shall be spent, not a few bureaucrats in a room.

I want to think The Honorable Bogus Doug for this appointment as Transportation and Metropolitan Sports Commission Czar. I will not pull Brownie on the duties I have been entrusted with. And as proof that I will take my role seriously, I have a few announcements to make on this my first day.

1. I am banning all members of the MOB from taking public transportation. (Sorry PMB). It is very importatnt that we set a good example for society that one can get themselves from place to place with out leeching on the government or taxpayers. Therefor let it be known that on this 25th day of the 11th month of the 2005th year of the lord, that any MOB member that uses subcidized mass transit shall have their MOB credentials revoked. Furthermore as punishment, they shall become a permenent member of Obsessive Stalker Loser’s “news site” and they shall have to bathe OSL monthly.
2. The use of cell phones by MOB members while driving is officially banned. Your are now required to liveblog all of your driving. No Exceptions!
3. I am banning all female members from the MOB and all female spouses/significant others and relatives of MOB members from being with in 3000 feet of any professional athlete. This is for your own safety. I am also requiring that chaperones be present whenever professional athletes are in public and females and children are present.
4. I am also placing a moratorium on any plans or construction of a Gopher’s football stadium. This is to safeguard taxpayers and the students of the U of M from further tuition hikes that are completely unrelated to educational reasons. I will also to force the alumni that blackmailed the Republican legislators and Governor into using their coercive mind control powers that they used to convince said fiscal conservatives for good, rather than evil. I will bring them to the light side. If this should fail, I have a fleet of B2 Stealth bombers on stand by to act if some one attempts to build a football stadium on campus, strategic bombing will commence in Coordination with Kevin the Master of the Hunt who will be marking all construction equipment with lasers, if the humane strategic bombing should fail, a full nuclear strike will be ordered. There shall be no Gopher’s Football Stadium on my watch!
5. Short Bus Trivia is now the official olympic event for members of the MOB. A formal request to the International Olympic Committee is being drafted for SBT’s recognition and eventual admission as an event for the 2008 olympics.
6. It brings me both pleasure and sorrow to announce that: Whining is now allowed in Short Bus Trivia and Terry Keegan is no longer the Quizmaster. Unfortunately he has been found guilty of doping.

Thank you, and use your turnsignals.