state + local

Are you sure that EMILY KAISER isn't and alias for Nick Coleman?

for more dollars. They collect enough taxes, the earmarks and overpriced projects ( light rail ) need to get canned. The feds built the system, the other part of the equation is the states are required to maintain it. Now the states want to bail because they can not control spending either.

The Feds didn't build the system...the states did, with FHWA oversight and mostly-Federal funding (10% state/local match). And there are not enough transportation taxes collected to cover what's needed either. Yes, earmarks are a problem, but consider that A) some of the earmarks *ARE* for projects that are needed, and B) the total level of earmarks is still small potatoes compared to the amount of funding needed to get the system back in shape. Lastly, if you don't want taxes raised, just what are you going to cut to shift dollars to transportation? At the state level, we're pretty much already pared down to the bone, and last I checked, we have an obscenely high deficit at the federal level.

thats our way of life in minnesota. We drag our feet for everything bitching about cost only to pay much more in the long run. Look at bridges, roads, schools, light rail, stadiums, etc. If we only had "leaders" who would take the first step and say do whats right not what the over reaction crowd thinks.

"In 2006, Minnesota got back only 89 cents of every dollar contributed to the Highway Trust Fund, partly because of excessive earmarks in other states, Bachmann said." In 2006, the REPUBLICANS controlled Congress. REPUBLICAN Ted Stevens was building the "bridge to nowhere". Earmarks went up when REPUBLICANS controlled Congress and have gone down since the Democrats took over. Michele Bachmann knows that. The Star Tribune should have reported those facts along with Bachmann's comments.

"Lastly, if you don't want taxes raised, just what are you going to cut to shift dollars to transportation?" Cut the subsidies to public transportation. If it is such a good idea it should pay for itself. Why do we not have any representation for the people who pay all the tax.

Not one penny of the MN gax tax goes to light rail or stadiums. The MN Constitution specifies that gax tax revenues go into the highway fund for roads and bridges. A small percentage of the gas tax, equal to the percentage of gas bought for boats and snow mobiles, goes to the DNR to protect lakes and build snowmobile trails. Claims that the MN gas tax is diverted to other spending, such as light rail or stadiums is simply false. Here is a link to the MN Constitution: http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/cco/rules/mncon/Article14.htm

I seem to remember a long legislative stretch where the gas tax was raised a cent or 2 one year and then the legislature would vote that money be moved into the general fund the next. That was the start of our road system collapse. Currently 6 of 10 dollars that could be used for transportation are going to light rail. When you have a $16 subsidy for every ride on the Hiawatha line it drains a lot of rosd funds.

Remember the 2006 constitutional amendment which states not more then 60% will be used for roads and not less then 40% for mass transit? Mass transit is getting far more then it's share. Little federal gas tax money goes into maintenance it's the states responsiblity to keep us safe. Are they doing this?

of public functions such as roads, bridges, etc., is just a plot to allow individuals to make massive profits off the general public. It always starts out cheaper but ends up being far more expensive in the long run (bait and switch by design). Statistical comparisons show, time and time again, that the government does things far more efficiently than the private sector, especially since there's no profit being made by government entities and salaries of government executives come nowhere close to rivaling those of private executives. As for all of you who are so upset about the gas tax, there's a simple way to avoid it. STOP DRIVING. If you choose to continue to use public highways and bridges by driving on them, you need to pay your fair share just like everyone else does.