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Governor Dayton has released details of his major transportation funding proposal.

 It calls for spending $6 billion over the next 10 years on the state’s highway system, nearly $2.4 billion on local transportation projects and nearly $3 billion on public transit systems. Dayton says his proposal is based on the findings of a bipartisan panel of experts from across the state  that studied the funding needs of Minnesota’s highways, roads, bridges, and public transit systems.

Funding for the increased spending on state road and bridge projects would come from a new 6.5 percent gross receipts tax on gasoline, raising the current base tax on vehicle registration fees by a quarter percent and increasing car registration fees by $10.There would also be a half cent sales tax increase in the 7-county Metro area.

Dayton says his proposal would create an estimated 119,000 new jobs and build the infrastructure necessary to meet the demands of a growing population and an expanding state economy.

“Inadequate transportation clogs our lives with worse traffic congestion, longer commutes, more dangerous travel conditions. Those deficiencies restrict our future economic growth and detract from our quality of life,” said Governor Dayton. “If we continue to avoid these problems, they will only get worse. It’s time to begin to solve them. I urge the Legislature to work with me this session to begin to repair and improve Minnesota’s transportation systems.”

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