by T.W. Budig
ECM capitol reporter

The Legislature passed a $7 billion transportation funding package on Monday (May 14), setting up a late session showdown with Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Two Anoka County Republican lawmakers - representatives Jim Abeler and Kathy Tingelstad - could play a big role in the ultimate outcome.

Pawlenty is expected to veto the bill.

For the House to override a gubernatorial veto, Abeler's and Tingelstad's votes would be essential.

"I'm leaning that way," said Tingelstad, R-Andover, of supporting an override, speaking before Monday's floor session.

Abeler, who has indicated in the past he might vote to override, is currently uncommitted, he said.

"It's a good start," Abeler said of Pawlenty's proposed $1.7 billion transportation bonding package. "It's not a plan," he said.

Contains nickel gas tax increase

The omnibus transportation bill contains a nickel gas tax increase, $1.5 billion in highway bonding financed with an additional two-and-a-half cent tax hike, a metro sales tax option and other revenue raisers.

In the House the bill passed on a 90-43 vote - Republicans Abeler, Tingelstad, Rep. Dennis Ozment, R-Rosemount, Rep. Neil Peterson, R-Bloomington, and Rep. Ron Erhardt, R-Edina, voting in favor.

But Ozment has publicly stated he will not vote to override the governor.

One rural Democrat voted against the bill.

It takes 90 votes to override in the House.

House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall, on the House floor argued the transportation bill was a waste of time. "The votes to override aren't there," he said. Seifert called for Democrats to work with the governor.

Late Monday afternoon the Senate voted 47-17 to send the transportation bill to the governor's desk.

Events at the Capitol on transportation have not gone unnoticed.

The Taxpayer's League of Minnesota on Friday (May 11) sent an e-mail to activists encouraging them to contact Abeler and Tingelstad and demand they back Pawlenty.

"It (her arm) hasn't been twisted yet actually," joked Tingelstad, answering a reporter's question. "I know it will be," she said.

Tingelstad received about 150 e-mails from around the state about the bill - 33 from her district, 19 against a gas tax increase and 14 in favor, she said.

"It's pretty typical of my district - they're on both sides of the issue," said Tingelstad. "I just need to weigh it all out and make the right decision," she said.

Tingelstad noted that one local bridge project in Coon Rapids was being financed by local cities and Anoka County.

Will impact local property taxes

This will impact local property taxes, she explained. "Shouldn't it (financing) be through the state, through the gas tax, through the people who drive on the bridge rather than the on retired people whose taxes are going up," she questioned.

With high gas prices at the pump, the timing couldn't be worse, Tingelstad opined. "The day the Taxpayers League e-mails went out, gas prices went way up," she said.

Abeler sees a similarity between the current transportation fight and fights in the past. "It's Northstar all over again," said Abeler, referring to the epic commuter rail fights of past sessions. Some of the opponents are some, he noted.

A number of local lawmakers spoke on the House floor during the two-hour transportation debate.

"It's a user fee. It's a user fee," Rep. Jeremy Kalin, DFL-Lindstrom, intoned of the House floor of the finance package.

Rep. Sondra Erickson, R-Princeton, said everyone wants to see more transportation funding.

"But this isn't the bill," she said.

Would raise $7 billion

The transportation finance bill would raise some $7 billion over 10 years.

Three business groups on Monday, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, the Minnesota Retailers Association, and the Minnesota Auto Dealers Association, stated opposition to it.

Local House members voting for the omnibus transportation bill: Abeler, Dittrich, Doty, Erhardt, Gardner, Hansen, Hortman, Kalin, Kranz, Lenczewski, Madore, Masin, Morgan, Ozment, Tillberry, Tingelstad, and Tschumper.

Voting against: Buesgens, Dean, DeLaForest, Dettmer, Eastlund, Emmer, Erickson, Garofalo, Hackbarth, Holberg, McNamara, Olson, Peppin, and Wardlow.

Local Senate members voting in favor: Betzold, Carlson, Chaudhary, Doll, Erickson Ropes, Foley, Jungbauer, Larson, Metzen, Olseen, Rummel, and Sieben.

Senators voting against: Gerlach, Koch, Koering, Limmer, Pariseau, Robling, Vandeveer, and Wergin.

(Photo by T.W. Budig, ECM Capitol Reporter)