Feb 12, 2008 10:48 am US/Central
New Bill Borrows $600 Million For Bridges
ST. PAUL (AP) ―
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Just like last year's vetoed bill, this package would raise the state gas tax by 7.5 cents by 2010 and add a half-cent metro-area sales tax for transit. Owners of new cars would pay higher license tab fees, too. (File)
CBS
House and Senate Democrats have unveiled a revamped transportation spending plan that puts a new focus on repairing Minnesota's worst bridges.
Just like last year's vetoed bill, this package would raise the state gas tax by 7.5 cents by 2010 and add a half-cent metro-area sales tax for transit. Owners of new cars would pay higher license tab fees, too.
The plan includes $600 million in borrowing to repair the state's worst bridges within two years.
Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Steve Murphy says bridges became a higher priority after last year's deadly Interstate 35W bridge collapse.
Democrats need five House Republicans to vote for the bill so it can become law without Gov. Tim Pawlenty's signature. The Republican governor has twice vetoed similar transportation bills because of tax increases.
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The original I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River opened in November 1967 and was 1,907 feet in length. The replacement bridge opened in September 2008 and measures 1,216 feet in length.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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