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St. Paul (AP) ― With the damage tally still rising, flood-stricken residents of southern Minnesota won assurances early Wednesday that the state would help pick up the tab after a sizable relief package made it into law.

The nearly $160 million aid package was the dominant focus of a one-day special session of the Legislature that saw high-profile issues like road improvements cast aside. Only one other measure was voted upon. It delays a requirement that townships buy new voting equipment for disabled residents prior to the 2008 election.

Starting Thursday, the flood bill will send state aid to seven counties designated as federal disaster areas. It includes money to clean up, rebuild roads and bridges, buy out owners of destroyed properties, cut property taxes for flood victims and provide social services and aid to school districts and local governments.

"This is not so much a disaster aid package as it is an investment in the future of these people, helping them to rebuild their communities and their economy," said Rep. Ken Tschumper, DFL-LaCrescent.

Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Wabasha, was one of several members from the area to recount survival stories, chronicle the devastation and praise the determination of area residents who cleared away sewage-filled water and pervasive mud.

"It's our turn to step up to the plate," Drazkowski said to fellow House members and a grocer, banker and pharmacist in the gallery who made their way from hard-hit Rushford.

Both chambers gaveled in just after 5 p.m. Tuesday and spent most of the night fine-tuning the legislation. The Senate voted 62-1 for its version and the House vote on a slightly different plan was unanimous. The Senate accepted the House bill shortly after 1 a.m.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed it at 2:43 a.m., calling it the fastest and largest disaster response bill on record.

"The sun is going to come up in southeastern Minnesota in more ways than one," Pawlenty said, flanked by lawmakers from both parties. "The bill provides certain hope that rebuilding will come and that refurbishment will come and that further assistance will come to this region of the state. And they need it."

August flash floods killed seven people, washed away homes and took out chunks of roads.

Smaller amounts of money are earmarked for the freeway bridge collapse, a spring forest fire on the Gunflint Trail, drought-stricken farmers and earlier floods in Crookston and Browns Valley.

The special session's limited scope bothered those who wanted quick action on transportation spending after last month's Interstate 35W bridge collapse. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak lamented the failure of the Republican Pawlenty and top DFL lawmakers to agree on a transportation funding package.

"Pay now or pay later -- the Legislature and the governor apparently are going to choose to pay later, and I think that's a loss for everyone in this state," Rybak said at a Capitol news conference on Tuesday.

Other mayors were pushing for increased local aid or other assistance to take the bite out of climbing property taxes.

Transportation spending has been one of the most difficult issues at the Legislature in recent years. Twice Pawlenty has vetoed massive bills that would have raised Minnesota's 20-cent-per-gallon gas tax.

The Aug. 1 collapse of the Minneapolis bridge appeared to bring the two sides closer together on the need to spend more on roads and bridges, with Pawlenty softening his opposition to a higher gas tax. But early signs of compromise didn't pan out as expected.

About a dozen protesters carried photographs of the collapsed freeway span and chanted, "Transportation funding now!" outside House chambers as both houses of the Legislature gaveled in for the special session.

House and Senate transportation leaders conceded that their issue probably won't get a fresh look until the regular session begins in February, even as they complained about the delay.

"How many more bridges in the state of Minnesota have to fall before we have a true, comprehensive transportation funding package?" said Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing.

The federal government has promised $250 million for the new I35W bridge, although Finance Commissioner Tom Hanson acknowledged worries about how soon that money would come through given policy disagreements in Washington. Pawlenty said he shares in the concern but is relying on vows from the top levels of the federal government.

"I will tell you that the President of the United States, the Secretary of Transportation and every member of the Minnesota congressional delegation has looked us in the eye and absolutely promised that the money would be there in a timely fashion, so we're counting on that," Pawlenty said.

Murphy questioned whether the state transportation department could afford to put up its own money in the meantime and hinted another special session could be needed to shore up the agency. Pawlenty conceded that some other projects could be delayed to keep the bridge on track if the federal dollars are held up.

The desperate situation of many flood victims -- and their desire to rebuild their communities -- was too pressing to wait for agreements on transportation and other issues, said Republican Senate Minority Leader Dave Senjem of Rochester.

"I do not want to see the disaster relief funding that we have in these bills get all hung up in a debate about transportation or local government aid," Senjem said.

Lawmakers representing flooded areas shared stories of constituents who lost homes, cars, jobs and more, and were just looking for enough help to get by.

"This is going to be welcome relief for southeastern Minnesota. People are feeling weary now. We're tired and exhausted and people are starting to feel pretty down," said Sen. Sharon Erickson Ropes, DFL-Winona. "It's perfect timing."

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