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Transportation Advocates Call For No Special Session Without A Long-Term Fix for Transportation Funding

Coalition of transportation workers and businesses call on Governor, Senate and House to complete work on a long term fix for roads, bridges and transit

Saint Paul, Minnesota (May 26, 2016 )- The Associated General Contractors and the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council announced today that they will ask the Governor not to request a special session without a long term fix for transportation funding. Together these stakeholders represent 350 employers and 50,000 workers who rely on state funded construction projects to build the roads, bridges, and transit of the state.

A long-term, bi-partisan agreement on transportation funding is critical for all aspects of Minnesota’s future. For years, we have been pushing elected leaders from both political parties to address our infrastructure crisis. This past session was another disappointment that jeopardizes secure funding and the future success of employers and workers in the construction industry.

We have been told consistently by both sides of the aisle that now is not the time, that there just isn’t the political will for compromise. While Minnesota waits, our infrastructure continues to deteriorate and all Minnesotans suffer. A news conference has been called for this morning.

News Conference At-a-Glance

When: Today, Thursday May 26 –starting at 9:30am

Where: SOB # 181 – State Office Building /Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd

Who: Harry Melander – President Minnesota State Building & Construction Trades, Dave Semerad – CEO Associated General Contractors of Minnesota, Lori O'Malley – President O'Malley Construction

Why: Media Briefing on Minnesota’s Transportation Infrastructure Crisis

Infrastructure workers, and the contractors who employ them, are not going to wait patiently while our elected officials shirk their responsibilities. Minnesotans deserve high quality transportation infrastructure with long term secure funding now. The hundreds of thousands of workers and employers who make their living building this state are ready to go to work today.

There is a fair compromise on the table that is a combination of general fund money from sales tax on auto parts, new dedicated tab fee money, giving the metro area the local option to pay for transit projects, and Met Council reform.

This is a good compromise. It is a fair compromise. All that is lacking is leadership and political courage.

The House and the Senate need to come to an agreement and send the Governor a bill that he can sign. Until that happens, we believe the Governor should not call a special session for any reason. Now is the time for leadership, not partisan bickering and political games.

There is still time to do the right thing. We call on elected leaders to get a deal done on long term transportation funding, and pass a robust bonding bill to deal with other long term infrastructure needs in this state. This is what leaders from all parties committed to at the beginning of the session, and Minnesota deserves nothing less.

About Us

This Coalition of Minnesota Transportation stakeholders includes: Laborers District Council of MN & ND, Operating Engineers Local #49, North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters, Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council and Associated General Contractors of Minnesota. For more information, check their web sites. To schedule interviews, contact media liaison Robb Leer (612) 701-0608 or robbl@leercommunication.com

 

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