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Vandermyde@minneapolismn.gov <br />Cc: 'David Hough'; Kareem D Murphy; john.doan@hennepin.us <br />Subject: Legislative Alert - County Funding for Roads and Bridges <br />Dear Colleagues: <br />In December of last year, I sent an email to all of you outlining that in 2015, state legislation <br />was passed to reallocate $32 million of the sales tax collected from leased vehicles from the <br />State's general fund, 50% to Greater Minnesota transit and 50% to metro counties through <br />the County State Aid Highway fund. In an effort to balance funding for transit and <br />roads/bridges, the law excludes Hennepin and Ramsey counties from receiving their <br />percentage of funding. Instead, the other five metro counties split the proceeds generated in <br />Hennepin and Ramsey counties. With the elimination of the CTIB Board in 2017, all seven <br />metro counties now collect their own local transportation sales tax, spend the proceeds on <br />their own transportation projects and have equal opportunity for funding. We are looking to <br />generate support to eliminate the exemption of Hennepin and Ramsey counties and to <br />distribute the sales tax on leased vehicles, per the county state aid formula, to all metro <br />counties. Distributing Hennepin and Ramsey county proceeds to the other five metro <br />counties puts cities in these counties at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing funds for <br />county road and bridge projects. This change would provide $10.7 million in annual funding to <br />Hennepin County for road and bridge improvements in our cities. <br />Now is the time to act to secure Hennepin County's share of funding. Every additional dollar <br />can be used for county road and bridge improvements in our cities. <br />The following bills have been introduced to make this happen: <br />HF 2194 (Reps Elkins, Hausman, Mahoney, Carlson, <br />L.. Hertaus, Nelson, Youakim, Howard, Carlson A., Robbins, Acomb) <br />SF 2087 (Senators Anderson, Isaacson, Franzen, Cohen) <br />We are asking for your continued support of this legislation by: <br />1. Contacting your State Legislators to explain the issue and ask for their support for HF <br />2194 and SF 2087. <br />2. Sending your legislative priorities or resolutions/letters or support to Hennepin County <br />officials. <br />I have attached a brochure, sample policy language and copies of the two bills. <br />Thank you for your attention to this important issue. <br />