As part of special session negotiations, legislative working groups have put forward agreed-upon budget proposals. It was announced this week that the Transportation Working Group’s agreement included a controversial diversion of $93 million in transportation funding from metro counties to the Metropolitan Council (Met Council) for bus projects primarily in Hennepin and Ramsey counties.
In 2023, the Democrat trifecta increased the metro sales tax by 1% for the seven-county metro area, 0.75% designated for transportation. These funds were meant to contribute to local transportation projects, with the metro counties receiving 17% of the overall transportation revenue generated by the new sales tax. Under this new proposal, the counties will receive only half of the original amount, with the remaining 8.5% now being given to the Met Council.
In the plan, Scott County stands to lose $3 million per year in critical funding for local road projects. This will force counties to either further increase property taxes or fully eliminate projects that have been years in the making.
“This alarming last-minute diversion of transportation funds does an incredible disservice to the communities we represent, which were completely left out of this conversation,” said Senator Eric Pratt (R-Prior Lake). “For years, the Met Council has had too much authority and too little accountability – from projects being delayed by years, budget overruns, lack of oversight, and constant waste, Minnesotans on both sides of the aisle want to see their influence reined in. They do not want to see money for roads and bridges funneled to an already bloated government agency.
“The Metro Sales Tax revenue was meant to fund local roads and bridges, as well as vital transportation projects that make commerce and travel safer for those coming in and out of the metro counties. There is simply no reason this money that was meant for local projects should be diverted to the Met Council, who already set their 2025 operating budget at around $1.6 billion. Somehow, the Legislature wants to give them more, and Minnesotans less.
“This proposal came out of nowhere in a late-night backroom deal between a small group of people. Not only did the Met Council not request this change, but counties and local officials were not even given an option to weigh-in on this staggering change. This does a disservice to the transparency Minnesotans expect from their government. This is bad government, and I am disappointed with this outcome and the precedent it sets.”
According to Scott County officials, a number of projects will be reevaluated if this change goes into effect.
Of note, this is a tentative agreement that has not yet passed in either body of the legislature.