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A RESOLUTION REQUESTING <br /> COMPREHENSIVE ROAD AND TRANSIT FUNDING <br /> WHEREAS, all Minnesota communities benefit from a sound, efficient, and adequately <br /> funded transportation system that offers diverse modes of travel; and <br /> WHEREAS, the integrity of Minnesota's transportation infrastructure is dependent upon <br /> long-term planning and ongoing maintenance, both of which require dedicated and <br /> sustainable revenue sources; and <br /> WHEREAS, current funding for roads, bridges, and transit systems across all <br /> government levels in Minnesota is inadequate, and this under-investment diminishes <br /> quality of life for Minnesota residents and hinders Minnesota's progress as a national <br /> business, economic, and civic leader; and <br /> WHEREAS, Minnesota's transportation system is failing to meet the capacity needs <br /> necessary to sustain population growth and promote economic development; and <br /> WHEREAS, many rural roads are not built to modern safety standards and are not <br /> meeting the needs of industries that depend on the ability to transport heavy loads; and <br /> WHEREAS, insufficient state funding has delayed regionally significant road <br /> construction and reconstruction projects across Minnesota; and <br /> WHEREAS, transportation infrastructure maintenance and improvement costs <br /> significantly contribute to rising property taxes; and <br /> WHEREAS, for every one dollar spent on maintenance, a road authority—and therefore <br /> taxpayers—save seven dollars in repairs; and <br /> WHEREAS, Minnesota contains over 141,000 miles of roadway, and over 22,500 miles <br /> or 16 percent--are owned and maintained by Minnesota's 853 cities; and <br /> WHEREAS, almost 85 percent of all municipal streets are not eligible for dedicated <br /> Highway User Tax Distribution Fund dollars; and <br /> WHEREAS,the more than 700 Minnesota cities with populations below 5,000 are ineligible <br /> for dedicated Highway User Tax Distribution Fund dollars,but have benefitted from the <br /> creation of the Small Cities Assistance Account; and <br /> WHEREAS, city streets are a separate but integral piece of the network of roads supporting <br /> movement of people and goods; and <br /> WHEREAS, existing funding mechanisms, such as Municipal State Aid (MSA),property <br /> taxes, and special assessments, have limited applications, leaving cities under-equipped <br /> to address growing needs; and <br /> 167 <br />