Just a clarification: not everything that affects Minneapolis is germane
here. The issue must uniquely or particularly affect Minneapolis.
A general debate on this tax, therefore, is not germane. However, if there
are local factors - such as Minneapolitans not using the roads as much as
suburbanites, and therefore they should opt out, or that we pay higher
property taxes so a property tax hike would hurt us more - those are ok.
This is an important distinction that keeps us locally focused, not
regionally, state, or federally, or even globally. Since everything
eventually affects everyone anyway, purely local issues would get buried,
and we're here to give them primacy.
I hate cluttering your inbox with these reminders, but it is important.
Minneapolis Issues was created to talk about city issues few others talk
about, not larger issues that can be discussed in larger forums.
David Brauer
List manager
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of
Michael Hohmann
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2001 8:49 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [Mpls] Don't increase sales tax to fix roadways
Re: Increasing the metro sales tax for road improvements-- Don't do it!
[background- Laurie Blake, in her 'Getting There' column in the STrib, has
been discussing a proposal (by Sens. Dave Johnson and Roy Terwilliger) at
the legislature to raise the sales tax for road improvements-
http://www.startribune.com/viewers/qview/cgi/qfolder.cgi?template=column_bla
k_f&folder=781 .]
Minneapolis residents would feel the impact of such a metro-area tax change,
thus comments on this list are germane. State legislators should not
approve a bill allowing a seven-county referendum to add a half-percent
sales tax to pay for metro road and transit improvements. If such a bill is
passed, voters should vote NO at the polls.
First of all the sales tax represents a regressive tax that overly impacts
lower-income consumers, many of whom don't even own a car or drive.
Secondly, and most importantly, those that use the roadways should pay to
maintain and enhance them.
A increase in the gasoline/diesel tax would make drivers and businesses that
use the roadways responsible for funding roadway improvements.
Additionally, a higher gasoline/diesel tax and the associated higher cost of
gasoline/diesel fuels should influence people to drive less and seek
alternative transit options. A increase in the gasoline/diesel tax, applied
within an approximate 15-county metro area would impact a high percentage of
metro drivers and the commuting roadways they rely on. The goal should be
to make the people that use the roadways pay proportionately to maintain
them. If a increase to the gasoline/diesel tax must be applied on a
statewide basis, so be it-- roads and bridges throughout the state need
improvement! Let the drivers and users of the roadways pay for them.
Michael Hohmann
13th Ward
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_______________________________________________
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Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more:
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