Governor Tim Walz says to try to break the deadlock in state budget negotiations, he’s offering to reduce his proposal for a gas tax increase from 20 cents a gallon down to 16 cents. Walz contends an increase is still necessary because, “This is roads across Minnesota. This is bridges that are structurally deficient. These are stories of people getting killed, and we know we need to invest. My goodness, Alabama just did a gas tax last week.”
Senate Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says the governor’s offer is a “tiny step… from 12 billion dollars of tax increases over the next four years, it goes down to 11 billion, 600 million dollars. So it is a tiny step, but at least we’re moving in the right direction.”
Gazelka says any gas tax increase “is not an option.”