In a direct appeal to state lawmakers, officials from Scott County are sounding the alarm over a controversial $93 million proposed reallocation of transportation funds, which, they argue, threatens to derail the accomplishments of the 2023 transportation legislation. The 2023 bill, widely regarded as a beacon of governmental collaboration, is now at risk due to what the Scott County Board of Commissioners describes as opaque deal-making. According to a statement from Scott County, the legislature’s Transportation Working Group has put forward a proposal that would cut the county's share of the regional transportation sales and use tax from 17 percent to just 8.5 percent, with the redirected funds meant to expand Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems — none of which currently operate in Scott County.
The bone of contention, however, goes beyond the potential loss of more than $3 million in annual funding for local transportation projects. According to the Scott County Board, "This substantial funding shift is being made behind closed doors, without a bill, without a hearing and without the voices of counties or residents," which stands in stark contrast to the praised 2023 transportation bill that was the product of extensive public engagement and collaborative efforts. The proposed funding shift, made without public discourse, would significantly reduce resources for local transit, as well as bike and pedestrian infrastructure.
The Scott County Board has not minced words, asserting that what is at stake is the very trust and transparency in the government process that were the hallmarks of the 2023 agreement. As they put it, "That effort -- and the success it led to -- is now being thrown out without a single public conversation." Scott County's efforts to support regional transit, including partnerships with the Met Council and the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, are well-documented, as is their own funding of projects that have furthered transit access for their residents.
The timing of the diversion is also questioned, especially with the Met Council already empowered to issue bonds for regional transit capital. The Board is adamant that, "While we support the Met Council’s role in managing the regional transit system, we do not support breaking faith with counties, jeopardizing local projects, and overturning recent law just to fund a sudden and unvetted proposal." The Board is urging legislators to pump the brakes on any decision to slash the county allocation of these tax dollars and is calling for a return to transparent practices aligning with the precedents set in the previous legislative session.
In closure, the Scott County leadership insists that any changes to the tax distribution, particularly ones with wide-ranging impacts on civic partners and citizens alike, should undergo the proper legislative process and be preceded by a candid dialogue among all stakeholders. Their plea to state legislators is clear: reject the current proposal and table any debate on changing the established 2023 law until the next legislative session. With proper dialogue, it is suggested, the same collaborative spirit that characterized the original bill can be harnessed to address this new proposal in a way that respects all involved parties and upholds the principles of a transparent government.
