The latest issue of Politics in Minnesota (sorry, it’s subscription only) has a major article about the involvement of the Minnesota business community in what will likely be the defining battle of the upcoming legislative session. The issue in question is a proposed 15-year, $11 billion (yes, with a ‘b’) transportation package (roads and transit) to be funded in part by, wait for it, a 10-cent hike in the state gas tax.

Now, the state’s business interests have been major players in the public policy arena in recent years, and were one of the major forces behind the no-new-taxes dogma that currently dominates the majority in St. Paul. They are also longtime backers of the ultra-conservative Taxpayers League of Minnesota. So you can probably guess where the CEOs are coming down on this new transportation proposal.

And you would be guessing dead wrong.

Believe it or not, the business groups are preparing to use their feeding hand to slap their biggest constituents by mounting a major push to get the package passed. Why? Because traffic gridlock, which is getting exponentially worse in the Cities, makes it harder for employees to get to and from work, and for consumers to get from home to the store and back, and for truckers to move goods from the warehouse to the shelves. So the business community has created the Itasca Group, which is designed to look like an independent think tank, to promote the legislation, which will surely be a very hard sell with outstate legislators and conservative lawmakers. Whether the package passes or not (and the smart money is probably on not,) it’ll be fascinating to see whether one of the state’s most powerful lobbies manages to escape the mess with its clout intact…

Related posts:

1. Property Taxes Going Up *Again*.
2. Minnesota Transportation Amendment
3. Abolish the Snow Emergencies!
4. Transporting Crime
5. Met Council okays University Ave LRT