Rep. Mike Beard: We Have to Get into Transit 'Fracas'

Gov. Mark Dayton raised the ante Thursday for a transit tax on several metro-area counties in his revised budget proposal, the Star Tribune reported, and state Rep. Mike Beard (R-Shakopee) promised to be a watchdog for local interests if the tax takes effect:

Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Washington and Dakota counties already levy a quarter-cent sales tax for transit development. Dayton’s latest proposal would raise their transit tax to three-quarters of a cent and impose a half-cent transit tax for the first time on Carver and Scott counties. ...

Rep. Mike Beard, R-Shakopee, said imposing a half-cent transit sales tax on Scott and Carver counties will require greater scrutiny of transportation issues. “We’re going to have to get into the fracas here and make sure we defend ­ourselves and at least get some of that money back for our transit purposes,” he said. “We need to make sure we get a fair shake.”

Read the full Star Tribune article.

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