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Political courage?

Posted at 12:24 PM on June 12, 2008 by Bob Collins (4 Comments)
Filed under: Pawlenty, Politics

According to a news release sent out by the U.S. Department of Transportation, this is what Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said as she stood next to Gov. Tim Pawlenty in Bloomington today and announced federal dollars to cut traffic congestion along I-35W:

"Our economic vitality and prosperity as a nation are increasingly becoming dependent on our willingness to embrace new transportation strategies," Secretary Peters said. "Thanks to the tremendous political courage of state and local leaders, the Twin Cities' future is looking promising and prosperous."

Since many of the projects (such as a toll lane on I-35W, which got $24.7 million in the gas tax bill) being partially funded were in the transportation bill vetoed by Gov. Pawlenty, and then overridden by the Legislature with the aid of a half dozen Republican lawmakers, it's possible she was referring to the bill Pawlenty and most Republicans despised because it raised the state's gasoline tax.

I called the Department of Transportation to ask what Peters was referring to when she invoked the phrase "political courage." ~~They punted, saying a spokesman accompanying Peters would call me back right away. He didn't.~~

Peters spokesman Brian Turmail said she was referring to the fact "the Minnesota Legislature, working with Gov. Pawlenty, was able to pass legislation that included high-occupancy toll lanes on I-35W. In the past we've seen a backlash for those sort of decisions."

But that was in the transportation bill the governor vetoed, so is she saying passing the gas tax in a bill the governor described as "ridiculous" was actually "political courage"?

"Absolutely not," Turmail said. "She hasn't weighed in on the gas tax at the state level, but she opposes it at the national level."

"Would she like to weigh in on the state gas tax?" I asked.

"It's not proven to reduce congestion and when you' ve got a national energy policy on reducing gasoline consumption, it doesn't make some sense to increase it in order to pay for transportation projects," he said.

MPR's Tim Pugmire reports that Rep. Neil Peterson and Rep. Ron Ron Erhardt, two Republicans who were branded for their vote in support of the tax, were at the event in Bloomington.

The press folks were interested in other issues and questions. Too bad. It could've been a fabulous line of questioning.

Comments (4)

"...when you' ve got a national energy policy on reducing gasoline consumption, it doesn't make some sense to increase it..."

Wouldn't it make logical sense if your policy is try to try to reduce something to raise the tax on it? Isn't that the point of high sin taxes, like alcohol and cigs?

If the gas tax doesn't work bring in enough cash a number of years down the road that seems like a good problem to have, and one that you can address when the time comes.

Posted by Alison | June 12, 2008 1:58 PM

Huh? I wonder what forces the secretary imagines should be applied at a national level to promote the national energy policy on reducing gasoline consumption? Some radicals - including not exactly liberal Charles Krauthammer if I'm not mistaken - have proposed boosting the gasoline tax and reducing the income and or payroll taxes a proportional amount.

Posted by bsimon | June 12, 2008 3:05 PM

it is hard to say what she is saying is politically courageous. But doesn't she look squeezibly soft and snuggly in her pink stitched suit?

All I have to comment on the gas tax is that yesterday I was driving through downtown when I came to a stop light. I felt like I was surrounded by SUV skyscrappers on all sides of my smaller vehicle. The gas tax can't be hurting them too bad yet. Do you think you could ever persuade a Cadillac SUV person to downsize to a scooter in the name of the environment and all that is good?

Posted by mr whipple | June 12, 2008 5:37 PM

IN the irony department, it's odd to get an explanation from Peters' PR person about a national energy policy and conservation, and then have the transportation secy. fly in for a grip-and-greet photo-op... especially -- as the Pioneer Press reports, this is now the fifth time the awarding of this money has been announced.

(H/T: David Brauer at MinnPost)

Posted by Bob Collins | June 12, 2008 6:08 PM

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