Minnesota Transportation Group Pushes for Road Money

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - A new coalition of over 130 businesses, labor unions and advocacy groups is pushing for a large infusion of state money for roads and transit.

The group, Move MN, kicked off its effort Thursday. But any proposed transportation tax hikes will face a difficult environment when lawmakers return at the end of February. Gov. Mark Dayton has said he expects election-year pressures to make transportation tax hikes a tough sell.

Move MN isn't yet saying how much they think needs to be raised or how they'd raise it. A bill passed by the state Senate last session would have raised $1 billion over four years with a 5-cent gas tax increase and an extra half-cent sales tax in the twin Cities, but it never got a House vote.