ST. PAUL (AP) - Gov. Tim Pawlenty vetoed a $6.6 billion transportation plan on Friday, setting the stage for an override attempt by the Democrat-led Legislature as soon as Monday.
Pawlenty s long-promised veto came less than 24 hours after lawmakers sent him the bill, which would raise the state gas tax for the first time in 20 years. His veto letter called the package "an overreaching, massive tax increase."
Earlier, on his weekly radio show, the Republican governor urged people to contact their legislators and tell them to sustain his veto. Pawlenty -- who has now vetoed three major transportation bills since 2005 -- said Democrats ignored him.
"They basically said my views on this were not to be listened to," he said.
The plan would plow $660 million a year into roads, bridges, buses and rail over the next decade. It would raise the state gas tax a nickel per gallon this year and another 3-1/2 cents later to pay off road construction debts. It would add another 0.25 percent to the sales tax in seven metropolitan counties for trains and buses and increase annual tab fees for new cars.
DFL House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher predicted the House would override Pawlenty s veto this time after failing to enact a transportation package over his objections last year. The House vote is the critical test. Thursday s 89-44 vote was one vote shy of a veto-proof majority.
The focus is particularly keen on six House Republicans who voted for the bill and two Democrats who voted against. To override, Kelliher needs to bring the two wayward DFLers into line and hold at least five of the GOP votes. She said she was confident she has the numbers.
"I think my math is right -- we re over the top and we have a veto override," said Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis.
She said she expected DFL Reps. John Lesch of St. Paul and Mary Ellen Otremba of Long Prairie to go along with an override. Lesch declined to comment. Otremba was noncommittal; she said she would talk with constituents in her district over the weekend.
Kelliher said the current bill was "the art of the possible." Democratic leaders have said they don t plan to offer a second transportation plan this year, even if the override fails.
House Republicans who voted "yes" are Reps. Jim Abeler of Anoka, Ron Erhardt of Edina, Rod Hamilton of Mountain Lake, Bud Heidgerken of Freeport, Neil Peterson of Bloomington and Kathy Tingelstad of Andover.
Minnesota s gas tax hasn t budged from its current level, 20 cents a gallon, since 1988. A compromise on transportation spending has eluded political leaders at the Capitol for years as they disagreed over how to pay for it.
Meanwhile, the state has fallen behind on keeping up roads and bridges -- a problem highlighted by last year s deadly collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge during the evening rush hour.
Pawlenty -- a steadfast opponent of higher taxes -- said the transportation bill would put Minnesota into the nation s top 10 ranking for the gas tax and the sales tax in parts of the Twin Cities. He said the bill would burden taxpayers too much at a time of high gas prices and economic slowdown.
The state s $373 million deficit is expected to get worse with an updated budget forecast on Thursday.
Pawlenty vetoed the transportation bill before heading to Washington for three days of National Governors Association meetings. Spokesman Brian McClung held a Capitol news conference.
"It s not just a gas tax, as is sometimes reported," McClung said. "It is a gas tax increase, a sales tax increase, a license tab tax increase, a brand-new excise tax on the purchase of new cars, and a car rental tax increase. This is a bill that goes way, way too far."
McClung couldn t say whether Pawlenty planned to personally call Republican House members to urge them to sustain his veto. The governor outlined his position at a House GOP caucus meeting on Wednesday.
The transportation bill cleared the House on Thursday after backers made a concession that won over an influential business lobby group, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. The package had no trouble making a veto-proof margin in the Senate.
Martiga Lohn may be reached at mlohn(at)ap.org.
Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. MMMM
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