Dayton Clarifies Gas Tax Stance For Road Repairs

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Gov. Mark Dayton on Thursday clarified his call for new gasoline taxes to fund transportation projects.

During Wednesday's gubernatorial debate in Moorhead, Dayton said he'd propose adding "a sales tax on gasoline" if elected to a second term. Dayton told reporters Thursday he should have been clearer that he isn't seeking to boost the per-gallon tax assessed at the pump, but rather a tax at the wholesale level.

The governor acknowledged such a tax increase would likely get passed down to consumers, and said he's open to other proposals. But the first-term Democrat said Minnesotans need to choose whether they will pay for much-needed infrastructure repairs. If not, neglected roads and bridges will continue to deteriorate, he said.

"It's only going to get worse unless we face up to this," Dayton said. "The money is not going to come from Washington. It's not going to come from the sky."

Republicans called Dayton's remarks a political reversal. GOP challenger Jeff Johnson called it the latest sign of the governor's "incompetence."

"It is clear Mark Dayton is not a full-time, engaged governor and doesn't appear to be in charge of his own administration," Johnson said in a statement.

Dayton said he didn't have an estimate on the size of a potential increase. Minnesota's Department of Transportation estimates the state will need more than $6 billion in additional revenue for basic infrastructure maintenance over the next 10 years.

Johnson has said he'd prefer to borrow to pay for infrastructure repairs.

Moorhead News