Carlson convenes flood task force
By John Sundvor
The Forum
ST. PAUL – Gov. Arne Carlson convened his flood recovery task force Wednesday, telling members their goal must be to make Minnesota better than it was before spring floods engulfed many areas of the state.

The task force, called Minnesota Recovers, must look at both the short- and long-term needs of the areas hit by flooding, he said. It must quickly assess needs so that it can have a report prepared by August.

Carlson and legislative leaders are considering a one-day special session in late August or early September to approve a comprehensive flood relief package. At a welfare reform bill signing, he said the aid package should not be financed by any new taxes, including a proposed temporary 1-cent increase in the state’s 20-cent-a-gallon gasoline tax.

The bill, carried by Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe, DFL-Erskine, would add 1 cent to the gas tax for one year. The $27 million generated by the tax would be used to leverage federal aid needed to repair roads and bridges damaged by spring floods.

The legislation earmarks an extra $16.2 million for trunk highways, $7.6 million for county state aid highways, $2.4 million for municipal state aid streets and $626,000 for township roads and bridges.

Moe says roads and bridges are a major portion of the public damage in a flood. He said a temporary, one-year increase in the gas tax is a collective way the state can help areas devastated by floods.

"The trouble with temporary is that all too often it becomes permanent," Carlson said.

Sen. Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon, a co-author of the bill, said the Senate should proceed with the gas tax increase in spite of the governor’s opposition.

"I think we should proceed with our business here and do what we think is right," Langseth said. "He (Carlson) doesn’t care about infrastructure. He never has – particularly in rural Minnesota."

Moe said he is not surprised by the governor’s opposition to the new gas tax.

He said he would prefer to deal with the problem in another way. But the tax is one way to take care flood-damaged infrastructure without putting another burden on the state’s transportation fund.

The $27 million will leverage three times as much federal aid, he said. It is a way to help out the Red River and Minnesota valleys, he said.

"I think the public strongly supports doing it this way," Moe said.

But Carlson says he wants to develop a coordinated, multifaceted flood recovery plan that deals not only with restoring cities but also with planning for the future.

He compared the flood destruction in East Grand Forks to the World War II damage of European cities. The city has been virtually destroyed by the flood waters from the Red River, he said, and part of it will have to be moved.

With the river receding, he said, residents of the flooded areas will begin asking about living accomodations, work and schools for their children.

Carlson said the state must quickly address those issues. But he said it also must address long-term problems in the area. He said the state must figure out a better way to manage the Minnesota and Red rivers.

"I’m no expert on anything, but I personally don’t buy this 500-year flood bit," Carlson said. "I think (the floods) will continue to come."