UPDATED: Holberg, Thissen Banter Over Taxes For Transit, Bus Service

Lawmakers in the house passed a controversial transportation bill on Monday that cuts general fund dollars for Twin Cities bus, light-rail and commuter rail by more than $60 million a year.

And while that measure helps cut into a $5 billion deficit the state faces, it's clear that some lawmakers still want to see transit options funded.

State Rep. Mary Liz Holberg (R-District 36A), of Lakeville, has proposed taking some local sales tax money that is designated by law to be spent on light rail and express buses and putting it into the general fund to pay for the cuts made in the transportation bill.

"If you look at the big picture, across the whole state, I would rather take this money to fund transit, so we have state general fund to do things that are a higher priority," she said. "It makes no sense."

While the transportation bill was approved on a party-line vote, so, too, was the rhetoric.

State Rep. Paul Thissen (DFL-District 63A) of Minneapolis, hammered Holberg for her stance, saying Republicans are proposing "a tax on metro cities to pay for state services."

"You know you need to spend more money in this area, so you're grabbing tax dollars that property tax payers in the metro area voted to raise, right? And voted to raise. You're taking that money to spend on state spending—state responsibilities," he said. "You are raising taxes. Don't even try to get away with denying it Representative Holberg."

Click the video to see the exchange.

Republicans say the cuts in the transportation bill are nececssary to help trim the state's $5 billion deficit, but the measure is likely to be vetoed by Gov. Mark Dayton.