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State Representative Rick Hansen
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-6828
For more information contact: Ted Modrich 651-296-5809
NEWS COLUMN
INFRASTRUCTURE BONDING BILL PROMISING FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH
As part of the budget agreement negotiated by Governor Dayton and the Republican legislative leadership, the legislature considered a $500 million bonding bill, which will deliver much-needed infrastructure and public projects, while helping potentially create thousands of jobs. This was a bi-partisan bill that passed 112 - 16. I was pleased to vote for this infrastructure bill and signed on as a co-author.
Fundamentally, infrastructure bonding bills are investments in our future. They help build, repair and maintain the facilities our children and grandchildren will use at our public colleges and universities. These investments help build the roads, bridges, and transit systems that help our families get around safely, and allow businesses to deliver goods and services efficiently. These investments will put thousands of people to work across Minnesota. By their very nature, bonding bills are jobs and economic development bills and I’m very pleased we passed one during this slow economic recovery.
A few projects are of special interest to our area: $50 million in flood mitigation projects — some of which will go to South St. Paul, $20 million in transit investment — some of which will go to continued work on the Robert Street Corridor, and $20 million for Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM), helping restore wetlands to reduce future flooding. The RIM bonding and DNR asset preservation will create jobs while restoring Minnesota’s great outdoors. In total, the bonding bill invests over $125 million in Minnesota’s environmental future.
High-value projects like these in our community and across the state will build and improve local infrastructure that will enhance our standard of living, and provide long-term economic benefits for Minnesotans. From protecting against flooding to investing in better public transit, to restoring our rivers, lakes and streams, these projects put people to work building Minnesota’s future. That’s an investment in our state and one that’s well worth making.
As always, I’d appreciate your input. Please feel free to send me your comments, concerns and suggestions. You can reach me by phone at 651-296-6828 or email at rep.rick.hansen@house.mn. You can also send mail to my office, room 247 in the State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155.
Rick Hansen
State Representative
District 39A
News Items
- House Passes Environment, Natural Resources, & Agriculture Conference Committee Report - (Posted: May 19 2013 12:00AM)
- Rep. Hansen: Legacy Bill Good For Environment, Cultural Institutions - (Posted: May 13 2013 12:00AM)
- House Passes Rep. Hansen's Sick Time Leave Legislation - (Posted: May 21 2013 11:51AM)
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