Accessibility menu
State Representative Mike Benson
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4378
For more information contact: Jason Wenisch 651-296-2317
NEWS RELEASE
REP. BENSON DISAGREES WITH GOVERNOR DAYTON’S PLAN TO BORROW AND SPEND $1 BILLION
ST. PAUL – Recently Governor Mark Dayton announced that he wants Minnesota to borrow $1 billion and spend it on construction projects throughout Minnesota. State Representative Mike Benson (R-Rochester) disagreed with Dayton’s plan, pointing out that Minnesota will spend more than $1 billion in debt service payments from previous bonding bills over the next two years.
“We already have a $6.2 billion deficit, and borrowing another $1 billion will substantially increase the amount owed through increased debt service,” Benson said. “This past year, the voters told us they wanted us to stop out of control spending and solve our runaway budget. We are projected to have a 28 percent spending increase this biennium if lawmakers don’t act. We need to focus on balancing the budget, not increasing the deficit.”
Dayton’s bill encourages the Legislature to borrow and spend $470 million on statewide construction projects, while he specifically identifies proposals that total $531 million.
Benson added that bonding bills typically take place in even-numbered years, yet the Minnesota Legislature has approved them in five out of the last six years. Benson also noted that Minnesota has already funded projects totaling more than $1.1 billion over the past few years where ground has not been broken, even though they were promised to be “shovel ready.”
“If this bill is about jobs, then let’s construct the projects where $1.1 billion is already in the pipeline,” Benson said. “This is supposed to be the year where we focus on the budget and how to reform government spending. If we can put our fiscal house in order this year, then maybe it would be worthwhile to have a bonding bill next year for projects that are truly necessary.”
“It is possible that we’ll need a bonding bill this year for emergency reasons, and obviously that is something I would support,” Benson said. “But I disagree with the Governor on bonding at this time for projects that are not urgently needed.”
News Items
- LAWMAKERS UNHAPPY WITH DECISION TO EXPAND GAMBLING TO PAY FOR VIKINGS STADIUM - (Posted: 2012-04-26 00:00:00)
- REP. BENSON: VOTER IDENTIFICATION DECISION NOW BELONGS TO MINNESOTA VOTERS - (Posted: 2012-04-05 00:00:00)
- REP. BENSON DISAPPOINTED WITH COMMISSIONER’S DECISION TO RELEASE CONVICTED PEDOPHILE - (Posted: 2012-02-08 00:00:00)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.