15 Regional School Districts to Receive $38 Million for Building Projects

EVELETH, Minn.—Fifteen regional school districts will receive $38 million for building projects, such as energy efficiency, technology, infrastructure, health, safety, and maintenance improvements. Iron Range legislators spearheaded the effort at the legislature to allow the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) to sell bonds to pay for these upgrades. This is the largest investment local legislators have made in school bonding.

"This last legislative session we invested in youth across the Iron Range by dedicating a portion of revenue from the taconite production tax to area schools,” said Rep. Carly Melin of Hibbing. “Kids across our region are one of our greatest assets, and investing in their education is one of the best investments we can make."

Rep. Tom Anzelc of Balsam Township, who chairs the Iron Range Delegation, added, “I am very pleased that the Range Delegation made this extraordinary commitment to kids in the 15 school districts in the Taconite Assistance Area. When you look at the 2013 session, it really and truly was the education session, and it was particularly good for the kids in northeastern Minnesota schools."

“We believe it is very important for the iron mining industry to support our education system on Minnesota’s Iron Range. We applaud the Iron Ore Alliance and its approach to legislative issues such as public education. We especially thank the Range Delegation for its leadership in the area of education of our children,” said Bob Bratulich, Director, District 11 United Steelworkers.

Below is a list of the school districts that will receive funding and the amount of the allocation:

A small portion of the production tax paid by Iron Range mining companies will repay the bonds over 20 years.