ST. PAUL, MN – Early this morning, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed a bipartisan capital investment package designed to create good jobs and grow Minnesota’s economy right now and into the future.
The package includes $846 in general obligation bonds and $200 million in one-time expenditures to finance projects with statewide significance, with a focus on higher education, transportation, housing, and basic infrastructure.
State Representative Carly Melin (DFL – Hibbing), a member of the House Capital Investment Committee, successfully secured $5 million for the Chisholm-Hibbing Airport Authority to make much-needed improvements to the Range Regional Airport, a top priority of Melin’s since she was first elected.
Those dollars will go toward demolishing the current passenger terminal and building a new, larger passenger terminal and passenger boarding bridge, helping to accommodate rising demand. According to Chisholm-Hibbing Airport Authority Executive Director Shaun Germolus, the airport has experienced a 30 percent increase in passenger boarding since 2009.
“Expanding our airport will put people back to work and provide better access for industry and business in our region,” said Melin. “This is a project that will benefit northern Minnesota for years to come.”
In addition to funding for the Range Regional Airport, Melin secured funding for improvements to classrooms at Hibbing Community College, part of a larger appropriation for the entire Northeast Higher Education District, which also includes Itasca, Rainy River and Vermillion Community Colleges.
The capital investment bill makes additional investments to grow northern Minnesota’s economy, including:
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MINING: $19.5 million to relocate utilities and trails in conjunction with the relocation of U.S. Highway 53, a project that will allow United Taconite and RGGS Land and Minerals to expand their mining operations.
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TOURISM: $14 million for the development of Vermillion State Park and $3.8 million to construct and furnish a new multiuse, year-round event center at Giants Ridge Resort.
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EDUCATION: $3.344 million for improvements to campus buildings in the Northeast Higher Education District, including Itasca, Hibbing, Rainy River and Vermillion Community Colleges.
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SOCIAL SERVICES: $3 million to design a new office building to house the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency and Range Mental Health Center.
The Senate is expected to approve the bill and send it to the Governor to be signed into law.
Rep. Melin encourages her constituents to contact her with any questions or comments about the capital investment bill. She can be reached by phone at (651) 296-0172 or toll free at 888-726-0711, by email at rep.carly.melin@house.mn, or by postal mail at 515 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.