St. Paul, Minnesota — Today, the Minnesota House passed a Capital Investment package that includes $846 million in bonds and an additional bill that includes $200 million in further investments in infrastructure projects. The bills include priorities with statewide significance, focusing on higher education, regional assets, transportation, housing, and basic infrastructure.
“Bonding and improving our infrastructure is critical to our state’s long-term success,” said state Representative Mary Sawatzky (DFL – Willmar). “We have a huge backlog of critical infrastructure projects that we need to get done if we want a strong economy and high quality of life in the future.”
The bonding proposal contains $42.5 million for MnSCU Higher Education Asset Preservation and Repair (HEAPR), which would include $1.6 million in funding for phase two of Ridgewater College’s central heating system — among the top priorities for MnSCU’s HEAPR list.
The proposal also includes $17.6 million for state parks and trails, money which would fund a $1.3 million 5 mile extension of the Glacier Lake State Trail from New London to Sibley State Park. Rep. Sawatzky is the chief author of this legislation in the House. The proposal also contains $4.3 million in funding for the Willmar Department of Transportation Headquarters. Additional funding is needed due to higher than expected costs for contaminated soils, asbestos abatement, and a petroleum vapor barrier system.
The proposal contains $18.3 million in a Wastewater Infrastructure Fund, nearly $3 million of which could potentially go to the Lakeland Drive project in Willmar. The bill also includes $400,000 for the Kandiyohi Area Transit Joint Powers Board to predesign, design, construct, furnish, and equip an additional bus storage garage in Willmar.
“These local projects will help make sure our communities, economy, and businesses are successful now and over the long-term,” said Rep. Sawatzky. “It’s very clear that our infrastructure is crumbling across the state and today we’re beginning to address that problem.”
The bonding bill contains $33 million for statewide bridge repair and replacement and another $54 million for local road improvements. The proposal also includes $100 million for affordable housing rehabilitation.
Rep. Sawatzky encourages constituents to contact her with any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas. Rep. Sawatzky can be reached by phone at 651-296-6206 or by email at rep.mary.sawatzky@house.mn. Constituents can also visit Rep. Sawatzky’s AreaVoices blog, legislative page and sign up for email updates.