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Bonding bills agreed to by committee chairs; floor votes likely Thursday

House Photography file photo
House Photography file photo

(Updated 4:50 p.m.)

A pair of bonding packages that would spend nearly $1.05 billion are scheduled to be voted on Thursday by the House.

Sponsored by Rep. Alice Hausman (DFL-St. Paul) and Sen. LeRoy Stumpf (DFL-Plummer), the respective capital investment committee chairs, HF2490, as amended, would spend $846 million in general-obligation bonding. The amended HF1068 would spend $198.7 million from the state’s budget surplus for additional infrastructure projects. 

[View the spreadsheet]

“We have worked hard to put together a statewide bonding bill that makes strategic investments that will create thousands of jobs and support the continued growth of Minnesota’s economy,” Hausman said in a statement. “This bill will benefit Minnesotans across the state at a time when our economy is continuing to improve.”

Among the highlights of HF2490 are:

  • $126.3 million to finish the State Capitol restoration;
  • $120 million for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities projects, including $42.5 million in asset preservation and nearly $35.9 million for a science education center at Metropolitan State University;
  • $119.4 million for the University of Minnesota, including $56.7 million for a Tate Laboratory renovation and $42.5 million in asset preservation;
  • $61 million for convention center projects in Mankato, Rochester and St. Cloud;
  • $21.5 million for Nicollet Mall redesign in downtown Minneapolis;
  • $18.1 million for trail acquisition and development; and
  • $15 million for a transit capital improvement program.

Combined the bills would provide $100 million for housing: permission for the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency to issue $80 million in appropriation bonds and $20 million for public housing rehabilitation from the general-obligation bill.

“I’m especially proud of the dollars for housing infrastructure, which are sorely needed across the state,” Stumpf said in a statement. “The bill also includes a robust investment in roads and economic development, which go hand in hand — our transportation infrastructure must keep pace with our growing economy. Finally, we worked very hard to include a strong higher education component for colleges and universities statewide.”

Cash bill components include:

  • $56.3 million to remodel the state security hospital in St. Peter;
  • $54.4 million for local road improvement fund grants;
  • $24 million for the local bridge replacement program; and
  • $12 million for flood hazard mitigation.

While the cash bill needs just a simple majority, the general-obligation bonding bill needs to garner support from three-fifths of members to pass, meaning eight House Republicans would need to join all DFLers in supporting the bill.

That is considered far from certain.

Included in the bill is $22 million for the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System that would help provide freshwater to parts of southwestern Minnesota where water supplies have dwindled. However, supporters have said the project needs almost $70 million to be completed. Some Republicans have previously said that without the project being fully funded they may not vote for the entire bill.

"Legislative leaders remain in discussions about a path forward on the bonding bill," House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) said in a statement. "Today's so-called agreement is nothing more than an idea between Democrat legislative leaders, and not a plan Republicans agreed to or were involved in crafting. It is also unclear if Governor Dayton agreed to or was involved in crafting Democrat leaders’ idea. We will continue to talk and work on crafting a bill that can secure bipartisan support and is in line with the priorities of Minnesotans.”

In a May 5 letter to House Speaker Paul Thissen (DFL-Mpls) and Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk (DFL-Cook), Dayton was critical of a plan to use nearly $200 million in cash to supplement the general-obligation bonding bill. The governor said April 22 that he’d accept $126 million in cash funding to supplement the bonding bill.

“I continue to believe that the use of cash in a bonding bill contradicts its very purpose and that cash should not be used for major capital investments,” Dayton wrote.

Removed from the bill is language prohibiting the requirement of fire sprinklers in new homes. Dayton threatened to veto the entire bill if the provision were included.

“I’m very optimistic we will cross the finish line in the coming days,” Stumpf said.


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