Bonding bill parts get red-lined

The omnibus capital investment bill received a $208 million line-item trim from Gov. Tim Pawlenty April 7 before being signed into law.

Coming in at $717 million in general obligation bonding, it is more than $100 million less than the governor previously set as a target. It reflects the state’s deteriorating economic condition, he said.

Taking a direct hit from Pawlenty’s veto pen is a $70 million allocation for the proposed Central Corridor light-rail transit project that would link St. Paul and Minneapolis. “The project still faces serious challenges. We are pulling the project into the maintenance shed for further inspection,” Pawlenty said.

Also among the 55 red-lined projects are:

• $72 million for various University of Minnesota and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system projects, including $24 million for a new Bell Museum of Natural History on the university’s St. Paul campus;

• $20 million for various center improvements and expansions, including $3 million for renovation design for Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis;

• $18.5 million for improvements to various metropolitan area parks and trails, including $11 million for improvements to the polar bear and gorilla exhibits at St. Paul’s Como Zoo;

• $11.75 million for proposed rail and transit projects, including $4 million for planning of a high-speed rail line connecting St. Paul to Chicago; and

• $7.7 million for various sports centers proposed through the Amateur Sports Commission.

Historically, a good share of a bonding bill funds higher education projects, and while the governor cut a considerable amount of the institutions’ requests, Pawlenty acknowledged a $219 million General Fund commitment laid out in the law to pay the debt service on bonds the university will issue for four new bioscience facilities.

“I am supportive of the University of Minnesota’s bioscience facilities request, but we must recognize that this multi-year commitment is a large, new state financial obligation and should be weighed against other capital projects requested by the University,” he wrote in his veto letter.

House Majority Leader Tony Sertich (DFL-Chisholm) called the new law “bittersweet.” While creating jobs, addressing clean water and wastewater infrastructure issues, he said it is “a direct personal attack” on Rep. Alice Hausman (DFL-St. Paul), who sponsors the law with Sen. Keith Langseth (DFL-Glyndon). Sertich called the cutting of most St. Paul projects, “disgusting,” and said the cuts are retaliation on the House for the veto override of the transportation bill.

Sertich left open the door to a compromise with the governor over the Central Corridor proposal and the governor’s proposed Lake Vermilion State Park, which was not funded in the bill sent to the governor.

The law has various effective dates.

HF380*/SF223/CH179