Disaster relief, shovel-ready projects

A governor’s signature separates $54 million in flood mitigation from areas where the dollars are needed.

“This money is going to go a long way to protect the Red River Valley from future flooding,” said Rep. Paul Marquart (DFL-Dilworth). “Those dollars will be saved many times over in reduced damages in the future.”

Sponsored by Rep. Alice Hausman (DFL-St. Paul) and Sen. Keith Langseth (DFL-Glyndon), HF855*/SF781 was passed 109-25 by the House and 59-8 by the Senate, both on May 13. Gov. Tim Pawlenty said May 14 that he will likely line-item veto several provisions in the bill.

The $343.5 million bill would provide $78.8 million to Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, $54.6 million to the Department of Transportation, $51.5 million to the University of Minnesota and $22.6 million to the Metropolitan Council.

“This bill places a high priority on higher education,” Hausman said. “It is our strong belief that higher ed is the engine that drives the state’s economy.”

The bill also would provide asset preservation in almost every state agency, Hausman said, and provides money for shovel- and paint-ready projects.

However, some members were not happy with the bill.

“This is the most glaring example of how we refuse to acknowledge the situation we’re in,” said Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Delano). “We’re spending money without any regard to the consequences.”

He and House Minority Leader Marty Seifert (R-Marshall) said that it was not fair to put disaster relief in the bill.

“We all support flood relief and disaster assistance. That should have been in its own bill,” Seifert said. “When we’re looking for a balanced diet on how to balance this budget, it should be about bread and butter, not pork.”

Rep. Larry Howes (R-Walker), a member of the bill’s conference committee, said he understood Hausman’s dilemma to keep the bill small, yet because everything in the bill is “paint and shovel ready,” he called it an “excellent bill.”

Other provisions include:

• $17.2 million for the Department of Employment and Economic Development for redevelopment grants and a Mankato Civic Center expansion, among others;

• $9.1 million for state and local matches for federal assistance for the Department of Public Safety;

• $2.7 million for reconstruction and repair of trunk highways and bridges; and

• $2.1 million for Minnesota Historical Society asset preservation.